Tonic Water

Tonic water is a carbonated drink containing quinine, which gives it that distinctive bitter taste. British colonials in India mixed it with gin to make their anti-malarial quinine dose more tolerable — and the Gin and Tonic was born. Modern tonic water contains much less quinine than the original, and most brands add quite a bit of sugar. Fever-Tree and Q Tonic have pushed the premium tonic market forward in recent years, and the difference in a G&T is hard to ignore once you’ve tried one.

Last modified on October 15, 2026