I had a $320.15 gin and tonic last week – technically speaking. For home cocktail enthusiasts looking to improve their standard gin and tonics, these tonic syrups provide a simple solution that also allows a level of customization. I reviewed a total of 19 tonic syrups to find out which ones are worth your money.
The two items the cocktail market is flooded with are bitters and syrups. Because these items are non-alcoholic (yes, bitters often contain alcohol, but are classified as non-potable), they are much simpler to get to market than a spirit, beer, or wine. While regulations still exist, there aren’t as many.
Bitters and syrups are also less expensive to produce since there is no need for distillation tanks or timely aging processes. With so many products on the market, it’s not surprising that there are a few duds. Determined to weed out any inferior products and potentially discover new ones, I ordered every tonic syrup that I found on Amazon.
Craft cocktail bars have been producing house tonic syrups for over a decade, but commercially available brands are a more recent development. While craft tonic syrups add a level of personalization to a gin and tonic, they are perhaps the epitome of excessive “mixology”. Take a cocktail so simple that the recipe is the name itself, and deconstruct it into a syrup that requires at least a dozen ingredients and a couple hours to make…?
If you’re not familiar with tonic syrups, the concept is simple. Tonic water is carbonated water primarily flavored by cinchona bark. Other ingredients often include citrus peels, lemongrass, ginger, and other spices. Characterized by its bitter flavor, cinchona bark was used as an early anti-malaria treatment. For British sailors in India, adding a bit of gin and club soda to their quinine helped make their medicine go down. This was the birth of the gin and tonic. Modern recipes may use actual cinchona bark or quinine powder, and it’s debatable to what level this impacts the product. If you’re making a tonic syrup for home or bar, it’s critical not to use too much cinchona bark because it is possible to overdose on quinine and cause cinchonism. Using cinchona bark is a safer way to make these recipes as you have less of a chance of over extracting the quinine from the bark.
To make a gin and tonic with one of these syrups, you combine the gin with the tonic syrup, then add the club soda to provide the carbonation. My preference is to mix the gin and syrup thoroughly prior to adding the club soda – the last thing you want to do is stir after adding the club soda and lose that signature effervescence.
My process for tasting these tonic syrups was straightforward. I poured ¾ ounce of each and tasted down the line, going back and forth to compare and contrast specifics. I did this on three different occasions. During this tasting I kept context in mind – these are concentrated syrups, so bold and bitter flavors are desired. It was important for me to evaluate how well they would be in a gin and tonic, not how they tasted on their own. The overall flavor profile I was seeking was one that would help create the classic gin and tonic which should be slightly sweet and never syrupy like a lemon-lime soda, have a pleasant bitterness, and a refreshing citrus acidity.
Most tonic syrups reviewed listed their dilution ratio for a standard gin and tonic, and these vary across brands. I’ve assigned all the tonic syrups a star rating on a scale of 1-5, plus I’ve included additional commentary at the end of the reviews. Any product that has a 3.5 or higher is a good buy. At some point, it comes down to personal preference, and only a few products reviewed were sub-par.
Without further adieu, here are the tonic syrups responsible for the $320.15 gin and tonic.
TIP: Prices are based on Amazon prices. Note that some products are concentrated and may require less than 1 ounce to make a cocktail. Some tonic syrups may be available at a lower cost when ordered directly from the brand’s site.
The List of Tonic Syrups Reviewed
- Small Hands Foods Tonic Syrup
- Tomr’s Tonic
- Portland Syrups Rose City Tonic Concentrate
- El Guapo Bitters – British Colonial Style Tonic Syrup
- 5 by 5 Tonic Co. – Tonic Syrup (Discontinued)
- Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Classic Tonic Syrup
- Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Elderflower Tonic Syrup
- Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Extra Bitter Tonic Syrup
- Bradley’s – Bourbon Barrel Aged Kina Tonic
- Bradley’s – Kina Tonic
- Liber & Co – Premium Tonic Syrup
- Strongwater Mountain Elixirs – Alpine Tonic Cocktail Syrup
- & Tonic
- Pratt Standard Cocktail Company – Authentic Tonic Syrup
- Bittermen’s Speed Craft – Our Last, Best Hope for Tonic Syrup
- Hella Cocktail Co. – Hella Tonic Cocktail Syrup (Discontinued)
- The Cocktail Experiment
- Strong Tonic
- W&P Design Craft Cocktail Syrup
Small Hand Foods Tonic Syrup
Small Hand’s syrup is very thin in texture and not very sweet. It also doesn’t have many strong bitter components to it. There simply isn’t much going on in this bottle and I found it uninspiring.
- Price: $20.99
- Quantity: 17.5 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.20
- Price Per Drink: $0.60
- Ingredients: water, organic cane sugar, organic lemon juice, gentian extract, citric acid, cinchona bark, organic orange peel, organic lemon peel, Ceylon cinnamon
- Rating: 1/5
Order on Amazon
Purchase from Small Hand Foods
Tomr’s Tonic
Tomr’s Tonic has some of the most pronounced bitterness with notes of iodine. For being so potent, their suggested ratio of one part syrup to two parts spirit seems high. While the bitterness is desirable, there is something off-putting about this syrup that’s hard to describe. It’s as if the cinchona and spices are over-extracted.
- Price: $25.99
- Quantity: 6.76 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $3.84
- Price Per Drink: $3.84
- Ingredients: water, organic cane sugar, organic lemon juice, gentian extract, citric acid, cinchona bark, organic orange peel, organic lemon peel, Ceylon cinnamon
- Rating: 2/5
Order on Amazon
Portland Syrups Rose City Tonic Concentrate
The rose petal infusion in this syrup not only adds some amazing complexity to the syrup but also a beautifully vibrant red hue. This syrup has a medium viscosity level and mixes well. For having so few ingredients, the amount of flavor is impressive. It’s floral on the nose and is reminiscent of raspberry on the palate. I really love this syrup, and it would work well in other drinks. It makes a unique gin and tonic—one that is subtle and not citrus-forward. Perhaps this allows for your own squeeze of lime. If you are a fan of unique rose/floral cocktails, they also make a rose cordial that is awesome in a Clover Club! Or, if you’d like to try a variety, they offer a sampler 4-pack.
- Price: $15.98
- Quantity: 16 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.00
- Price Per Drink: $0.75
- Ingredients: water (infused with cinchona bark and dried rose petals), cane sugar, citric acid
- Rating: 4.5/5
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El Guapo Bitters – British Colonial Style Tonic Syrup
El Guapo’s is a standout syrup in this review lineup. It has a balanced acidity and bitterness. The spices add an almost minty aroma. If the spices were any more prominent, it would be too much, but these clove and spice notes are present in just the right amount. This flavor profile was a favorite – I only wish there was a bit more dry bitterness.
- Price: $18.00
- Quantity: 8.5 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $2.12
- Price Per Drink: $1.06
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, cinchona bark, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit, ginger, spices
- Rating: 4.5/5
Order on Amazon
5 by 5 Tonic Co. – Tonic Syrup
Update: No longer available as of April 3, 2019.
I was really excited to taste this one. The use of gentian root (the primary ingredient in SUZE) as opposed to the standard cinchona bark is an interesting move, but one that makes sense. The addition of Saaz hops as a bittering and aromatic agent is also a nice spark of creativity. Despite my enthusiasm for tasting this tonic syrup, it was lacking in aroma and flavor. As one of the most creative recipes and one of the most expensive bottles, I expected more. This is definitely best used with a delicate gin or as a syrup in another cocktail recipe. My concern is that it’s simply not concentrated enough to hold its own in a cocktail.
- Price: $19.99
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $2.50
- Price Per Drink: $1.87
- Ingredients: water, sugar, gentian, Saaz hops, orange peel citric acid
- Rating: 2.5/5
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Classic Tonic Syrup
This is a good and dependable tonic syrup. It’s moderately sweet with a nice amount of acidity. This recipe uses quinine concentrate as opposed to cinchona bark, but that’s no reason to avoid it. There are subtle iodine notes on the nose, but they aren’t overwhelming or even a negative aspect. The citric acid comes through strong, which is ideal for making a gin and tonic. If anything, I wish it had more citrus notes. Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. produces three distinct tonic syrups. The other two are reviewed in this listing and are slight modifications of this base recipe.
(Their trio of syrups is available in a 3-pack on Amazon. This gives you all three in 8 oz. bottles instead of needing to buy them in the large 17 oz. bottles.)
- Price: $23.24
- Quantity: 17 oz. (8 oz. pictured)
- Price Per Ounce: $1.37
- Price Per Drink: $1.03
- Ingredients: water, sugar, quinine concentrate, lemongrass, orange peel, citric acid
- Rating: 3.5/5
Order on Amazon
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Elderflower Tonic Syrup
The same descriptors for their Classic Tonic Syrup (above) apply here, as the only difference is a slight change in the ratio of ingredients and the addition of elderflower. This Elderflower Tonic Syrup is reminiscent of St-Germain, but with some complex bitter flavors. It is very floral on the nose and has a savory, sweet, stone fruit taste. They encourage also trying it with aged spirits like bourbon, rum, and tequila.
(Their trio of syrups is available in a 3-pack on Amazon. This gives you all three in 8 oz. bottles instead of needing to buy them in the large 17 oz. bottles.)
- Price: $22.99
- Quantity: 17 oz. (8 oz. pictured)
- Price Per Ounce: $1.35
- Price Per Drink: $1.01
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, quinine concentrate, citric acid, lemongrass, orange peel, elderflower
- Rating: 4/5
Order on Amazon
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. – Extra Bitter Tonic Syrup
Again, the same descriptors for their Classic Tonic Syrup (above) apply here. Looking at the ingredients listing reveals that it’s the same recipe as the classic syrup, but with more quinine concentrate and citric acid. I found the “extra bitter” to be more bitter than the rest of the Jack Rudy syrups, but not the most bitter of any tasted. I’d always choose this recipe over their classic when making a gin and tonic.
(Their trio of syrups is available in a 3-pack on Amazon. This gives you all three in 8 oz. bottles instead of needing to buy them in the large 17 oz. bottles.)
- Price: $14.26
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.78
- Price Per Drink: $1.34
- Ingredients: quinine concentrate, water, citric acid, sugar, lemongrass, orange peel
- Rating: 4.5/5
Order on Amazon
Bradley’s – Bourbon Barrel Aged Kina Tonic
Bradley’s makes two tonic syrups, and I found them both to be great. The initial recipes for both are the same, but the difference is that one (this one) undergoes barrel aging. The barrel is a former bourbon barrel that was then used to age Captive Spirits’ BIG GIN. After the gin is emptied, the tonic syrup ages for a minimum of 4 months. This syrup has a balanced sweetness and acidity, and I was impressed by how much the barrel impacted the flavor. Tasting this alongside their standard Kina Tonic syrup is an interesting comparison. The barrel aging mellows the flavors while adding a subtle woody/char note, and hints of vanilla. This is a very interesting and unique product that I really enjoyed. One of the most flavorful of the bunch. It would work well as a simple syrup substitute in many cocktail recipes.
- Price: $17.95
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $2.24
- Price Per Drink: $1.68
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, cinchona bark, citric acid, spices, pure orange oil
- Rating: 4/5
Order on Amazon
Bradley’s – Kina Tonic
A very pleasant tonic syrup. I wish it had a bit more bold bitterness and acidity, but overall it’s a very balanced syrup that will make a good gin and tonic. If, for some reason, you plan on making 85+ gin and tonics, they offer it in a 64 oz. growler. ?
- Price: $23.95
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $2.99
- Price Per Drink: $2.25
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, cinchona bark, citric acid, spices, pure orange oil
- Rating: 3.5/5
Order on Amazon
Liber & Co – Premium Tonic Syrup
I’m a huge fan of the syrups that Liber & Co. out of Austin has been producing. I’ve found all of their products to be made with quality ingredients and packed with flavor. Their grenadine, passion fruit syrup and orgeat are some of the best bottled products I’ve tasted. Their tonic syrup is one of their newer items, and it’s no different. I was curious as to how it would taste as this one is the clearest syrups in this tasting. While I wish there were more complexity and citrus notes to this one, it has the brightest bitterness that will cut through any gin it’s put up against. This is the perfect no frills tonic syrup. I’d suggest using it against a bold gin that has a good botanical and spice backbone.
- Price: $16.99
- Quantity: 9.5 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.79
- Price Per Drink: $1.34
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, natural quinine, citric acid, citrus oils, benzoic acid
- Rating: 3.5/5
Order on Amazon
Strongwater Mountain Elixirs – Alpine Tonic Cocktail Syrup
Update: Appears to be discontinued, but they offer other syrups.
This is the most unique of this tasting lineup, and almost breaks the category definition. It’s very minty and herbal on the nose. There is a subtle grassiness to it that is akin to a Japanese sencha tea. Yet, other notes are similar to a traditional black tea. It’s not a very bitter syrup and it isn’t very citrusy. That said, I really enjoy this syrup, and would likely enjoy it more in any cocktail beside the gin and tonic. Strongwater also offers a few other syrups, shrubs, and bitters, that I am curious to check out after tasting their Alpine Tonic.
- Price: $24.95
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $3.12
- Price Per Drink: $1.56
- Ingredients: organic raw cane sugar, mountain spring water, lime, lemongrass, sage, bitter bark and roots, citric acid
- Rating: 4.5/5
Order on Amazon
(Possibly Discontinued)
& Tonic
The & Tonic syrup is baking spice heavy with a moderate level of tartness and citrus notes. I enjoy this flavor profile, and it seems to be the most similar to the house tonic syrups I encounter at craft cocktail bars. All around a very well made syrup. You can order through Amazon, or directly from & Tonic for a better deal.
- Price: $19.90
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $2.49
- Price Per Drink: $1.24
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, citric acid, essence of citrus, spices
- Rating: 4/5
Order from & Tonic
Order on Amazon
Pratt Standard Cocktail Company – Authentic Tonic Syrup
The Pratt Standard Cocktail Company Authentic Tonic Syrup (formerly the brand was called True Syrups & Garnishes) has more unique spices than any of the others on this list. Perhaps it’s just that they spell them out rather than opting for the generic term, “spices”, on the ingredients listing. The syrup has a moderate level of sweetness and bitterness. However, the texture is thin and there aren’t many citrus notes present. I personally don’t like the prominence of the ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon in this recipe. It’s a really strange choice to include as dominant ingredients in a tonic syrup. It’s an excellent tasting syrup but doesn’t fit the mold of a gin and tonic.
- Price: $18.99
- Quantity: 16 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.19
- Price Per Drink: $1.19
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, lemongrass, citric acid, fresh ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, citrus zest (orange and lemon), salt, cardamom, cinchona bark, anise, allspice, cloves, saffron
- Rating: 3/5
Order on Amazon
Bittermens Speed Craft – “Our Last, Best Hope for Tonic Syrup”
I’m not sure if Bittermens has changed their recipe or if their product photos went through some color adjustment, but this bottle contained the darkest syrup of the whole lineup. The color and viscosity could lead one to mistake it for barbecue sauce. That said, it’s definitely a classic tonic syrup. Bittermens was one of the sweetest and the least bitter of them all. It tasted more like a lemon-lime hard candy than anything else.
- Price: $28.99
- Quantity: 16 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.81
- Price Per Drink: $0.91
- Ingredients: water, sugar, lemon concentrate, lime concentrate, grapefruit concentrate, tangerine concentrate, citric acid, malic acid, lemon oil, lime oil, gomme arabic, natural quinine extract
- Rating: 2.5/5
Order on Amazon
(Possibly Discontinued)
(Other purchase options.)
Hella Cocktail Co. – Hella Tonic Cocktail Syrup
Full disclosure – I’m a huge fan of Hella Bitters. (Now rebranded as Hella Cocktail Co.) They’ve also sent me product samples in the past. I reviewed their Founders Collection Bitters awhile ago, and I’d suggest picking up a set while they are still available. Their lineup of syrups and cocktail mixes is a newer product line extension. The Hella Tonic Cocktail Syrup is a reliable player in this space – it doesn’t try to do anything besides be a prototypical tonic syrup. I wish the citrus and bitterness was a bit more pronounced, but I appreciate that the spices are present but not dominant. While it’s not a “knock your socks off” syrup, it more than makes up for that with the lowest priced syrup. With other options costing 2-3x as much, this bottle is a great value and quality product.
- Price: $9.99
- Quantity: 12.7 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $0.79
- Price Per Drink: $0.79
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, citric acid, cinchona bark, citrus peel, lemongrass, spices
- Rating: 4/5
Apparently discontinued with their rebrand to Hella Cocktail Co. That said, get one of their other great products!
The Cocktail Experiment Tonic Syrup
The Cocktail Experiment Tonic Syrup is better than the poorly designed label may lead one to think, however, it’s lacking a lot. It’s one of the more tart syrups, which is not to be confused with bitterness. Despite the cinchona bark being present in the ingredients list, the flavor of SweeTARTS candy (citric acid) hits you strong like a punch in the face.
- Price: $14.99
- Quantity: 12.7 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.18
- Price Per Drink: $1.18
- Ingredients: water, cane sugar, brown sugar, citric acid, orange extract, lime extract, cinchona bark, lemongrass, anthem gum, grapefruit extract
- Rating: 2/5
Order on Amazon
Possibly discontinued. They now offer bitters.
Strong Tonic Syrup
Strong Tonic is a well-balanced syrup and one of the first tonic syrups I ever purchased. It is well-balanced and the pear juice adds a unique element that I really enjoy. It makes an excellent gin and tonic with a pleasing bright acidity, however, I wish it were slightly more bitter. The addition of caramel coloring is likely an effort to darken the syrup since using cinchona extract will not give the same color as using cinchona bark would. I’m not sure why color matters for the syrup, as it’s a well-made product. They also offer their syrup in both ginger and hibiscus flavors.
- Price: $15.99
- Quantity: 12.3 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.30
- Price Per Drink: $0.98
- Ingredients: water, agave syrup, sugar, citric acid, pear juice from concentrate, natural flavors, caramel color, cinchona extract
- Rating: 3.5/5
Order Online
W&P Craft Tonic Syrup
The tonic syrup from W&P Design is part of their Craft line of mixers and syrups. I was first introduced to W&P Design several years ago through their cocktail book, Shake, which is one of the first cocktail books that I ever purchased. They are also the brand behind the popular Carry On Cocktail Kit.
Their 8-ounce bottle allows you to make 16 cocktails. The flavor profile of their classic tonic syrup is just that–classic. It uses quinine flavor concentrate as opposed to the bark. I’m not sure how much of a difference this makes on the quality or flavor of the final product, but I’d imagine it’s negligible. W&P’s tonic syrup has a nice, high level of bitterness and is very citrus forward. I think it’s a good syrup, but there are others that are more exciting and a better value.
- Price: $16.00
- Quantity: 8 oz.
- Price Per Ounce: $1.26
- Price Per Drink: $0.63
- Ingredients: quinine flavor concentrate, water, cane sugar, citric acid, dried lemon grass, dried orange peel, natural flavors
- Rating: 3.5/5
Order from Amazon
Order from W&P Design
Conclusion
Updated January 2023 based on new pricing and availability.
Most Unique: Strongwater Mountain Elixirs – Alpine Tonic Cocktail Syrup If it is unavailable, Bradley’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Kina Tonic is my choice.
Best Value: Portland Syrups Rose City Quinine Tonic Concentrate!
Personal Favorites:
Bradley’s Bourbon Barrel Aged Kina Tonic
Strongwater Mountain Elixirs – Alpine Tonic Cocktail Syrup
El Guapo Bitters British Colonial Style Tonic Syrup
Additional Resources
- Tonic Syrup Recipe – The Humble Garnish Original Recipe
- Tonic Water Review
Websites of Featured Brands
Small Hands Foods
Tomr’s Tonic
Portland Syrups
El Guapo
5 by 5 Tonics (Discontinued)
Jack Rudy Cocktail Co.
Bradley’s Tonic Co.
Liber & Co.
Strongwater
& Tonic
True Syrups and Garnishes
Bittermens
Hella Cocktail Co. (Tonic syrup is discontinued, but other products are offered!)
The Cocktail Experiment
Strong Tonic
W&P Craft Cocktail Syrup
Other Brands To Try
Top Hat Quinine Concentrate Syrup (works with SodaStream)
NeverClear Tonic Water Concentrate
Pink House Alchemy Tonic Syrup
I created The Humble Garnish because I’m passionate about cocktails. Occasionally, I am provided with products for review or other perks. Many product links on this site are affiliate links that give me a very small kickback, and costs the buyer nothing extra. For example, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases after a link leading to Amazon is clicked. Other links may earn me affiliate commissions as well. This helps offset the cost of creating content for the site – things like camera gear, software, alcohol, glassware. I have at times accepted and at other times declined free products. I promote what I love and use, and rarely will write about a product that I don’t appreciate or own. If I don’t like a product or service, I often simply choose not to write about it.
– Andrew
Who the heck is drinking tonic syrup straight though? I was really excited to find this article, until I realized you only tasted them as straight syrup, without any gin or soda/seltzer water. Why?
Great question, Kevin. The simplest answer is that these syrups are so vastly different that it would be hard to fairly review them with a standardized tasting that included mixing them with gin and soda water. I know a London Dry gin would be the safest and most standard way of mixing these, but some of them would work much better with other styles of gin. I also think others would be better used in cocktails with spirits other than gin.
I agree that it makes sense to taste these in the context of a gin and tonic, and, at the same time, I think there is practical application to tasting any cocktail ingredient by itself before incorporating it into a cocktail.
I was interested in elements like concentration, bitterness, sweetness, and additional flavor components. My hope is that readers find this a useful guide that can point them in the right direction when they consider their gin of choice for gin and tonics.
Don’t get me wrong though–I definitely enjoyed several of these in gin and tonics.
Cheers!
I’m counting on you now, I just used your review to make my decision and just ordered!
Awesome! What did you go with?
This is extremely helpful! I was about to buy the El Guapo, but wanted to see some comparisons first. Definitely sticking with that one, and I’m going to get the 4pack from Portland Syrups too.
That’s great, Lythea! Glad you found it helpful. Cheers!
Since it’s your value pick, take note that Rose City tonic pricing is now all over the map, apparently because they’re downsizing to 12oz bottles. So (on Amazon) you can spend an irrational $35 for what is probably a discontinued 16 oz bottle, or 2x 12oz bottles for $30, which is roughly equivalent to $20 for 16 oz.
Yikes. Thanks for the update. That is crazy. It’s certainly frustrating how much Amazon can fluctuate.
I cant believe how much the prices on amazon have jumped in the two years since this was written!!
Thanks for pointing that out! 🙂
I guess it may be time for an update so it’s a little more accurate. Now if we can only get some Green Chartreuse, then we’ll be back to the good times.
Cheers!