Some people make a big fuss about tonics and given they are an integral part of the way in which most of us consume our gin I can see why.
Here's 10 fun facts about this bitter thirst quencher!
1) Tonic is a medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigour or well-being and is synonymous with 'refreshing'
Here's 10 fun facts about this bitter thirst quencher!
1) Tonic is a medicinal substance taken to give a feeling of vigour or well-being and is synonymous with 'refreshing'
2) It comes from Greek root word 'tonikos' meaning 'invigorating'.
3) Tonic water is carbonated water infused with quinine, an extract derived from the bark of the South American Cinchona plant.
3) Tonic water is carbonated water infused with quinine, an extract derived from the bark of the South American Cinchona plant.
4) The South American indigenous peoples used the healing properties of the bark to treat fevers.
5) Spanish soldiers and Jesuit priests brought it back to the old world where it later became the only effective treatment for malaria.
6) In the 1800's the British troops in India began mixing their anti-malaria drug with soda, sugar, a dash of lime and gin to make it a more palatable way of consuming the tonic. (thanks guys)
7) The first patent awarded for tonic water was to Erasmus Bond from London in 1858.
8) Johann Jacob Schweppe's company, who was royal purveyor to the British court, introduced its own quinine-and-lime infused tonic water in the 1870's.
9) 30 Botanists were employed by the US army to find cinchona plants in the Amazon during WW2.
10) The original Schweppes recipe for a refreshing, fizzy tonic provides the perfect alchemy when partnered with our Eliksir signature gin to create a sublime G&T.
Oh - and Quinine also makes tonic water fluoresce under Ultra Violet light which is pretty cool.
