There’s nothing quite as British as gin, except maybe a good cup of tea – which is why everyone at the Distillery is a fan of gin and tea cocktails.
Gin’s long history in the UK – and the popularity of London Dry Gin – mean that the spirit retains strong associations with all things British, but gin is technically a Dutch invention. Called genever, the first juniper-made spirits were distilled overseas before they made their way to our shores.
And tea? While it’s drunk with great gusto, it can’t be grown in our chilly climes. It’s widely understood that tea was being brewed over 4,000 years ago in Imperial China, but it was the Dutch who introduced it to Europe in the early 1600s through their trade base in Java.
When it comes to combining the two, you only have to look at our Sipsmith London Cup, which is made with Earl Grey, lemon verbena and a host of other botanicals.
TEA SYRUP AND TEA-INFUSED GIN
If gin and tea cocktails sound appealing, then why not impress guests with a homemade tea syrup? Or follow Head Distiller Jared Brown’s advice and make a tea-infused gin. Simply infuse one bottle of gin with three high-quality tea bags (Earl Grey is our favourite).
Leave them to sit for no longer than an hour, to prevent the gin from extracting too many tannins from the tea. Use your very own tea-infused gin to craft a gin and tea cocktail.
STRAWBERRY SMASH ICED TEA CARAFE
Featuring our fruity, limited-edition Strawberry Smash Gin, this cocktail gives afternoon tea a delicious ginny twist. Just be sure to prepare your cold-brew Earl Grey tea the day before your strawberry-filled social occasion. When ready, simply pour over four ice-filled highballs and serve.
- 200ml Strawberry Smash Gin
- 350ml cold-brew Earl Grey tea
- 100ml lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam
- thinly sliced strawberries, to garnish
Steep 4-5 Earl Grey tea bags in 1 litre of cold water overnight to make your cold-brew Earl Grey. In a separate bowl, mix your jam with a splash of hot water until it’s a consistency that can easily be poured.
Add all the ingredients to a jug or carafe filled with ice. Stir to combine with a bar spoon or long-handled spoon. Serve over ice in highballs then garnish with thinly sliced strawberries.
If you prefer something more zesty, a Lemon Iced Tea crafted with our Lemon Drizzle Gin makes for a sensational summertime cocktail.
LADY GREY MARTINI
Inspired by New York cocktail maven Audrey Saunders’ Earl Grey Mar-Tea-Ni, the floral and citrusy flavour of the tea blends beautifully with aromatic gin. Having prepared your tea-infused gin, make a simple sugar syrup and you’re ready to shake up something special.
- 50ml tea-infused gin
- 25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 25ml sugar syrup
- 1 egg white
Combine all four ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Dry shake without any ice to fully emulsify the egg. Open and add ice, then shake again until cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
LONDON CUP & LEMONADE
We added Earl Grey tea, borage, lemon verbena and a host of other botanicals to our award-winning London Dry Gin to create a sublimely sippable punch – Sipsmith London Cup.
If you’re looking for a refreshing, balanced and grown-up twist on the classic summer cup serve, let us introduce this warm weather favourite.
- 50ml Sipsmith London Cup
- Lemonade, to top
- Summer fruits, to garnish
Add Sipsmith London Cup to a large ice-filled wine glass and top with lemonade. Garnish with your favourite summer fruits – we suggest cucumber, mint, orange, lemon and strawberry.
Be sure to share your gin and tea cocktail creations with us on social media @sipsmith. We love seeing what you’re sipping this summer.
