Christmas Tree Water – Gin & Lemon-Lime Holiday Highball

Christmas Tree Water is a two-ingredient gin highball built for easy holiday serving. Gin brings the botanical backbone, while lemon-lime soda stretches it into a bright, bubbly drink that takes only minutes to assemble. A rosemary garnish gives the Christmas Tree Water its signature evergreen aroma and seasonal look.

Background

Christmas Tree Water is a novelty mixed drink rather than a classic cocktail with a firmly established historical specification. Versions of the drink have circulated as a simple combination of gin and lemon-lime soda, with its holiday identity coming mainly from gin's juniper character and evergreen-style garnishes such as rosemary.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

• Gin - Provides the dry, botanical base and juniper character.
• Lemon-lime soda - Adds citrus sweetness, length, and carbonation.
• Fresh rosemary - Gives the finished drink its evergreen aroma and holiday presentation.

No lemon-lime soda? Club soda with fresh lemon and lime creates a drier variation, though it will not have the same sweetness.

No rosemary? Fresh mint works as a brighter, less pine-like garnish.

Equipment

• Highball Glass
• Jigger
• Bar spoon

Why This Simple Highball Works

The appeal is the contrast between aromatic gin and sweet citrus soda. Keeping the drink tall and serving it over plenty of ice softens the gin without hiding its botanical character. Rosemary adds aroma before each sip, reinforcing the drink's playful Christmas-tree theme without adding another liquid ingredient.

Substitutions & Variations

• Drier version: Replace part or all of the lemon-lime soda with club soda and add a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime.
• Different gin style: A citrus-forward gin makes the drink brighter, while a juniper-heavy London dry gin emphasizes the evergreen character.
• Vodka variation: Vodka makes a cleaner, more neutral mixed drink, though it loses the botanical character that defines this version.
• Non-alcoholic version: Use a non-alcoholic gin alternative with lemon-lime soda.

Helpful Tips

• Add the soda directly to the serving glass instead of a mixing glass so you retain more carbonation.
• Stir only briefly after topping with soda.
• Use fresh rosemary rather than dried rosemary for a stronger aroma and cleaner presentation.
• Chill the soda before building the drink so the ice melts more slowly.
• For a party, pre-measure the gin into glasses and add ice and soda just before serving.