Truth: we did not plan on developing a new flavor this summer. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that you can only expect the unexpected. We’re sharing how we stumbled upon our new favorite flavor this past summer. Keep reading to learn about Orange Blossom Tonic!
It started when we ordered a decent amount of orange blossom water for an event that was canceled back in March. We were planning on making an Orange Blossom Mist to garnish about 5000 cocktails we would serve in person at the Mesa Brew Fest.
Maybe you got a bottle of it. We did made a handful of Orange Blossom Mist bottles and shipped them to some lucky people who tuned into our Mesa Brew Fest Instagram Live Event. But that only put a small dent into our new supply of orange blossom water. All summer, we were surrounded by sweet smelling citrus flowers and had no idea what we were gonna do with it.
Part two of our bittersweet story happened later on in summer when we had some supply chain issues. We had problems sourcing our usual cinchona for our tonic syrups and ended up with a brand that was extra, extra bitter. This ingredient would drastically change our beloved Lime Leaf Tonic as we know it today. We found ourselves with a giant bag of cinchona that we couldn’t use.
So….when life gives your oranges and a bitter moment, you make Orange Blossom Tonic. Is that how the saying goes?
“Maybe there’s something here,” says Matt Farrow, our expert flavor developer. He went to work tinkering with these two tricky ingredients to create something truly magical. I don’t know how he does it. After a few test batches, we found ourselves with our new favorite flavor: Orange Blossom Tonic.
Fresh orange blossom comes together with traditionally bitter quinine and tart citrus to create a unique flavor experience for your next craft cocktail. Made with fresh orange juice, real cinchona, and orange blossom water, this mixer is light and refreshing while being complex and balanced. Orange Blossom Tonic is the ingredient that you didn’t know you needed, but can’t do without.
We kinda love that it all came together right when the calendar claims that its Autumn. We all know in Arizona we have a few more weeks before we get those Fall feelings. Orange Blossom Tonic is a perfect flavor to recreate classics like a Negroni, Old Fashioned, or Sidecar to ease you into the season.
Welcoming Orange Blossom Tonic to our Signature Collection of Iconic Mixers, this flavor will be available year round. Pair it with citrus forward gins, smokey mezcals, bold whiskeys, or simply with sparkling water to create sophisticated cocktails and mocktails. Reinvent classic recipes with a citrusy twist or explore a spirit you’ve never tried before.
This is a bittersweet beginning of a brand new flavor!