Some products make it clear from the first sip that no shortcuts were taken. Fever-Tree's Sparkling Pink Grapefruit is one of them. To understand what's in the glass, you have to go back to the orchards where it begins, in the province of Alicante.

A family, orchards, and the time to do things right

That is where, under the Spanish sun, the Quirante family grows the fruit for this mixer on their own land. And it all starts with the way they farm the land: for 25 years, the orchard has been pesticide-free, relying on beneficial insects rather than chemicals to keep disease at bay. It is a slower, more deliberate way of growing fruit, true to the belief that has guided Fever-Tree from the start: the quality of a mixer is determined in the field, long before it reaches the bottle.

Throughout the year, agronomists and soil-and-crop specialists monitor the orchards. They track the trees' growth and, when the time comes, determine the precise harvest date, when the fruit will be at its juiciest. Timing is crucial, because each grapefruit can contain up to 45 percent juice.

Then comes the harvest. Pink and red grapefruits are picked one by one, by hand. It may seem like a simple act, but it speaks volumes about the care each fruit receives before it ever reaches the bottle.

The whole fruit, right down to the oils

The next step is to process these grapefruits without losing what makes them so special. Here, Fever-Tree goes a step further: instead of stopping at fresh juice, it uses the oils as well. The whole grapefruit is used, then blended with sparkling spring water.

You can actually see that choice in the glass: it is what gives Fever-Tree's Sparkling Pink Grapefruit its natural cloudiness. That hazy pink appearance is not a flaw. It is the visible sign that the whole grapefruit is used, not just a flavoring.

Paloma, plain and simple

Fever-Tree originally created its Sparkling Pink Grapefruit with the Paloma in mind, the classic Mexican highball. To make one, fill a highball glass with ice, pour in 1 3/4 oz of blanco tequila, then 5 oz of Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Stir gently, garnish with a slice of grapefruit, and it's ready to drink.

Grapefruit and tequila are a natural match, but the mixer works just as well with mezcal, which adds a smokier note, or with gin or premium vodka. And it does not need to be mixed into a cocktail, either: served ice-cold over ice, it more than holds its own, much like the Premium Ginger Beer and Mediterranean Tonic Water I mentioned earlier.

In every glass, its hazy pink color tells the same story: an orchard in Alicante, a family willing to take its time, and a grapefruit that Fever-Tree chose to stay true to.