When it comes to bourbon, tea is a versatile but overlooked mixer. With its astringent, tannic qualities, it can serve as scaffolding for flabbier bourbons, or add another dimension to splashier pours. This Manhattan variation is featured in the upcoming Bourbon Land (Artisan Books), out in April from the noted Louisville chef Edward Lee and a guide to all things bourbon, including some fifty recipes that incorporate the spirit. Stacie Stewart, the general manager and director of cocktails at Lee’s newest restaurant, Nami, crafted this drink, which calls for a flash infusion of Lapsang souchong tea, lending smoky depth and a sort of intrigue found chiefly around campfires.
Lapsang Souchong Manhattan: Bourbon + Tea
When it comes to bourbon, tea is a versatile but overlooked mixer. With its astringent, tannic qualities, it can serve as scaffolding for flabbier bourbons, or add another dimension to splashier pours. This Manhattan variation is featured in the upcoming Bourbon Land (Artisan Books), out in April from the noted Louisville chef Edward Lee and […]
Ingredients
For the tea infusion
¼ cup loose Lapsang souchong tea
10 oz. bourbon
For each Manhattan
2 oz. tea-infused bourbon
½ oz. oloroso sherry
⅛ tsp. vanilla extract
1 barrel-aged cherry, for garnish
Preparation
Make the tea-infused bourbon: Add tea and bourbon to a container with a tight-fitting lid, like a mason jar. Cover with lid and swirl rapidly; let rest for 10 minutes. Strain out tea with fine-mesh strainer. Store bourbon in a bottle or decanter.
Make the Manhattan: Add tea-infused bourbon, sherry, and vanilla to a mixing glass. Add a good amount of ice and stir for 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into your favorite whiskey glass and garnish with cherry.
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