This isn’t your usual tonic. It has lemon and lime juice, cinchona bark (the source of quinine for tonic), fresh grapefruit and – what really puts it over the top – charred grapefruit skins. It’s bitter yet refreshing, especially good when mixed with equal parts vodka and soda water. Or, for the softer folks, just soda water. 

Bittermilk’s “hand-crafted cocktail mixer compounds” (in gorgeous bottles, to boot), make it easy for the everyday enthusiast to enjoy schmancy cocktails, without having to do any of the work. Husband and wife team Joe and MariElena Raya kindly do all the work for you, so you can just come home and unwind.

Who says you have to limit your chichi cocktail indulgence to the occasional adventurous order at some fancy downtown lounge?

TIP OF THE TONGUE

Build (bartender speak for mixing it in your glass) equal parts vodka (or white rum), Bittermilk Charred Grapefruit Tonic and soda water over ice in a tall glass. Stir with a straw. Garnish with a lime wedge. Pretend you’re in a cabana. Repeat.