Mixers That Determine Half of Your Gin and Tonic or Highball

Even if you choose a good bottle of gin or whiskey, if the mixer doesn't match, the balance of your drink can easily fall apart. Tonic waters vary in sweetness, bitterness from quinine, and fizziness, while ginger beers have widely different spiciness and sweetness levels across products. Given their significant presence in the drink, mixers are just as worthy of comparison as the base spirits.

This list compiles actual mixers used for popular home cocktails like gin and tonic, Moscow mule, and whiskey highball. Smaller bottles are great for making one drink at a time without waste, while cans are convenient for refrigeration and recycling. Zero and light products have different sweetener and calorie compositions, so be sure to check the official nutritional information to choose according to your taste.

If you want to enhance a dry gin, start by comparing tonic waters with restrained sweetness, while mixers with citrus or Mediterranean herbs add fun to stronger gins. Ginger beer pairs well not only with vodka but also with dark rum and bourbon; however, since the spiciness can vary by product, start by mixing less than a 1:1 ratio with the base spirit to adjust to your preference.

Ensure that mixers are sufficiently chilled, and pour them slowly along the walls of a glass filled with ice to minimize carbonation loss. It’s more practical to choose a serving size that fits rather than leaving an opened bottle for too long. Note that imported products may have different packaging and nutritional information by region, so always check the Korean labeling upon purchase.