Aaron Knoll

Ruby D’s Citrus Quinine Tonic takes their main tonic syrup offering and subtracts some of the herbs and spices and instead veers in a totally different direction with citrus zest and citrus oils. It’s part of a series of tonic syrups which instead of cultivating a following based around catering to one subset of the tonic … Read more

Russet in hue, Haber’s Hibiscus Spicy Hibiscus Tonic is the more floral offering to complement their primary offering Haber’s Tonic. Crafted in my very neighborhood, I’ve seen Haber’s locally at a few bars and small local stores. I included their tonic in my tonic syrup giveaway this past fall, and when I did, they sent … Read more

Price: £3.00 / 4 bottlesBest consumed: With a good classic style gin.Sweetener: Cane SugarAvailability: As Lemon Tonic in Europe, as Bitter Lemon statesideRating: For a bitter lemon, it accomplishes the goals set out. Heavy with the citrus, with plenty of tart, literal lemon juice notes, it feels less balanced than other bitter lemons, partially because of … Read more

Price: $8/ case of 4, 200mL bottlesBest consumed: With a juniper/floral forward gin.Sweetener: White and Cane SugarAvailability: Internationally and in some US States.Rating: 3/5 Indi & Co. Botanical Tonic Water may look like your standard bottled tonic water. But there’s some interesting process going on in the bottle. The Spanish brand actually distills the ingredients … Read more

Price: $1/ LBest consumed: With any gin that you enjoy with tonic.Sweetener: High Fructose Corn SyrupAvailability: Amazon.comRating: 3/5 Polar is a brand widely available in New England and the Northeastern United States that has a widely devoted following, in particular for their seltzers. Polar has been making seltzer since 1882. Like many soda brands, they … Read more

Freeway Tonic Water is the store brand for the Lidl chain of supermarkets. I found this one while I was staying in Helsinki. Technically, the first thing that surprises me is that the sweetener is sugar. You rarely see that stateside, especially with some of the more inexpensive tonics. Secondly, this is incredibly inexpensive. I … Read more

Before I tried a Finnish Long Drink, I was baffled by the grape tonic I saw on the shelves in Helsinki. After having the Finnish Long Drink, I got it. Contrary to the name, the flavor is grapefruit and not grape. The color and opacity is similar to grapefruit sodas like Squirt. Tasting Notes Slight … Read more

Franklin & Sons Ltd. is a London base soda company in operation since the 1880’s. Their line of tonics include Ecuadorean sourced cinchona bark and Staffordshire Water *. Also Franklin & Sons Ltd Natural Indian Tonic Water is sweetened with sugar. They also claim to have the most carbonation possible, which is music to my … Read more

East Imperial Old World Tonic sources all of their ingredients from Asia, taking their inspiration from India, where British soldiers and expats drank Gin with their tonics to ward off Malaria. Designed to be enjoyed with contemporary style gins, East Imperial Old World Tonic boasts of high quinine levels, low sugar (using natural cane sugar, by … Read more

Britvic mixers have been around since the 1930’s. The name itself— Britvic— Is unusual. The British Vitamin Products Company was created to produce vitamins. Today, they’re a soft drink manufacturer. Brtivic Tonic was reformulated and relaunched in 2016 to appeal to modern palates. It is doubly sweetened with both sugar and saccharin. Tasting Notes I first … Read more