For Christmas, my sister got me a sample variety pack from Tundra Tonics, an Alaskan company that specializes in fire tonics and tincture teas. What we have here are: Chaga Potion, Pickled Tundra, Tundra Tonic, Sour Patch Spruce, and Dragon's Blood. For me, these are locally made in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Before I start, let me preface this by telling you that these are all apple cider vinegar tonics, except for the chaga potion (which is a chaga extraction). Vinegar is a constant taste factor.
Tundra Tonic - I used 1 oz tonic to 4 oz cold water. Apple cider vinegar, kind of spicy. According to their website, this is their "original" tonic. I tried it with water, but if you have some lemonade or orange juice I bet it would really pop!
Pickled Tundra - I used 1 oz tonic to 4 oz cold water. Pickled Tundra is sweet and spicy. Definite ginger and cayenne flavors. I don't know what the sweet is, perhaps it's the spice and vinegar fooling the tongue. I don't know. This is a nice mild tonic. Since this is fairly ginger-forward, if you have any stomach issues you might want to try this one. Ginger can help settle the stomach while promoting digestive actions.
Sour Patch Spruce - I used 1 oz tonic to 4 oz cold water. This is delightful! I know the title uses the word "sour", but I detect something sweet. I also get the spruce tips which provide a subtle woodsy flavor. This tonic is pretty smooth. The aftertaste is warming. I highly recommend this. I think tonic + water is probably the best way to go for this one.
Dragon's Blood - I used 1 oz tonic to 4 oz cold water. When I measured out the 1 oz of tonic, it was reddish (which is kind of cool). This one has a bit of a savory taste to it. It's also a bit mild. I bet you could have this with V8 or tomato juice and it would be pretty good. It's good as I mixed it. There's something about this one that reminds me of the garden, but I can't quite place the reason why. Must be herbs or something.
Chaga Potion - I'm a big fan of chaga! Chaga, for those who don't know about it, is a fungus that grows on birch trees. The farther north you find the chaga, the better it is - more potent. It's considered a superfood. It's also become a health staple in Alaska. I tried it sublingual, which is one suggested way to take it, but bleh! I didn't like the afterburn of alcohol or whatever they have in the mix. Dropped some in my coffee - MUCH BETTER! Put it in your coffee. Chaga also mixes well with chocolate, so I would suggest trying it in hot chocolate.
I have Tundra Tonics on facebook and they occasionally have recipes available for alternative uses for their tonics, like a healing winter soup with their dragon's blood tonic. They are also at a lot of various events in Fairbanks like the various holiday bazaars. Keep up to date with them via facebook.
I'm giving Tundra Tonics, two thumbs up.
