Tea Time: Iced Tea and Whisky Cocktails

If you associate iced tea cocktails only with Long Island, it’s time to try something more sophisticated. Combining iced tea with whisky works for two reasons, says Stacie Stewart, beverage director at Nami in Louisville. “The first is that the tannins in tea provide enough structure to add depth to a drink that could otherwise be overpowered by such a strongly flavored spirit. The second is that the subtler notes of whiskies that are often hard to discern on their own can be amplified with the herbaceous flavors and aromas of the tea pairing.”

Different teas pair best with different styles of whisky. “Sweeter and lighter teas can play well with spice in a whisky, while bitter black teas can balance out sweetness in a whisky,” explains Ivan Papic, beverage director of New York City’s Sweetbriar. No matter the combination, these cocktails are the perfect way to kick off spring.

Highland Tea

Created by Sarah Fay Lawson-Stopps, bar manager, NOPA, San Francisco

“The slight tannic grip of green tea pairs perfectly with the rich sweetness of the scotch’s sherry-seasoned casks, making for a cocktail that evokes the warmth and freshness of a sunny spring day,” Lawson-Stopps says.

• 2 oz. Highland Park 12 year old (or other sherry cask-matured single malt scotch)
• ½ oz. velvet falernum
• ¼ oz. violet liqueur
• ¼ oz. simple syrup
• 2 oz. brewed jasmine green tea, cooled
• 1 oz. club soda
• 1-2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
• Edible flower (such as a violet) and lemon twist for garnish

In a wine or spritzer glass, combine scotch, velvet falernum, violet liqueur, simple syrup, and tea. Add an ice cube and soda and stir. Float bitters on top of the cocktail and garnish with edible flower and lemon twist.

…Is a Rose

Created by Stacie Stewart, beverage director, Nami, Louisville

Balsamic vinegar adds umami to this refreshing cocktail, making it easy to drink alone or paired with the lighter fare of an early season picnic, Stewart says.

• 4 oz. brewed rose tea, cooled
• ½ oz. strawberry syrup (recipe below)
• 1½ oz. Four Roses Small Batch (or any bourbon without a lot of caramel and vanilla notes)
• Orange slice
• 1 dash Fee Brothers Rose Water or edible rose petals for garnish

Add tea, syrup, and bourbon to a Collins glass. Stir to combine, then place orange slice in the glass and fill with crushed ice. Add rose water or rose petals for garnish.

Strawberry Syrup

• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 5 minutes, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer to remove all solids. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Elixir

Ivan Papic, beverage director, Sweetbriar, New York

Apricot jam and honey-ginger syrup enhance the creamy sweetness and spice of blended scotch, while the bitterness of English breakfast tea ensures this drink isn’t too sweet.

• 2 oz. Monkey Shoulder blended malt scotch (or other blended malt scotch)
• ¾ oz. honey-ginger syrup (recipe below)
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 2 oz. brewed English Breakfast tea, cooled
• 1 heaping barspoon apricot jam
• ¼ oz. Laphroaig 10 year old (or other peated scotch)

Fresh or dehydrated lemon wheel for garnish Add all ingredients to a shaker tin with ice. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass. Garnish with lemon wheel.

Honey-Ginger Syrup

• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup water
• 1 knob (about 1½ oz.) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Combine honey and water in a small pot. Bring to a simmer, add ginger, and simmer for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain out ginger. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

Migh-Tea

Created by Chris Tunstall, mixologist and co-founder, A Bar Above, Carlsbad, California

“[The longer] this twist on a classic whiskey sweet tea sits, the flavors transform and meld together, allowing the sweetness to play off of the lemon’s acidity in a palate-quenching fashion,” Tunstall says.

• 1½ oz. bourbon
• ½ oz. fresh lemon juice
• ½ oz. pineapple-vanilla syrup (recipe below)
• 4 oz. brewed mint tea, cooled

Vanilla bean and mint sprig for garnish Add bourbon, lemon juice, and syrup to a shaker tin. Add ice and shake lightly to mix. Strain into a Collins glass or mason jar, top with tea, add fresh ice, and lightly stir to mix. Garnish with vanilla bean and mint sprig.

Pineapple Vanilla Syrup

• 2 vanilla beans
• ½ cup demerara sugar
• ½ cup cane sugar
• 1 cup freshly chopped pineapple chunks
• 1 cup water

Split vanilla beans and remove the seeds. Combine with sugars and pineapple. Bring water to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add solids and remove the pan from the heat. Macerate the solids in the water until the pineapple is more of a pulp. Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve and flavors infuse. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a jar. Keep refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks.

Silk Road

Created by Stefan Huebner, owner and chief mixologist, Dot Dot Dot, Charlotte, North Carolina

“The light malted notes from the Japanese whisky play great with the floral notes from the hibiscus tea and balance out with citrus, making this cocktail a complex but easy drinker,” Huebner says.

• 1½ oz. Suntory Toki (or other Japanese whisky)
• ½ oz. Cointreau
• 3 oz. brewed hibiscus tea, cooled
• ¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. club soda
• Bundle of 4-6 basil leaves for garnish

Add whisky, Cointreau, tea, and lemon juice to an ice-filled shaker tin. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled pilsner glass and top with club soda. Give basil a gentle slap, then place in drink to garnish.