Tea time musings

Having spent my growing years in Kolkata, I love tea. And when tea is integrated in cocktails by clever and skilful bartenders, it pleases me to no end. Of course, it’s not just about tossing tea together with any spirits. There is a method to it.

Most bartenders infuse tea into the base spirit. This enables them to get nuanced flavours. One can also brew tea, chill it and then add it to the shaker. Works perfectly well both ways.
If one is adding tea directly, the trick lies in getting your tea concoction right — for quantity and concentration. Otherwise, an element of bitterness may creep in. Using high quality teas is a must.

Certain teas lend themselves beautifully to cocktails. But Darjeeling is my favourite. It’s something to do with its mild flavours, which do not mask the spirits. Lavender and fennel seed infused vermouth gin, mint and elderflower cordial with a dash of Darjeeling tea combine to create the most delicious cocktail — aromatic and light. Another one you may want to indulge in is with rose petal tea, gin, elderflower and cucumber juice — a summer special that’ll refresh you instantly.

I recently sipped a unique combination of Chandon Brut and Earl Grey tea. It was lovely. I felt Chandon Brut had finally found its match. Then there is the timeless classic — tea, lemon, sugar and brandy, a simple punch from the 16th century that is still so appealing. Here, tea is used to lengthen the drink in place of water, very cleverly.

The key here is to experiment and not limit oneself. A bartender once created a soothing wild tea and elderflower martini for me. Another tea-based martini that I recollect fondly is the lychee tea martini, which I sampled at Rohit Chugh’s Roti Chai Street Kitchen and Bar in London last year.

Jasmine tea and gin pair exceedingly well. A Jasmine infused gin, peach liqueur, ginger, lemon, jasmine tea cocktail can be a flavourful thirst-quencher. Of course, our very own desi masala chai too is a hot favourite with bartenders, for several robust cocktails, mostly with bourbon.

To enjoy tea-based cocktails, you must be an adventurous tippler. Tea will never let you down. Tea and alcohol have long been venerable partners after all.

Mini is a food writer