Wintertime Tea

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Cocktail History

The Wintertime Tea is a winter cocktail that was created by food writer and author Jessica Strand and was first published in Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season.

Originally a non-alcoholic recipe, the recipe added rosemary syrup to the classic Arnold Palmer—a mix of iced tea and lemonade—for a seasonal herbal twist, but this updated, boozier version builds on the original by incorporating Yellow Chartreuse, which enhances the drink with its complex, herbal notes to create a more sophisticated and warming take on the traditional recipe.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Black Tea: This is a type of tea made with leaves from the Camellia sinensis plant that are harvested, withered, rolled, fully oxidized, and dried to develop a bold, dark tea flavor.

Sparkling Lemonade: This is a carbonated beverage made with lemon juice, water, and sugar, which are mixed and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a fizzy, sweet-tart citrus flavor.

Yellow Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal flavor.

Winter Herb Syrup: This is a sweetener made with sage, thyme, rosemary, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a fragrant, herbal flavor.

Lemon Slice: This is a slice of lemon that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Rosemary: This is an aromatic evergreen herb with needle-like leaves and a robust, piney, and slightly peppery flavor.

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Twinings Pure Unsweetened Black Tea
• 🔗 Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Lemonade
• 🔗 Yellow Chartreuse

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Bar Spoon: This is a long-handled spoon with a twisted shaft that’s used for stirring cocktails, layering ingredients, and reaching the bottom of tall glasses and mixing vessels.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Highball Glass: This is a tall, slim glass that’s used for serving mixed drinks made with a larger proportion of non-alcoholic mixers.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 Libbey Signature Kentfield Highball Glass

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Golden brown color

• Aroma: Citrus and rosemary

• Taste: Slightly dry black tea along with effervescent lemon

• Finish: Lingering rosemary and Chartreuse botanicals

Kendall’s Take: “I don’t use tea in drinks often enough, in my opinion, and I plan to change that, especially after trying this boozy version of an already iconic recipe. Herbal Yellow Chartreuse and earthy tea are a match made in heaven, the sparkling lemonade adds a refreshing touch, and the evergreen notes are a welcome wintry addition. It all just works together really well, and even though I typically prefer a hot tea drink when the temperatures turn cold, the Wintertime Tea will be too delicious not to make again.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Very Merry Cocktails: 50+ Festive Drinks for the Holiday Season by Jessica Strand.