Most fizzy drinks are very sweet. Kinnie is different - it is sweet, but it also has a bittersweet edge from the herbs, a bit like the taste of pink grapefruit. The drink is amber-brown in colour, not orange, because of those herbs.
It was invented just after Malta needed a national soft drink that wasn't a copy of an American one. The makers wanted something that tasted local - made with bitter oranges that grew on the island. They tried recipe after recipe until they had something that felt distinctly Maltese.
In Malta, Kinnie is poured over lots of ice on hot summer days, with a slice of orange floating on top. It is also the classic drink at family picnics, beach trips and football matches. There is even a 'Kinnie zero' version for grown-ups who want less sugar.
Many Maltese living abroad - in Britain, Australia, the USA - hunt out Kinnie in international food shops. Taking a sip is a way of being home again for a moment. It is sometimes called 'the taste of Malta in a glass'.