A SPECIAL OFFER FOR
SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY MEMBERS
TWO ISSUES OF TONIC FOR £20
Your exclusive SMWS member price, saving £6
on our usual UK subscription price of £26.
GREAT DRINKS ARE
ONLY THE BEGINNING
PEOPLE
The distillers, winemakers, bartenders, growers, craftspeople and characters whose ideas, knowledge and passions shape what we drink.
PLACES
From famous drinking cities to remote vineyards and distilleries, we explore destinations through the drinks, traditions and people that give them their character.
HISTORY
The forgotten stories, extraordinary characters, and centuries-old customs hidden behind familiar bottles, bars, and drinking rituals.
CULTURE
Food, music, art, travel and the rituals of getting together – because drinking culture has always been about far more than the drink itself.
TONIC is an independent print magazine exploring the people, places, history and culture behind what we drink. We travel beyond the bottle to meet the makers, uncover extraordinary drinking traditions and discover the places where drinks and their stories come to life.
POUR SOMETHING GOOD.
TAKE YOUR TIME.
Published twice a year, TONIC is an independent print magazine exploring the people, places, history and culture behind what we drink.
Across 160 beautifully designed pages, we travel beyond the bottle to meet the makers, uncover forgotten stories and drinking traditions, and discover the places where drinks come to life.
Whisky is naturally part of the journey, but so too are wine, cocktails, beer, spirits, coffee and the cultures that bring people together around them.
Because the most interesting story is rarely just about what's in the glass.
WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER
Each issue is made to be enjoyed slowly — beautifully photographed, thoughtfully written and designed to be revisited long after you've finished reading it.
Your SMWS member subscription includes:
Two issues of TONIC, delivered to your door
160 pages in every issue of stories, photography and discoveries from the world of drinks
Exclusive subscriber competitions and events
Your exclusive member price of £20, instead of £26
Coming up in Volume 10: It's all about people
Our November 2026 edition celebrates the people who make the drinks world what it is. Here's a little taste of what's inside…
Discover the creative minds behind England's Westwell Wines, explore the remarkable world of Colombia's Alquímico and uncover the story of cocuy, Venezuela's traditional agave spirit.
We'll also raise a glass to pioneering women in bartending, explore the enduring legacy of the legendary Hanky Panky cocktail and take you behind the scenes at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, where the people and personalities are every bit as fascinating as the whisky.
160 pages. Countless stories. One beautifully independent magazine.
TONIC Volume 10
THE PEOPLE ISSUE
Out November 2026
Behind every great drink is a story. And behind every story are the people who make it worth telling.
For our tenth volume, we're celebrating the personalities, communities and chance encounters that shape the world of drink. From the creative minds behind a Kent vineyard to the remarkable women who have left their mark on cocktail history, this issue is a journey through the people and places that bring drinks culture to life.
Our cover features a hand-drawn interpretation of Bacchus by Galia Pike, co-founder of Westwell Wine Estates. We discover how music, art and a willingness to experiment have helped shape the character of this Kent winery, while our Intermission takes a closer look at the artist behind the cover.
Inside the issue:
Simon Urwin takes us to New Orleans to explore the city's enduring relationship with absinthe and the Sazerac, while Alessia Caliendo introduces us to Italy's Nocino Sisters and their distinctive traditions.
Henry Jeffreys meets the creative minds behind Westwell Wine Estates, and Robert Ellison ventures behind the scenes at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to discover the people and personalities shaping its whisky.
In Colombia, Sorrel Moseley-Williams explores the world of Alquímico, while Ian Packham travels to Ghana to discover the Spirit of Defiance. Hernan Barros takes us to Venezuela for a story of cocuy, heritage and the people keeping its traditions alive.
Closer to home, we discover Welsh whisky with Anna Maria Hellberg Moberg, Benita explores the history and hospitality of London's Stafford hotel, and celebrate the legacy of legendary bartender Ada Coleman with Sarah Miller.
Kate Wickers and Ruchira Neotia take us into the world of sparkling wine, travelling from Italy's Franciacorta to England's Hambledon, while Millie Milliken heads to Key West.
Finally, Nori Jemil takes us to the Cook Islands, where a chance encounter leads to an extraordinary story of family, community and a rather special pineapple.
This is TONIC Volume 10—a celebration of the people behind the pour.
160 pages of independent storytelling, beautiful photography and discoveries from the world of drink, travel, history and culture.
Made to be read slowly, shared and returned to.
Drink | Travel | History | Culture
MEET THE FOUNDERS
TONIC is a proudly independent magazine founded by husband-and-wife team Benita Finanzio and Robert Ellison, brought together by a shared passion for drinks, travel and the stories that connect them.
We believe there's always more to discover beyond the glass. From the people who make our drinks to the places and cultures that shape them, TONIC celebrates the human stories behind what we drink.
Created with curiosity, care and a commitment to independent journalism, every issue is a labour of love, made for readers who believe a good drink is just the beginning of a great story.