Why Seagram's Tonic Water Is Our Last Choice At The Grocery Store

We love a good, bold gin and tonic. But, in a cocktail with just two ingredients, they both better be high-quality. There's no shortage of tonic waters out there, and whether you're using it for a G&T or drinking it straight, we have the low-down on 13 different tonic water brands, ranked worst to best – believe us, not all options are created equally. 

Tonic water is like a soda. It's traditionally flavored with quinine, which gives it that signature bitter taste, as well as sugar or corn syrup to achieve that drinkable sweetness. However, there is a fair amount of recipe variation among brands. While Seagram's is known for its ginger ale, it ranked last on our list of tonic water brands. Our reviewer felt that while Seagram's wasn't bad, it just wasn't as good as the others.

Firstly, they called the flavor of the quinine "one dimensional and unimpressive." Secondly, Seagram's Tonic Water uses high fructose corn syrup and is quite rich in sugar, boasting 20 grams in a 12-ounce can. The other complaints have to do with its packaging as it only comes in metal cans, which can affect the taste. Price is also an issue as it's almost as expensive as Fever-Tree, a premium brand that often comes in glass bottles. Although Seagram's Tonic Water tasted fine, there are better options out there.

Part of the problem with Seagram's, which our taster noted, is that it's difficult to find in stores. That said, perhaps that's the first thing that makes for a good tonic water: easy accessibility. Beyond that, a good tonic water is all about balance. 

Willa Van Nostrand, owner and mixologist at Little Bitte Artisanal Catering LLC, told Simply Recipes that she looks for "the trifecta balance of bitterness, sweetness, and astringency" in a tonic water. Additionally, it should taste refreshing and underline the flavors of the spirit it's paired with. But, it's not just flavor that's important. It's the bubbles too. The carbonation should last long after being mixed in a cocktail and contribute to the dimensions of the flavors present.

According to many (including our reviewer), Fever-Tree has the best tonic water. Its flavor is complex, infused with citrus notes of orange, and it doesn't use any artificial sweeteners. It also seems to be the brand favored by many to use in a gin and tonic, according to a thread in the r/Gin subreddit. A good tonic water, in addition to having complex flavor and long-lasting bubbles, should also pair well with other mixers — tonic and earl grey tea, anyone? Naturally, it should even be tasty if you drink it by itself, which just can't be said of Seagram's Tonic Water.