Abel TONIC: A Fragrant Highball

A review + a tasting of TONIC, a 100% organic Abel Organics EdP for the discerning woman or man. Why “tasting”? Because you can drink it – and I did!

Disclaimer (of sorts)
Just because Abel Organics fragrances are based on food grade grain alcohol and can be consumed, it doesn’t mean that other fragrances, including organic ones, are food grade products. This review does NOT suggest that you can now perk up your gin o’clock with your favourite Eau. Be adventurous – not stupid. Don’t drink and drive, and certainly, don’t drink your fragrance!

Abel Organics TONIC Review

Oh what a name.

TONIC is buoyant, cheerful, careless, subtly bitter and fresh.

Of course, this fragrance can (and should) be worn everyday, but it will remain your constant, upbeat reminder that brighter times are ahead: maybe a night out with friends or a titillating date. Just 1693 bottles of this noble juice are available worldwide, and I’ve bought one of them – from the Amazingy online shop.

TONIC retails at €92, refills cost €88.

[Check here for stockists next to you or shop directly at Abel Organics]

Ingredients, Full Disclosure:
Lime Oil, Bergamot Oil, Peppermint Oil, Vetiver Oil, Ginger Extract, Indian geranium oil (Palmarosa), West Indian Sandalwood oil (Amyris), Vanilla Absolute, Grain Alcohol (food grade). All ingredients are independently certified organic.

What strikes you when you get your bottle is the eco-friendly reduction of packaging: there is none. The heavy glass bottle (refill) sits in a sexy sleek wooden cutout dress – or, more prosaically, a case handcrafted and upcycled from old Amsterdam canal beams (gorgeous, golden Oregon Pine wood with a beautiful ‘pinstripe’ structure).

TONIC is the only Vetiver-based fragrance that I can wear. Vetiver tends to cling to my skin, suffocating other scents and pressing itself into my lungs to the point of no-return-headache. I’ve got to be extra cautious, even with The 7 Virtues Vetiver of Haiti which I dearly love (on a paper strip anyway). Abel’s premiere perfume, Vintage ’13 is also pretty heavy on me, but TONIC is perfect.

TONIC is breezy yet intense; too sharp to be lovely and yet beaming; radiant but not the innocent way. Perky? Maybe a little. Definitely not saucy. Downton Abbey’s lady Mary: noble but a little maverick.

Abel TONIC: A Tasting!

There is a bar in Berlin called Fragrances, serving elegant, lush cocktails inspired by niche fragrances. And Abel Organics’ Vintage ’13 has its place on the drinks menu with an exotic, strong Black Forest concoction thanks to the creative spirit (pun intended) of team Amazingy.

I wonder when or whether they will add TONIC to the menu.

Okay, I admit it: I’ve put TONIC next to a bottle of gin for the obvious visual fun of it only, I didn’t mix any drinks as I don’t have a very alcohol-heavy diet 🙂

But a TONIC-infused matcha latte? I wonder how good it would be. Probably not very.

Still, I can solemnly report that my inner child (the same who had tried to eat a strawberry scented soap bar when she was an actual child) that inner child rejoiced and simply spritzed the fragrance into my mouth. What can I say… It was nice, like an essential-oil based, Indian breath refresher. A very luxurious breath refresher! Or maybe like drops of Bach Essences 🙂

Obviously not enought to “get in the mood” and certainly not lasting enough to impermeate you with the fragrance from inside and out, but should be fun dusting it over some delicous food. Dark chocolate perhaps? Or a chocolate and cherries cake? Ginger and chocolate bread? Cinnamon cookies? Mulled wine for Christmas, maybe? A spritz over ginger ale? Hmmmm. Will try and report! Ideas welcome 🙂

It goes without saying that TONIC is what perfume marketers sell you as “unisex”. But of course, fragrance is as unisex as food, unless you’re Ned Flanders, but that’s another story.

Happy weekend, Adventurers!