The 7 Best Tonic Waters in 2022

Best Overall

Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water

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“Fever-Tree produces high-quality tonics that enhance normal cocktails,” says Juan Fernandez, restaurant and bar manager at The Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina. “Best of all, it has a solid lineup—Classic, Light, Mediterranean, Elderflower, Aromatic, Lemon, and Cucumber.”

All ingredients are harvested from natural sources, including quinine from the Democratic Republic of Congo, oils from Mexican bitter orange, ginger from the Ivory Coast, and lemons from Sicily. The star of the show, however, is the Premium Indian Tonic—a must for G&Ts. All in all, it's a straightforward, high-end, and readily available option.

Price at time of publish: $43

Most Authentic

East Imperial Old World Tonic Water

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“This is my favorite tonic water,” says Seth Falvo, bartender at The Hotel Zamora in St. Pete Beach, Florida. “East Imperial boasts that it is the only modern tonic water that sources all key ingredients from Asia, just like the original tonic recipes."

In the last century, commercial tonic makers have started dosing tonics with sugars to appeal to the soda-drinking crowd. Now, East Imperial’s Old World Tonic uses less than half the sugar of a standard can of tonic for a pleasant floral flavor profile. Try it with a bold gin to balance out the strong botanicals. 

“While its low sugar, low-acidity mouthful definitely does not make this something to sip on its own, this tonic does a remarkable job at highlighting the subtleties of your favorite gin instead of burying them,” Falvo says.

Best for Gin and Tonic

Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic Water

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Fever-Tree's Mediterranean flavors come from rosemary and lemon thyme of the Provence region of southern France, just off the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. These ingredients combine to make a lighter, more subtly herbaceous version of the brand's Indian Tonic—a profile particularly excellent for mixing with vodka and, naturally, gin.

“Fever-Tree is the industry standard for quality tonic—at least if you're not going the extra step to make your own,” says Gavin Humes, director of food and beverage operations for Scratch Restaurants Group. “The small bottles of Mediterranean Tonic are my favorite for a beautiful gin and tonic. It's got great effervescence, and it's light and flavorful, but also allows the gin to shine.”

“I think lemon plays beautifully with this tonic," he continues, "so a G&T with a twist of lemon, instead of lime, is my beverage of choice."

Price at time of publish: $53

Best for Bartenders

Q Mixers Spectacular Tonic Water

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Made with quinine from Peru and sweetened with agave, Q Mixers Spectacular Tonic Water has elegant carbonation and a wide range of flavors.

“I like the Q Spectacular Tonic due to its brightness,” says Jason Allmond, bartender at New Realm Brewing in Savannah, Georgia. “A lot of tonics are falling flat to me these days or are trying to do too much—infusing a bunch of flavors or things to make a tonic, well, less tonic-like. Q Spectacular forgoes all of that and remains a bright, fizzy tonic, suitable for all kinds of beverages."

SeongHa Lee, former bartender at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas, agrees.

“Any highball cocktail needs five components to be great: proper glassware, quality ice, fresh garnish, quality spirit, and quality mixer. My go-to tonic is Q Spectacular Tonic Water for a lot of reasons, but at the top of the list is the high carbonation level. All those bubbles ensure that your gin and tonic will be just as fizzy on the last sip as it was the first.”

Price at time of publish: $21

Best Flavored

East Imperial Burma Tonic Water

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While East Imperial’s regular tonics lean less on sugar in favor of quinine flavors, the Burma Tonic Water doubles up on the sweetness with twice as much natural cane sugar and the highest amount of quinine available. To balance out the cane sugar and quinine, the brand adds a bit of Thai lemongrass and Manao lime, plus a few dashes of bitters. It's warm and spicy with a bit of cinnamon and lots of zest.

"East Imperial is the only tonic water I drink at home and the only tonic water we serve at the distillery," says Laura Johnson, owner and founder of You and Yours Distilling Co. in San Diego. "All of their styles boast superior flavor profiles and are all naturally low in sugar, which I love. The Burma Tonic is an ideal mate for traditional London Dry [gins].”

Best Light

Q Mixers Light Tonic Water

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Q Mixers' Light Tonic Water skips the sugar in favor of a blend designed to replicate the flavors of the classic Spectacular Tonic without the added dose of sugar.

“When I look to elevate a highball beyond a standard gin and tonic, the dry, yet flavorful Q Tonic is the one I lean on," says Frank Caiafa, director of Handle Bars New York consulting company and author of "The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book." "It adds a spine to the core of the mix while allowing a unique or upgraded base spirit to shine through."

Natalia Cardenas, beverage development manager for Breakthru Beverage Group in Illinois, favors Q Tonics, too. "Every time I use it for my customers, I am assured that they are tasting a cocktail that surpasses anything they’ve tried before. With its real ingredients, high carbonation, and less sugar than others on the market, it’s a tonic I rely on time and time again.”

Price at time of publish: $23