Our Ingredients
The natural ingredients behind Barker & Quin
Every Barker & Quin tonic, mixer and non-alcoholic spirit is built on a deliberately short list of natural ingredients. Mountain spring water at the base. Real cane sugar, never artificial sweeteners. Natural quinine for tonic. And a handful of indigenous South African botanicals that don't appear in any other premium mixer range.
Mountain spring water
Every Barker & Quin product starts with mountain spring water — clean, mineral-balanced, and untouched by artificial filtration. Our Premium Lemonade is made specifically with Du Toitskloof mountain spring water, drawn from the Cape mountains.
Natural quinine
Our tonic waters use natural quinine — the same bitter cinchona-bark compound that defined tonic water at its 19th-century origins. Most modern tonics use synthetic alternatives. We don't. The result is a tonic with real character, real bitterness, and the structure to balance a great gin.
Marula
The marula tree (Sclerocarya birrea) is one of the most iconic trees of the African bushveld. Its succulent yellow fruit has a tropical, creamy stone-fruit flavour and a long cultural history across southern Africa. We use natural marula flavour to give our Marula Tonic Water its unmistakable bushveld character.
Honeybush
Honeybush (Cyclopia) is a fynbos plant indigenous to the mountain ranges of the Western and Eastern Cape — a cousin of rooibos, but with a mellower, honey-like sweetness. Traditionally brewed as a naturally caffeine-free tea, it carries a rich antioxidant profile. You'll find it in both our Honeybush Orange Tonic Water and Hibiscus Tonic Water, and at the heart of The Pioneer non-alcoholic spirit.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus flowers bring a vibrant floral note and a natural blush undertone to our Hibiscus Tonic Water — paired with a touch of honeybush for mid-palate. The result is a tonic that drinks beautifully on its own and lifts pink and floral gins into something more interesting.
Cape lemon
The sun-soaked citrus of the Western Cape brings the brightness behind our Sparkling Cape Lemon and our Premium Lemonade. Sharp, zesty, clean-finishing — the citrus character of the Cape.
Rose geranium, fynbos and rosemary
Our John Ross Virgin non-alcoholic spirits — The Herbarium, The Mary and The Pioneer — are built around a wider set of South African botanicals. Rose geranium and indigenous fynbos in The Mary. Rosemary and sage in The Herbarium. Wild-harvested honeybush in The Pioneer. Each spirit is virgin-distilled, 0% alcohol, full flavour.
What we don't use
No artificial sweeteners in any Barker & Quin product. Our Light At Heart, Marula, Honeybush Orange and Hibiscus tonics are also free of artificial flavourants. Every product is vegan and crafted without shortcuts.
Explore the range
Browse our tonic waters · Browse our sparkling mixers · Browse our non-alcoholic spirits