Most Americans are exposed to one type of Schweppes tonic water, simply known as "tonic water", but when they travel to the United Kingdom, they find Schweppes Indian tonic water. What's the difference? Is is just in a name or is there more?
Well trying to contact Schweppes resulted in questions from their legal team, or rather the legal team of Coca-Cola which owns Schweppes. Since this blog is and remains a not for profit endeavour written for fun, I've decided to write based on my simple observations.
Yes, there is a difference. The name change is more than just a simple labeling difference. Indian Tonic Water uses sugar, rather than the high fructose corn syrup used in the American version. /The American tonic also contains sodium benzoate as a preservative and the British tonic contains sodium saccharin as a sweetener.
The resulting British product is more tart than the American version which is slightly sweeter. While the sweetness might be more palatable to the American palate for those rare few who drink tonic water alone. But when you mix the tonic water with gin to create the classic gin and tonic, you will find the British Indian Tonic Water makes a better gin & tonic. I experimented with both tonic waters using Gordon's, Tanqueray, and Juniper Green Gin. In each case, the Indian Tonic Water created a superior gin & tonic.
So the choice is yours, American or British Schweppes. They are close, but not the same, so if you are looking for something slightly different and you find Indian Tonic Water, give it a try, I think you will enjoy it.
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Late to the party, but I agree that a tarter tonic is tastier in a G & T.
ReplyDeleteIn bars, I lessen the sweetness of my G & T with by asking for a short spritz of Club Soda before laying in the (too sweet) American tonic.
Better late than never ...
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