Fever Trees quest to pioneer the premium mixer category

Since launching in 2005, Fever Tree has firmly cemented itself as the pioneering force behind the premium mixer category.

The British brand has received numerous awards such as the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and the title of Best Product at the world famous drink event, New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail. Chef Ferran Adri even threw his support behind the brand by famously naming it ‘the world’s best tonic” and incorporating it into one of his dishes at Spain’s elBulli – once listed as the world’s best restaurant.

While tonic water is the brand’s mainstay, Fever Tree has averaged the introduction of two new products each year since its initial launch, and now boasts a suite of premium mixers in its portfolio including ginger beer, ginger ale, soda water, lemonade and the recently launched cola (yet to be launch in Australia).

With a background in food and beverage marketing, Fever Tree’s co-founder Tim Warrillow witnessed the rise in popularity of the premium spirits category but noted that there wasn’t a mixer available on the market of the same calibre.  It was this gap that saw the birth of Fever Tree.

What makes the brand so unique is its commitment to sourcing the most authentic natural ingredients available including subtle botanical flavours, fruit juices, soft spring water, cane sugar, and for the tonic waters and lemon tonic, the highest quality quinine from the original Cinchona trees (fever-trees). Co-founder Tim Warrillow literally scoured the globe to source the best ingredients that he could get his hands on, which famously included a rather dangerous trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo where a cinchona (fever tree) plantation which produces the purest quinine in the world is located.

Warrillow was recently in Sydney to share the story of how Fever Tree came to be, promote the full range, and discuss why a premium spirit should only ever be matched to a mixer of the same calibre.

Below are a few cocktail recipes incorporating some of the range:

Classic Gin and Tonic

1. Your favourite gin – be it Plymouth, Sipsmith, Tanqueray, Millers, Hendricks, No. 3 Gin, Bombay Sapphire… They are all different and with Fever-Tree you will actually get a mixer which enhances their flavours
2. A balloon glass – in Spain they have the real thing – big balloon on an elegant stem – if you don’t have exactly the right one, try a glass suitable for red wine or cognac. The point being that the aroma of this gin & tonic is worth savouring and a balloon glass will concentrate that aroma on the nose
3. Fresh ice – at least four big cubes, clear cubes from spring water if possible
4. Fever-Tree Tonic Water from the fridge
5. Lime – a curl of the rind of a lime – it’s the oils you want not the flesh (or a slice if you really must)
6. Ice first, then 1 part of gin (50ml – 1.7oz), then the Fever-Tree (all 200ml – 6.8oz), then the lime curl, but be quick; you want that fizz to tickle your nose as you smell the aromas – and then drink

Gin Ginger Fever

1. Your favourite gin – whatever takes your fancy; they are all different and with Fever-Tree you will actually get a mixer which enhances their flavours
2. A highball glass – the higher the better – the aroma of this gin & ginger is worth savouring and a highball glass will lengthen that aroma on the nose
3. Fresh ice – at least four large cubes, clear cubes from spring water if possible
4. Fever-Tree Ginger Beer from the fridge
5. Lemon – a curl of the rind of a lemon – again it’s the oils you want not the flesh – or a slice
6. Ice first, then 1 part of gin (50ml – 2oz), then the Fever-Tree ginger beer (all 200ml – 7oz), followed by the lemon – but be quick, you want that fizz to tickle your nose as you smell the aromas. And then drink

Dark and Stormy

1. Your favourite rum – whether it’s Goslings, Captain Morgan or Havana Club; Fever-Tree mixers enhance the flavours of the rum
2. A highball glass to enhance the flavours
3. Plenty of fresh ice from spring water if possible
4. Fever-Tree Ginger beer from the fridge
5. Fresh lime juice
6. Fill the glass with ice and pour in 50ml of Rum and add 1½ tbsp of lime juice. Top up with Fever-Tree Ginger Beer and enjoy

St Clements (non-alcoholic)

1. A tall glass to enhance the aromas and flavours
2. Stacks of Fresh ice – from spring water if possible
3. Fever-Tree Lemon Tonic from the fridge
4. Freshly squeezed orange juice
5. Lemon – a curl from the skin of a lemon (It’s the oils you want from the skin, not the flesh)