Finding the perfect holiday thirst quencher

This summer, the king of beverages is just the tonic, writes

WITH a plethora of flavours available, it’s perhaps no surprise that mixologists are finding ever-more interesting ways to use the king of carbonated beverages: tonic.

It’s hard to believe that tonic was originally a malaria preventative. A decade ago, the thought of serving tonic on its own would have been like having a South African Christmas without Choice Assorted Biscuits, and very few would ever have imagined partnering it with the variety of nonalcoholic flavours we find today.

In 2015, we saw a staggering increase in tonic sales, and this elevated tonic’s status to that of a key cocktail ingredient, as CEO and co-founder of Fevertree Tonic, Tim Warrilow confirms.

“The development of tonic’s flavour profiles, in terms of clarity of taste and the premiumisation of the category is appealing to consumers beyond just G&T aficionados”.

Tonic is now multifaceted – with a myriad of flavours embracing the science of botanicals, from coriander, elderflower and citrus zests, to grapefruit, smoked, hibiscus, orris root and even chocolate. It has begun to play an integral role in mocktails – served simply with ice or a slice of lime or even with cold-pressed juices or cordials. Mixologists are now more than likely to be discussing the flavour profiles of craft tonics sans artisanal gin.

Some refreshing tonics: include Fitch & Leedes, Fever-tree, Clark & Sons, Lamb & Watt, Little Wolf Cape, Barker and Quin, Goldberg, Mosquito and of course, good ol’ Schweppes. In many ways, Schweppes rightfully deserves the title of “the OG tonic water” because when it launched in 1871, it was the first of its kind. With slight hints of citrus and cucumber, this tonic is very quiet on the nose – it’s almost neutral, yet the bitterness is moderately clean and quite long lasting.

Entry-level mocktails combine tonic water and fresh fruit (or vegetable) juice. “Lime juice is a top choice when mixing with Schweppes because it has a slight woody lemon note that pairs particularly well with juices that feature a bitter edge”, says Caitlin Human, co-founder of Tonic Restaurant in Randburg, Johannesburg. “Tonic and grapefruit juice is another effective combination. A virgin Screwdriver cocktail, sometimes called an End Wrench, consists of orange juice and tonic water. Blood orange juice makes for an aesthetically pleasing variation”.

With an industry that is ever evolving and constantly seeing new players in the market,

Clark & Sons introduced a range of mixers earlier this year, that includes cola, lavender and peach, cinnamon, classic Indian tonic, pink tonic, lemonade, ginger ale and bitter lemon. “The pink tonic has subtle notes of rose and cucumber, with a twist of a secret fruit – making it ideal to mix with rose cordial, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, sugar syrup, crushed ice and two mint sprigs for freshness”, says brand manager, Thevendrin Pillay.

The Clark & Sons Indian Tonic has traditional quinine fruit flavours, much like Schweppes but less tart. “It’s a really good option for people who don’t have a sweet palate. It’s great if you want a refreshing tang of quinine but not the booze”.

You can enjoy it with pomegranate juice, a few drops of orange-flower water, lime slices to garnish and crushed ice – which is essentially a virgin pomegranate-lime Rickey. Change it up by adding a dash of artisanal bitters, which enlivens the pomegranate.

Fever-tree Tonic Water has a richly deserved reputation as a fine artisanal mixer. They’ve expanded their tonic water portfolio with a new spin: Mediterranean Tonic Water and Aromatic Tonic Water. According to co-founder Charles Rolls, this is made “using the most authentic strain of quinine and the finest lemon oils from Sicily as well as thyme, geranium, rosemary and mandarin, we have created a delicious new taste experience.”

This can be served straight, over ice, with basil, an olive and some rosemary as garnish.

“The Aromatic Tonic Water from the Fever-tree range combines natural aromas such as Tanzanian orange oils, cane sugar, spring water and the highest quality quinine obtained from Rwanda’s and Congo’s fever tree,” adds Warrilow. Because the tonic itself already has an intricate flavour profile, it is best enjoyed with a simple peach cordial, a twist of pomelo, and bigger ice cubes to avoid dilution.

Fitch & Leedes just launched a Blue Tonic that hits the spot on its own over ice as a trendy alcoholfree alternative. Their range of tonics are notorious for accentuating botanical character, and this blueblooded mixer proves to be a sensory indulgence. Whiffs of juicy blueberry and hints of cardamom entice you, while the vivid blue colour adds a captivating twist to your gin or vodka cocktail.

It goes down smoothly when paired with citrus infused or floral cordials.

Experiment with your own infusion ideas

– add some strawberries and basil, lavender and honey, vanilla and cinnamon, rose water and peaches. You see where I am going with this?

When it comes to finding innovative ideas for your summer drinks, you might find that the king of beverages is just the tonic.