Just the tonic

Remember, back in the day, when you ordered a gin and tonic in the pub? It used to be Gordon’s Gin and Schweppes tonic water. Sometimes even served with ice and lemon. These days you’re lucky if you have to choose between only half a dozen different types, and colours, of gin and half a dozen partner tonic waters. Topped off by various herbs and twists of fruit, my mind – and taste buds – boggle. It’s the mystery of tonic water that has piqued my interest lately. The source of that distinctive astringent taste is quinine, originally found in the bark of the fever tree growing in the Andes. Even in the 17th century, a distillation of the powdered bark was being used as a treatment to combat malaria. Today quinine is still a natural product, grown from trees in Indonesia and Africa, and it remains an important treatment for malaria. The fizzy component of tonic water dates back to 1760s when carbonated water was invented. In 1858, a certain Erasmus Bond magically combined sparking water with quinine powder to create ‘Quinine Tonic Water’ which is the essence of what we still enjoy today. Except now we are faced with the explosion of artisan tonic waters to match the explosion of artisan gins.  Cheers?!