My fascination with blending tea with worldly spices undoubtedly leads me to some delicious creations. I love the element of surprise in blending a traditional tea (like Earl Grey) with a complementary but unusual companion (like Rose Petals or raw Cacao). I very much enjoy the traditional tea drinking experience of black, white, oolongs, and green teas -- but I’m also very drawn to creative and novel interpretations of a tea experience. That’s probably why I really enjoy mixing Tea Drop blends with a variety of different spirits to create tea cocktails. Tea cocktails give a new spin on teatime, and are also a unique addition to your upcoming holiday gatherings. They will greatly intrigue your guests, and lucky for you, they are very simple to create.
I get so much inspiration from my traveling bartender friends Mint and Mirth from Portland, Oregon. They are a rad girl duo that come up with some of the most unique (and delicious!) cocktail creations. I often look to them for cocktail inspiration. We even collaborated on a new tea infused cocktail they introduced at a recent wedding called Lady May Gimlet, which was a huge hit!
I wanted to share some of my favorite tea-infused cocktails for the holiday season that are easy to prepare, general crowd pleasers, and are sure to make a sophisticated yet boozy addition to any gathering. All of these recipes can be made using the Tea Drops Variety Box. I hope you enjoy them while creating some unforgettable holiday memories! And please be sure to sip (and drop) responsibly.
LADY MAY GIMLET
Mint & Mirth share the cocktail recipe that incorporates Tea Drops’ popular Sweet Peppermint from the Tea Drop Sampler box.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Aria Portland Dry Gin or other dry gin
- 1 sweet peppermint Tea Drop
- 1/2 oz mixed berry juice
- dash of aromatic bitters
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker over ice, shake well, then strain over ice and garnish with citrus.
Cocktail Recipe: Mint and Mirth
Photography: Sweetlife Photography
FRESH CUT COCKTAIL
Cocktail Recipe by Mint and Mirth
Photography: Myles Katherine Wedding
I was so inspired by Mint and Mirth’s original Fresh Cut cocktail and loved the mixture of Gin, chartreuse French liqueur, and lime. I felt that our Citrus Ginger Tea Drop would make a great addition for those who found the lime juice in the original recipe to be a bit tart. Below is my adapted version of Mint and Mirth’s original Fresh Cut cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz. Gin
- ¼ oz. green chartreuse French liqueur
- ¾ oz. of tea from the Citrus Ginger Tea Drop
- Dash rhubarb bitters from Brooklyn Bitters
- Optional: Splash of Tonic
Directions:
Prepare a Citrus Ginger Tea Drop, allow to cool and set aside. Shake ingredients over ice and strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with lemon and enjoy
Vanilla Tea Hot Toddy
Whenever I sip on this hot toddy, I’m instantly transported to sitting by a crackling fire wrapped in my wool blanket, catching up with some of my favorite people. If I could bottle up our Vanilla White Tea Toddy that describe it to people, that’s the mood/place I would describe. I love the blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and cream in Rumchata -- it is incredibly delicious and comforting at the same time. Below is my favorite recipe for a winter toddy made with our popular Vanilla White Tea Drop, with a deelish Rumchata infusion.
Ingredients
- 1 Vanilla White Tea Drop
- 2 TB of Rumchata
Directions:
Prepare 1 Vanilla White Tea Drop using 6 oz of boiling water in your favorite mug. Add Rumchata and mix. Enjoy!
