By Ulysses Vidal

Introduction

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It’s well known that the Mediterranean diet is full of health benefits and can help explain the longer life expectancies normally found in places like Italy and Greece. But the nutritional merits of a diet don’t tell us everything. The ritual of how to eat and drink, amongst friends and family, is just as crucial. For something like the gin and tonic, the history begins with a basic medicinal need that slowly grew into its own ritual. KLEOS Mastiha Spirit has the potential to change that history yet again.

Necessity: The Mother of All Inventions

The word tonic itself comes from the Greek tonikos, meaning “of stretching” as it pertains to the health and fitness of the body’s muscular fibers. In the early 1800s, quinine was extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree to make tonic water. Quinine is an antimalarial compound. As such, it was rationed out to British soldiers stationed in India, where malaria was rampant. They quickly realized they could add gin to the mixture and have themselves a refreshing and palatable beverage that came with positive health benefits. Nowadays, there are far more effective measures one can take to combat malaria. The gin and tonic lives on as a light and thirst-quenching beverage that can help us beat the heat. However, gin isn’t the only thing that pairs well with tonic. KLEOS Mastiha Spirit makes for an even more flavorful riff. But first, let’s talk about mastiha’s own health benefits.

Ancient Greece and Modern Medicine

Herodotus, the Greek “Father of History,” was already referencing mastiha for its medicinal qualities as far back as 500 B.C. Hippocrates wrote about its use in treating gastrointestinal and skin ailments, and for cosmetology. In today’s world of vigorous scientific standards, the research has corroborated these claims from over two-thousand years ago! There are plenty of studies showing how effective mastiha resin and essential oils are at promoting oral hygiene, warding off peptic ulcers, healing skin lesions, and reducing free radicals in the blood. KLEOS Mastiha Spirit is produced from the sap and essential oils of the skinos tree.

A Flavorful Tonic, Indeed

The list of naturally occurring compounds in mastiha is quite long and can help explain not just its health benefits, but also its truly unique and complex flavor profile. Tasting notes include mint, lemon, cucumber, and a floral bouquet. So, it doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to see how KLEOS Mastiha Spirit would pair well with tonic water. But just because it’s a simple combination doesn’t mean a gastronomic genius can’t fall in love with it. In this article from Chowhound, Michelin chef José Andrés own affinity for mastiha mixed with tonic, instead of gin, is explored. He is quoted as saying that once you’ve tasted mastiha and tonic together, it will ‘haunt you forever.’ Of course, Andrés would probably prefer to drink his mastiha and tonic out of a goblet, as the Spanish are wont to do.

The Greek Method

Effie Panagopoulous, founder of KLEOS Mastiha Spirit, has this mastiha and tonic variation we can all easily make at home:

Hooked on Tonics

Ingredients:

• 2 Parts KLEOS Mastiha Spirit (1 part= 1 oz, or 30ml)
• 1 bar spoon Greek olive brine
• London Essence Rosemary Grapefruit Tonic

Preparation:

• Pour KLEOS and Olive brine over ice
• Top with London Essence Tonic
• Garnish with a Greek Olive

You’ll notice in the photo below the Hooked on Tonics is served with an accoutrement of Greek olives and feta cheese, dressed in herbs and olive oil. The savory qualities of this go hand-in-hand with the flavor profile of KLEOS. As mentioned in the Chowhound article, making a mastiha and tonic work is contingent on using a dry mastiha. Lucky for you, KLEOS fits that description perfectly. Furthermore, this alternative to the gin and tonic is much lower in ABV (Alcohol By Volume). 

Conclusion

If you’re ready to switch things up on your next gin and tonic, then KLEOS is the answer. It has the right flavor profile to pair with tonic. The health benefits of mastiha can’t be ignored, either. Just like you would normally be encouraged to do with a gin and tonic, see what kinds of herbs, fruits, and/or spices you can add to your KLEOS and tonic to elevate the drink even more. Cheers!