VIDEO: Three years late to the Espresso Tonic party
The Espresso Tonic has apparently been around since 2007, trended in 2023, and somehow only reached the journalist's TikTok algorithm three years later.
Clearly, I have been living under a rock. Because how has nobody told me that mixing a shot of espresso with tonic water and ice gives you what is quite possibly one of the most refreshing drinks ever?
Well, it was for me, at least.
A few weeks ago, a video popped up on my TikTok For You page of a woman trying out what I now know is an espresso tonic.
And seeing that I love both coffee and tonic water – although I am better known for enjoying the latter with a little gin – I thought I absolutely had to give it a shot.
Of course, I chose one of the coldest days Durban had seen in a while to try it. Still, I made it.
A glass. Plenty of ice. Tonic water. And a shot of espresso poured over the top.
And let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised.
But before we get to my verdict, here’s the part that really made me feel like I had been living under that rock.
The espresso tonic has been around since 2007. 2007!
Apparently, the drink was first recorded in Oslo, Norway, where a barista working with Anne Lunell and Charles Nystrand – who would later found Swedish coffee company Koppi Roasters – mixed espresso with tonic water
The drink became popular in Scandinavia before making its way to North America, Japan and eventually the rest of the world.
It even started trending again in 2023.
And somehow, it took three whole years to reach my TikTok algorithm. Thanks, TikTok.
Traditionally, the espresso is poured over iced tonic water, creating that gorgeous layered effect. If you do it the other way around and pour the tonic onto the espresso, you get a foamy head. Which is exactly what happened when I made mine.
For a few seconds, I genuinely thought I had done something wrong. Turns out, I hadn’t.
The drink can also be jazzed up with sugar syrup, lemon, lime, cherry or even honey. Japanese baristas are credited with experimenting with some of these additional flavours.
Personally, I think a little honey or another sweetener would be a great addition if you have a sweet tooth.
For me, though, I kept it simple. And I really did enjoy it.
The bitterness of the espresso combined with the sweetness and fizz of the tonic makes for a surprisingly refreshing combination. It’s one of those drinks that sounds slightly odd when you first hear about it, but makes perfect sense once you’ve tasted it.
Would I make it again? Absolutely. Would I make it on a freezing Durban day? Probably not.
I think I need to give this drink another chance when Durban is doing what Durban does best – serving up a ridiculously hot day.
And next time, I’m adding a slice of lemon. Because coffee, tonic, ice and lemon on a hot summer’s day?
Now that sounds like something I could get very used to.
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