First ever Scots tonic water made in Aberdeenshire
THE first tonic water to be made in Scotland has been launched in Aberdeenshire.
Summerhouse Drinks, based at a farm in Pitsligo, has made a name for itself since launching in 2014, and already produces a traditional Misty Lemonade, Scottish Raspberry Lemonade and a Lavender Lemonade, along with a Hint o’ Mint lemonade.
Started by Claire and Ross Rennie, the firm sells drinks made entirely from natural products.
The new tonic water, named Walter Gregor after a Victorian minister who served the local parish, is made from quinine, cinchona bark, citric acid and a mixture of botanicals.
And the garden of the Manse, where the minister lived, is being used to grow key ingredients for the tonic.
Managing director Claire Rennie said: “We’re so excited to have launched Scotland’s first ever tonic.
“There’s a renaissance of gin drinking in Scotland and indeed the rest of the UK and we look forward to offering a Scottish alternative to the tonics already available.”
Summerhouse was launched in January 2014 on the back of a crowdfunding campaign. The couple travel around various festivals in Scotland in a second-hand van converted to hold a wooden summerhouse on the back.
They sold previous venture Berry Scrumptious to Felicity’s Chocolates in September 2014.