If you had ordered a G&T at Bangkok bars like Teens of Thailand before the lockdown, you may have discovered Thai-made tonic water Nammon in your favorite fizzy drink. You don’t have to wait until bars reopen to try it again, however, as the locally made elixir is now available for delivery.

 

Available for direct purchase via Facebook, Line (@nammonmixers) and Instagram (B550/12 bottles), Nammon Siamese Tonic Water, one of the first tonics produced entirely in Thailand, is made with 10 different botanicals, including somsaa (bitter orange) grown on small farms in Nonthaburi. That yuzu-like fruit gives it a clean citrus aroma and subtle bitterness.

 

The tonic boasts low added sugar content (6g per 100ml), although it packs a punch when it comes to carbonation. According to Third Phanurut, who spearheaded the project after discussing Thailand’s wealth of indigenous herbs, fruits and sugarcane with friends at a bar in 2018, the higher carbonation amplifies the aroma of the spirit that it’s paired with and extends the length of your drink. Or, you know, your espresso or whatever.

 

“Our motto is ‘bless your spirits.’ That’s why we call it Nammon (‘holy water’),” Third explains. “The spirits are meant to be the highlight, so we aimed for more carbonation so your drink doesn’t get flat too fast and less sugar to make for a better balance with the quinine. The aromas from botanicals and the somsaa make the drink brighter, but they won’t overpower the spirit.”

 

Third adds that Nammon works “super close with farmers here,” which has helped them develop a market for somsaa, a fruit that he says “is really hard to find these days.”

 

Nammon gained a measure of notoriety when it produced water bug tonic water, which was available at Liberation as recently as February. The brand has also released a sparkling water, and Third says to keep your eyes peeled for other mixers soon.

 

For more information, check out Nammon’s Facebook page.