In this episode, we unravel the surprising colonial legacy behind one of the world's most iconic cocktails: the Gin and Tonic. What began as a bitter necessity for British soldiers in India turned into a fashionable drink with a chilling backstory. From malaria prevention to imperial expansion, we trace how quinine, tonic water, and a splash of gin became tools of empire. Discover how this bubbly drink is soaked in history, empire, and exploitation- proof that not all light drinks come without a dark twist.

Sources:

PBS: How Quinine Caused World War One

Scientific American: Quinine and Empire

Infez Med: When Gin and Tonic was not Ordered but Prescribed

The Atlantic: The Medical Case for Gin and Tonic

Journal of Military and Veterans’ Health: Antimalarial Drug Supply Issues during the Second World War