Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic

Well folks it’s about time.

What you say? 

You’ve heard of this one before?

Unless you’ve been living under a gin and tonic rock, you know about Fever Tree’s quite excellent line of tonic waters, in particular their Mediterranean.

Supposedly, it’s designed to be the cleaner and more refreshing alternative, one that is design for vodka and tonic (what?!). I’ve heard many gin drinkers say that it’s among their favorites, and I’ve heard others describe it as the perfect pair for some of the wild contemporary flavors of Spanish gins in general.

In short, I’ve heard a lot about this tonic water. And now the fact that Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic is easy to obtain via Amazon.com in the states, I’m excited to see if this is worth making a permanent addition to my home bar. My friend shared with me this bottle, so I’m excited to see what to make of this.

Taste of the Mediterranean

Tasting it on its own, one thing strikes you readily: the quinine isn’t so intense in here. It’s subtle. What hits me most strongly is the herbal flavor: lemon thyme, rosemary, and other herbs warmly greet the palate. Cool and refreshing, with only a quiet bitterness on the finish. A very subtle tonic water that will definitely appeal to folks in search of something a bit more mild. it’s milder than Q, but retains the sophistication and clean flavor of similar tonics. The Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic is definitely more herbal than the main line fever tree tonic.

But how does it taste with gin?

We tried Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic with Myers Farm Gin. The herbal notes nicely enhance and round out some of the floral notes of the gin. But I found the bitterness and tonic like bit to be somewhat subdued. Perhaps a bit too much for some, although the flavor and actual taste is not something I can say bad things about. It’s quite good. It really adds something to the gin. Perhaps a gin like Gin Mare which already has these flavors might not benefit as much from the well balanced herbal compliment; however, I can say that gin is the exception. Very few gins so boldly flavor with rosemary and thyme, which is a shame since as this tonic water shows, the flavors go well together, therefore, in most cases this tonic water works well

And Vodka?

Welcome to the gin blog, where we review….vodka only when it says so explicitly on the label of a tonic water*. I tried with some Penn 1684 Vodka [from the makers of Bluecoat Gin] and surprisingly [especially from a gin writer] it was pretty good. Well balanced herbal component and the touch of sweetness rounds out the Vodka and tonic. I can’t say that it’s enough to displace the G&T in my repertoire, but I can say that it’s a good drink and true to its boast, Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic works well in a V&T. And now back to your regularly scheduled programming

Conclusion

Well made, well balanced tonic that scales back the bitterness and emphasizes the herbs. I think that no matter what kind of G&T you’re a fan of, I think this tonic will do some good things for your drink. Very highly recommended.

Price: $36/24 6.8 oz. bottles
Best consumed: Mix Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic with pretty much any gin (or other spirits). Very well balanced, and subtle enough to let the gin shine through.
Availability: Europe/US
Rating: Herbal and a touch less bitter than others, but no less sophisticate and well-balanced. Crisp, effervescent and recommended.

*and on April Fool’s day.