Tonic Water

Carbonated quinine water — the bitter backbone of the Gin & Tonic.

Mixers Britain / global
Flavor profile: bitter

Tonic water is carbonated water with quinine (originally a malaria prophylactic) and sweetener. The craft tonic wave of the 2010s (Fever-Tree, Q, Fentiman's) pushed supermarket tonic off the bar: quality tonic has real quinine bitterness, less sugar, and clean citrus rather than artificial flavor. In a Gin & Tonic — half of which is tonic by volume — the tonic choice matters as much as the gin choice.

History

British officers in colonial India added gin to their quinine water to mask the bitterness — the G&T was born out of medicinal necessity. Jacob Schweppe had been bottling carbonated tonic water in London since the 1780s.

Common uses

Gin & Tonic, Vodka Tonic.

Cocktails that use Tonic Water

  • Gin & Tonic — Crisp gin and tonic water over ice — a timeless colonial classic

Substitutes

  • Club Soda — No quinine, no bitterness — totally different drink.