East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic is the more common of the citrus ingredients they’ve added to their line of tonics. Whereas their Yuzu Tonic pays homage to an important citrus of Asian origin; East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic pays homage to the “Forbidden Fruit” of the Caribbean.
It is sweetened cane sugar and uses extracts from two kinds of citrus: red grapefruit and pomelo. The origin of the cinchona bark is from Java in Indonesia.
Tasting Notes
To the nose, East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic is a delightful bouquet of fresh pink grapefruit flesh. Juicy and vivid, it’s quite literal and bright.
Sipped on its own, it’s again heavy with grapefruit (I mean, truth in advertising— you get what it says on the label). It’s a bit tart on is own, with the finish having a metallic grapefruit tang to it. There’s a pithy grapefruit flavor that hangs on the palate long after swallowing. East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic is also rather restrained in its bitterness.
East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic and Gunpowder Gin
Firstly, what excites me most about East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic is that on the American market, it’s the best plug and play— one ingredient— to make a Finnish Long Drink. With Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin, you get a nice marriage of both worlds. Juniper and tea come through with a hint of spice; the finish of the tonic water is further improved. The pithiness is obscured in the finish of the gin, while the metallic note is largely reduced.
East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic is a superior beverage in a mixed cocktail as opposed to sipped as a soda.
Overall, East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic
It’s a solid grapefruit tonic. It has a nice flavor and is true to its signature ingredient. While as a tonic water fan, I prefer a bit more bitterness; those looking for a little less bitterness in their tonic water will find East Imperial Grapefruit Tonic a welcome mixer.