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The fizz was flying at this year’s Tonic & Mixer Masters blind tasting, where tonic waters and mixers battled it out in front of a seasoned squad of drinks pros. The mission was to sort the sparkle from the sludge, with South Africa’s own Fitch & Leedes coming out clinking with medals.
Where does one blind taste a battalion of bubbles, you ask? At The Wren Tavern in London, naturally, where the panel was led by Matt Chambers of Whisky For Everyone and Richard Legg of Distilled Knowledge. Not to be outdone, a second tasting team included Ruchira Neotia, founder of Ruchira’s Table, Sarah Miller of the Gin A Ding Ding blog, and Melita Kiely, editor-in-chief of The Spirits Business. No pressure, then.
The tasting kicked off with soda waters, where Thomas Henry set the bar high, snatching a Gold for “good level of carbonation”. But once we entered tonic territory, the real sparkle began, and that’s when Fitch & Leedes said ‘hold my bottle’.
The Fitch & Leedes Indian Tonic Water was dubbed “nicely carbonated, classic” and clinched a Gold. Not to be a one-trick mixer, they followed up with a Gold for their Grapefruit Tonic Water, and another Gold for the Pink Tonic Water, which impressed with its balance of “sweet vs herbal vs floral” complexity. As for their Cheeky Cranberry, it may not have gone for gold, but it earned a respectable Silver, along with their Blue Tonic Water – a cooler in both name and performance.
Of course, it wasn’t just Fitch & Leedes in the spotlight. Thomas Henry was having a golden hour of note, nabbing medal after medal, including a Master’s for their Botanical Tonic. Meanwhile, Favolà showed off some Mediterranean flair with a rosemary-kissed number, and Schweppes held its ground with a “refreshing, clean” Gold winner. The Spirits Business has a full list of the winners.
Still, with four Golds and two Silvers, Fitch & Leedes truly sparkled. In a world where mixers are no longer just background dancers, Fitch & Leedes is clearly headlining the tonic stage.
Head over here to stock your bar with the best.
[Source: The Spirits Business]
