Peter Morrell mixes it with the multi-flavours of this quintessential partner to gin and vodka

With two type-1 diabetic sisters-in-law, I’m acutely aware of the issues that people with this condition face when trying to keep their insulin and sugar intake balanced. So I was interested to hear about Skinny Tonic, a sugar-free tonic water made from natural ingredients created by Ian Minton, a type-1 diabetic. His aim was to produce a safe go-to drink without having to worry about whether his spirit and tonic contained any sugar.

There are four variants of Skinny, a standard Indian Tonic “The Yellow One” and Light Citrus “The Blue One”, an Elderflower Tonic “The Green One” and a pink grapefruit and Yuzu “The Pink One”. The tonic is suitable for all dietary requirements and uses the natural sweetener Stevia, so it retains all the flavour of regular tonic water but with zero calories. All the brand’s packing is plastic-free so that it is easy to recycle and environmentally friendly.

I’ve made a couple of mixes with Skinny Tonics. For the first, I paired the Indian Tonic “The Yellow One” with Agnes Arber Rhubarb Gin. This was a great success, the gin has complex flavour with nine pot-stilled botanicals: juniper, coriander, angelica, cassia, lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit and liquorice. This is enhanced with an infusion of rhubarb to give it a pleasant tartness. The Skinny Indian Tonic paired with this very well, making it a sophisticated and stylish drink.

For the second I used the Light Citrus “The Blue One” with a vodka from Copper Rivet Distillery. This three-grain vodka has lots of character and flavour and is ultra-smooth. Adding the Light Citrus Skinny Tonic added a crispness that made it a very refreshing drink. I liked this mix a lot, it had an uplifting effect and left the mouth feeling very fresh.

If you want to go alcohol-free then try the Light Citrus Tonic with mint and lime to create a delicious sin-free mojito or use orange juice, which goes well with the Indian tonic and adds a hint of tropical sweetness to the taste.

Skinny Tonic is available to buy from ASDA, 31Dover and www.skinnytonics.com