If you like your cocktails rich, intricate, and layered like a mille-feuille, and haven't found a drink that satisfies every requirement of a good cocktail — a little sweetness, a little tang and a little piquant spice — a tea-and-alcohol infusion might be just the thing to rejuvenate your dispirited taste buds. Fancy something subtle? Incorporate white tea. Pure and healthy? Go for green tea. Spicy, smoky and bold? Black tea’s your ticket. Here, we've compiled a few of our favorite tea-infused cocktails — they're seductive introductions to this sophisticated genre.
The Nequen Especial
Towards the end of the 19th century, Brazil became the leading producer of Yerba Mate, and the earthy tea became affordable and available to the masses. This vodka-infused drink packs a clean, jitter-free caffeine boost. The base of the drink is smooth vodka of your choice, that’s been infused with Yerba Mate for about a day. If you're a vodka purist, don’t fret: Yerba Mate will not overpower the clean body of quality vodka. Mixed with a bit of grapefruit juice and sweetened by a sugar cube, this cocktail masters the upper-downer dichotomy. That doesn’t mean you should treat it like a can of Four Loko; think of it more like an earthy aperitif.
Ingredients and Equipment
— Tea filters for loose-leaf tea
— 750 mL bottle of vodka (preferably something you'd be happy to drink on its own)
— 2 ounces of Yerba Mate
— 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice per drink
— 1 sugar cube per drink
How to Make It
— Insert 2 teaspoons of Yerba Mate into tea filter.
— To prepare the infused vodka, steep Yerba Mate in vodka for a maximum of 24 hours (and a minimum of 8 hours).
— To mix the cocktail, shake 3.5 ounces of infused vodka with grapefruit juice and ice.
— Place sugar cube at bottom of serving glass and pour the vodka mixture over the cube.
— Garnish with a grapefruit twist, if you’re feeling fancy.
The Lychee Mar-tea-ni
Lychee berry is known as a powerful antioxidant, which means you won’t feel so bad when you’re throwing back these sake martinis, which are made with lychee green tea. By muddling the raspberries, you’ll allow the fruit’s honey notes and pleasant grassy finish to shine while retaining its texture. These hand-rolled lychee green tea balls will retain their ambrosial fragrance well after steeping, and are beautifully balanced by the tart raspberries and lime garnish.
Ingredients and Equipment
— Tea filters for loose-leaf tea
— 4 ounces of dry sake
— 3-4 lychee green tea balls
— 1 ounce of fresh raspberries
— 1 lime wedge, for garnish
How to Make It
— Muddle raspberries at bottom of serving glass by pressing them nearly into puree form.
— Insert 3-4 lychee green tea balls into tea filter.
— Pour sake into glass and place lychee tea balls into glass. Let steep for 5 to 10 minutes.
— Remove tea filter and combine new lychee-infused sake with the muddled raspberry puree.
— Stir sake so that raspberry puree does not fully settle on bottom.
— Use lime rind as garnish and serve.
Not Your Grandma’s Hot Toddy: Chamomile Whiskey
Chamomile and honey aren’t only good for putting you to sleep; they make a killer canvas for a warm whiskey drink that’s ripe for drinking through the chill of winter. A gorgeous piece of honeycomb makes a beautiful garnish for it (if you can get your hands on one).
Ingredients and Equipment
— Tea filters for loose-leaf tea
— 4 ounces of whiskey
— 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (fresh squeezed if available); retain lemon rind for garnish
— 1 tablespoon of honey
— 2 teaspoons of chamomile flower
— 1 1/2 ounces of hot water
How to Make It
— Lightly stir whiskey and lemon juice in a mug.
— Insert 2 teaspoons of chamomile flowers into tea filter.
— For maximum chamomile flavor, steep chamomile tea for 5-7 minutes.
— Add hot water and swirl in the honey until it’s fully dissolved.
— Garnish with a twist of lemon.