Better Ingredients, Better Cocktail: Top 5 Tonics to Pair With Your Favorite Gin

Let’s take a look at the five best tonic waters worthy of being paired with your favorite gin!

It’s a common sentiment: the higher the quality, the better it is. We see evidence of this in items such as silk pillowcases, mattresses and organic foods. The same concept rings true when it comes to tonic water, a key ingredient in gin’s favorite cocktail.

Tonic water was first invented in the 19th century as a palatable way to ingest malaria-preventing quinine. We’ve come a long way since tonic’s inception and, luckily, no longer have to force ourselves to choke on bitter brews.

As recipes improved and the levels of quinine were reduced, tonic water has evolved to become quite a sippable treat. The gin renaissance of 2010 to 2016 also helped push for tastier tonics.

We’re all adults here — it’s time to buck up and stop buying that $1 bottle of tonic water from Walmart. Let’s take a look at five top tonics to pair with your favorite gin.

Fentimans

(Photo: Fentimans)

When a bottle of tonic water asks you to add gin, you listen.

Fentimans tonics are botanically brewed and “exquisitely crafted,” resulting in a wide range of creatively flavored tonics for just about any gin occasion under the sun.

The brand was born way back in 1905 in England, with its first product being a ginger beer (which it still makes). The Fentimans logo depicts Founder Thomas Fentiman’s beloved dog, Fearless, who was winner of Crufts obedience class of 1933 and 1934. How sweet!

Flavors we recommend trying with gin are Valencia Orange, Naturally Light, Oriental Yuzu and Elderflower and Rose.

Barker and Quin

(Photo: Barker and Quin)

This tonic hails from South Africa, created by Oenologist Hanneli Vd Merwe in 2015. Merwe was inspired to make a quality tonic after discovering a love for craft gin on a business trip in Europe. That’s the power of craft gin.

Barker and Quin is made with mountain spring water and fresh, natural ingredients sourced from “earth-friendly” suppliers. The tonic’s quinine is made from Chinchona trees in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Look out for unique flavors like Hibiscus, Honeybush Orange and Marula to mix with your favorite gin.

Q Mixers

(Photo: Q Mixers)

Q specializes in mixers of all forms from multiple ginger beers to bloody mary mix and kola. The dry tonic water that started the brand is called “Spectacular” and is made with organic agave and quinine from Cinchona trees in the Peruvian Andes.

The mixers producer asks the question “shouldn’t your tonic be as good as your gin?” To this we answer, “oh my goodness yes!”

Tasty flavors from Q include Classic, Elderflower and Light. Classic is made specifically to be mixed with London dry gins and is a touch more bitter and sweeter than the Spectacular Tonic.

 Sanpellegrino

(Photo: Sanpellegrino)

You may be familiar with Italian beverage producer Sanpellegrino through its mineral water and citrus-flavored sparkling drinks. You’ll be pleased to find out they also craft high-quality tonics.

Sanpellegroni’s tonics come in two flavors: Oakwood and Citrus. Tonica Citrus highlights lemon and orange peel with “delicate scents of bitter bark.” Tonica Oakwood is incredibly unique in that it utilizes oak extract, something we haven’t seen in tonic before.

Tonica Oakwood’s signature serve is a “Wood Collins” made with aged gin or genever, simple syrup, lemon juice and Angostura bitters. Yum!

Fever-Tree

(Photo: Fever-Tree/Facebook)

Fever-Tree is the head honcho of premium tonic waters. The brand has quickly won the hearts of gin fans around the world since its 2013 inception and is here to stay.

Fever-Tree’s slogan is “if ¾ of your drink is the mixer, then you should use the best.” While your gin to tonic ratio may differ, we think it’s a valuable sentiment. Long gone are the days of using subpar tonics!

The tonic producer also supports the charity Malaria No More through a three-year £1 million partnership. Malaria No More’s main mission is to prevent deaths from mosquito bites by identifying, adapting and inventing ways to advance global progress towards ending the disease.

Fever-Tree has a range of about six different tonics, with Elderflower and Premium Indian among the most frequently used in gin cocktail recipes.

Happy mixing!

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