Fentimans Mediterranean Orange Tonic Water

There’s a fantastic range of tonics and other mixers around these days, from names like Franklin and Sons, Fever-Tree and Fentimans. (So what is it with the F word?) Some of them are so delicious you don’t need a complicated cocktail recipe to get the most out of them.

Fentimans Mediterranean Orange Tonic Water

That’s the case with the latest to come my way, Fentimans Mediterranean Orange Tonic Water. It’s being launched in time for Christmas and you can see why – it’s made from Valencian oranges, which have an intensely orange flavour, and with a tiny hint of spice about it too.

Fentimans Resident Flavourist

Fentimans has a resident flavourist, Geraldine Coombes, whose job it is to create the amazing flavours in their range. How cool a job is that? For this new tonic Geraldine combined those Valencian oranges with lemon thyme, as well as kaffir lime leaves and juniper herbal infusions, rounded off with just a dash of quinine so as not to overpower that delicate blend of flavours.

Of the mix Geraldine said: “The Mediterranean Orange Tonic Water has been created to offer a light but finely balanced mixer, with a distinctive citrus aroma. With Christmas just around the corner, it could be garnished with cinnamon to make a perfect winter companion with a gin cocktail.”

Deliciously Christmassy

Now that does sound like a deliciously Christmassy idea. What a shame I only read the suggestion after I’d guzzled down my bottle of the tonic. Mind you, following Fentimans suggestion we used the 500ml bottle to make two generous G&Ts with a simple London Dry Gin – our go-to gin is Greenall’s London Dry.

The mix of sweet oranges with the taste of lemon thyme gives the tonic a terrific citrus flavour. As well as being Christmassy it also reminded us of sunny days in the South of France, as if you could smell and taste the warmth coming off those oranges.

Fentimans Mediterranean Orange Tonic is available from this month with a recommended price of £1.79. It’s being launched in 150 Waitrose stores around the country, so watch out for it. Another bottle or three are definitely going on our next shopping list. In the USA you can buy the Fentimans range at Drizly.