Best Tonic Water – A Simple Taste Test

When you make time for fun, you can partake in silly things like a best tonic water taste test. This crazy quest came about after I shared my gin and tonic recipe and my vodka tonic recipe. A reader asked:

“Have you found a tonic that does not contain high fructose corn syrup?”

I must admit that I’ve never thought about that. Her question caused me to check the label of our go-to tonic. Sure enough, it had high fructose corn syrup.

You might be wondering what the big deal is about high fructose corn syrup. Some people are allergic to fructose, some avoid it as a part of their diet, and some folks prefer a more natural sweetener and one that is not genetically modified.

My husband and I decided that in the name of research, we should locate tonics that do not use high fructose corn syrup and conduct a taste test to determine the best tonic water without high fructose corn syrup. We located three to start with.

We were quite scientific in the set up. We made each gin and tonic using the exact same measurements and ratios of ingredients. Yes, in the middle of a pandemic, we set aside an afternoon of sipping on gin and tonic for the good of the world. Here are our tasting notes:

Q Spectacular – We tasted more of the gin on the front end and the finish was all carbonated water. We didn’t dislike the taste, but this was not our favorite. However, after reading the label, it became our first choice for best tonic water that is healthy.

Fever Tree Premium Indian – We tasted different flavors as the liquid moved from glass to the back of the throat. There was lime on the front end, gin in the middle and a slightly carbonated water burn on the finish. This was our least favorite of the three.

Fever Tree Mediterranean – This was our favorite of the three and our choice for best tonic water. It had a refreshing sea breeze taste throughout.

In addition to the flavor, you might want to compare nutritional labels:

Even though Q Spectacular has a small amount of sodium, it has the fewest carbs and calories, which is why we’ve deemed that one the healthiest choice.

Since that glorious afternoon, we’ve tried each tonic here and there on separate occasions. When they’re not lined up side by side for a taste test, we’re not enough of tonic connoisseurs to actually taste any difference. In other words, when one spouse served the other a mystery tonic, neither of us could tell which one was which. So if you’re not a connoisseur and you’re not taste testing, you could just go with the one that seems healthiest to you.

Our tonic adventure won’t end here. We’ve decided to attempt to locate other kinds of tonics and do another round of taste testing to determine which is the best tonic water. In the name of research, of course.

Cheers!