What do you put in your gin and tonic?

Tonic – noun – A medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigour or well-being. Thank you, Oxford Dictionary. I knew a gin and tonic was at least half-good for me. But what tonic water do you use? There are lots of choices and it’s absolutely incredible the difference they make.

Mr & Mrs Romance - Friday Drinks - Fever Tree mixers title

Think of it this way. You’ve just bought an expensive yet beautifully tailored pair of trousers. Then you wear a dull, cheap top that makes your new pants look drab and poor quality.

This is what happens when you chuck any old tonic water with your gin – or any mixer and spirit for that matter.

This is a revelation that’s only just dawned on us (the actual, not the analogy). Before, we didn’t really pay any attention to which tonic we were mixing with the beautiful gin we’d so carefully selected.

To be honest we just weren’t aware that there was anything else out there – or that it would make that much difference. But it does.

We bought some bottle of Capi tonic water a couple of months ago and were so impressed.

Even more recently we tried the No. 209 gin we brought back from San Francisco with Fever Tree’s Indian Tonic Water and I’ve got to say (well, I haven’t got to, but I will), wow!

The difference good tonic makes to a G and T – amazing.

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Fever Tree is a UK brand that makes a great range of different mixers. They’re now available in Australia through Dan Murphy’s, but there are lots of other tonic water brands out there waiting to get with your gin.

And if you don’t believe me, check out Caroline Childerley aka Her Royal Highness The Gin Queen. She’s written about different tonic waters here.

One problem can be the availability of these tonic waters. Keeping stocked can be tricky (click here for more information on where to get Fever Tree mixers). But there’s a solution to that too. You can get tonic syrups – a bit like grown-up cordial – where you dilute the syrup with soda water.

A bottle of this stuff will last you ages. Once again, please refer for more information on tonic syrups to Her Magnificence The Gin Queen here.

So next time you’re at the shops, think carefully about what fizz you want to put with your bizz. After all, not all tonics are made equal!

What tonic water do you put with your gin? What’s your favourite mixed drink? Do you have a preferred gin? Tell us in the comments!

Images by Mr Romance.

2 Comments

  • Reply February 13, 2015

    Sonia from Sonia Styling

    Jim, can I just say how impressed I am with you that you threw a fashion analogy into an alcohol themed post? It’s like my two loves in the same place at the same time! Happy weekend, Romancers. x

    • Reply February 14, 2015

      Mr Romance

      Well, like I always say, Sonia – alcohol and wearing clothes are very closely connected. I do both at the same time occasionally!
      Same to you – have an awesome weekend.
      Jxx

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