Tonic No. 8 vs Light Tonic vs Coastal Tonic: Which Bottle for Your Gin

Goldilocks had terrible boundaries, but excellent comparative methodology. Break into a woodland creature's home. Insult their furniture. Steal some food (while simultaneously complaining about it) and get mauled alive. She kind of deserved it if you ask us.

What does this petulant brat have to do with Tonic Water varieties you ask? Well harsh judgement for starters, and the rule of 3’s. Some are a little too bitter, some are a little too mild, and then you finally stumble across one that is just right. And that is where StrangeLove can assist, the just right bit. Fortunately, choosing the best tonic water for gin requires significantly less breaking and entering, and far more trial and error drinking. The difference between our three tonics comes down to bitterness, sugar and botanicals, and the right choice depends entirely on your personal preference… or what gin you have brought to the table.

Tonic No. 8 brings the full Indian tonic water profile: robust bitterness, tart citrus and juniper, with 7.0g sugar and 28 calories per 100ml. Best with London Dry, juniper-heavy craft gin, Navy strengths and bigger styles that need a tonic with enough bite to keep up.

Light Tonic is ultra-dry, delicate and the lowest in sugar of the three, with 2.9g sugar and 13 calories per 100ml. Best with top-shelf, floral and citrus-forward gins where you want the spirit to stay front and centre.

Coastal Tonic takes the softer, more aromatic and botanical route, with lower bitterness, Australian coastal botanicals, 6.0g sugar and 26 calories per 100ml. Best with delicate botanical gins, lighter styles, or anyone who prefers their G&T dry and bright without quite so much quinine coming at them.

Tonic No. 8, When You Want a Proper Indian Tonic

Tonic No. 8 is a hard-hitting Indian tonic water. The cinchona brings that unmistakable dry bitterness you expect from a tonic water, while citrus keeps things balanced and interesting and a hint of juniper is added to subtly compliment the juniper notes found in all gins  making it a truly versatile mixing partner for a traditional, punchy G&T.

It took eight attempts to get the formula right, hence the name. The first seven are between us, God, and the unpaid intern we force fed tonic to for a solid week

Our flagship tonic is also the most bitter. At 7.0g sugar per 100ml, it isn’t trying to be the lightest or quietest option on the table. Crafted with quality cinchona bark extracts (compared to cheaper synthetic counterparts) the bitterness is very much the point.

That makes it particularly good with London Dry and juniper-forward craft gins, where a softer tonic can disappear once everything hits the glass. It can even hold its own alongside navy strength, which is essentially like pairing tonic with botanical infused rocket fuel.  

If you like your G&T dry, punchy and with a proper bitter bite No. 8 is for you.

Light Tonic, When the Gin Should Lead

Light Tonic is light in both form and function: ultra-dry, low in sugar and deliberately restrained, with 2.9g sugar and 13 calories per 100ml. So it's perfect if you want the focus to be on the gin, with the tonic in a small supporting role. Think Danny Devito small.

Our light tonic does not rely on stevia, erythritol or other heavy-handed cloying sweeteners, it keeps things crisp with delicate citrus and premium cinchona extract. That makes it particularly well suited to floral, citrus-forward and top-shelf gins,  the kind where you’ve paid for all those little flowers and rabbit droppings and really want to roll the flavours around your mouth.

It won’t bring the same weight or bitterness as a traditional Indian tonic water, and that’s exactly the point.

If you want a cleaner, drier, lower-in-sugar G&T that gives the gin more room to speak, this is the one.

Coastal Tonic, When Bitterness Puts You Off

Most tonic takes the direct route: quinine first, everything else after.. Coastal Tonic takes the scenic one.

We left the best until last. It’s dry, bright and lower in bitterness, with Sicilian lemon and bergamot leading into saltbush, coastal thyme, sea parsley and Murray River pink flake salt. It’s a truly versatile tonic water that is near impossible to dislike.

The coastal profile is softer and a little more savoury than our No.8 traditional Indian tonic water, with enough layers to complement the gin, while still delivering the quinine rich experience of tonic water - without overpowering. 

It works especially well with floral, lighter and new-wave gins, the ones with small details you probably paid a stupid amount of money for, and wouldn’t mind being able to taste over the mixer. 

At 6.0g sugar and 26 calories per 100ml, Coastal sits between Tonic No. 8 and Light Tonic on sugar, but the real distinction is the softer bitterness and unique Australian botanical profile.

If you want a G&T that’s dry, crisp and a little easier on the quinine, take the scenic route.

And if glass bottles aren’t part of the itinerary, Coastal Tonic is also available in 200ml cans.

Which Tonic for Which Gin Style

Unfortunately, gin is not one flavour. So choosing the best mixer for gin isn’t only about how bold or easygoing you want the tonic to be,  it also comes down to what’s actually in the gin bottle and your own personal preferences.

London Dry Gin

Go with Tonic No. 8.

London Dry is typically juniper-led, dry and assertive, so it can handle the firmer bitterness of a proper Indian tonic without either side getting lost.

Bitterness meets bitterness, and somehow it just works.  

Navy Strength Gin

Again, Tonic No. 8.

Higher-ABV gin tends to bring more intensity, so it needs a tonic with enough bitterness and citrus to keep pace. A slightly longer pour of tonic helps soften the extra alcohol without washing out the gin.

Citrus-Forward Craft Gin

Reach for Light Tonic.

Its ultra-dry, restrained profile gives citrus-forward gin more room to do its thing, rather than adding another layer of sweetness or heavy bitterness on top.

Floral or New-Wave Botanical Gin

Go with Coastal Tonic.

Floral and botanical-heavy gins often rely on softer aromatics, which can disappear under too much quinine. Coastal’s lower bitterness leaves more room for those delicate flavours, while its saltbush, coastal thyme and sea parsley add a subtle savoury edge of their own.

Your First Ever G&T

Coastal Tonic, every time.

If you’re still working out whether you even like tonic, starting with the most bitter bottle in the range is probably an unnecessarily intense introduction.

Coastal gives you the dryness and structure of a proper G&T, just with a softer quinine profile.

Pink or Fruit-Flavoured Gin

Choose Light Tonic.

Fruit-flavoured gins already bring sweetness and plenty of flavour, so a dry tonic helps stop the whole thing drifting too far into soft-drink territory.

Non-Alcoholic Gin Alternative

Try Coastal Tonic.

Non-alcoholic and lower-ABV gin alternatives are generally more delicate than full-strength gin, which means a heavily bitter tonic can take over quickly. Coastal’s softer quinine gives those lighter botanicals more room to show up, while its own citrus and coastal botanicals keep the drink feeling complete.

So, the best tonic water for gin really depends on the gin itself: bold and juniper-heavy, go No. 8. Delicate and citrus-led, go Light. Floral, softer or lower in alcohol, Coastal is usually the safer bet.

Getting the Ratio Right

Our house serve is 3:1, 90ml tonic to 30ml of gin. 

Start with plenty of large ice before anything else goes into the glass. More ice keeps the drink colder for longer and slows dilution, which is considerably more useful than three lonely cubes rattling around at the top.

Add the gin, and if you want to be real fancy - pour the tonic gently down the side of the glass or over a bar spoon. It helps preserve the carbonation, and our tonics deserve the best treatment. 

One 180ml bottle makes one beautiful and quite generous G&T, which is exactly why the single-serve format works so well.

Then garnish the gin rather than automatically reaching for whatever citrus is closest. Juniper-heavy styles work well with lemon or grapefruit peel, while lighter and citrus-forward gins can take a citrus wheel.

 Open it, pour it, finish it, garnish it.

The Final Pour: Pick the Tonic, Not the Bottle

To summarise, or if you’ve just scrolled straight to the bottom because reading the whole thing was a massive waste of your life… There is no single best tonic water for gin.

The trick is just finding the one that suits the gin in front of you.

Big, juniper-heavy gin? Give it Tonic No. 8.

Something delicate, citrus-forward or expensive enough to make you nervous while pouring it? Light Tonic.

Whatever you end up choosing, make it StrangeLove and you can’t go wrong.