Of all the cocktail trends for 2025 that were on my radar, here’s one I didn’t see coming: making tea the star ingredient.
Earl Grey tea in particular is having a moment in cocktail bars, where its floral, citrusy flavors are being incorporated into cocktails along with ingredients like lemon juice and gin. We’ve got some recipes below, and you can even have some fun serving these drinks in tea cups for something a bit special at your next party.
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The Grantham
Available at The Select, Charleston, SC
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Old Forester Bourbon – 86 Proof
- .75 oz Lemon Juice
- .75 oz Earl Grey Tea Syrup (Recipe Below)
- Peated Scotch
- Rosemary Lemon Ice Cube (Recipe Below)
Method:
- In an Old Fashioned glass, add rosemary lemon cube, bourbon, lemon juice, and syrup.
- Stir.
- Finish with a spray of peated scotch
For the Earl Grey Syrup:
Ingredients:
- 3 bags Earl Grey Tea
- 2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
- 4 cups Sugar
Method:
- In a large pot filled with 2 quarts of warm water, add tea bags and rosemary sprigs,
- Allow to steep for 10 minutes
- Remove tea bags, but allow the rosemary to sit for an additional 2 minutes.
- Strain liquid into a sauce pot.
- Add sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Once it hits boiling, remove from heat and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.
For the Rosemary Lemon Ice Cube:
Ingredients:
- 2 bags Earl Grey Tea
- 1 lemon, sliced into wheels and halved
- Fresh Rosemary sprigs
Method:
- Using 2 bags of tea and 1 quart of water, follow instructions to make tea.
- In ice cube trays, add tea. To each compartment, add a half wheel of lemon and rosemary sprig.
- Freeze.
Buzzed in the Garden
Available at Repeal 33, Savannah, GA
Ingredients:
- 1.5 ounces Gin (non-alcoholic substitute 1.5 oz of Seedlip Garden or any non alcoholic spirit of choice)
- .5 oz of lime juice
- 1 oz of lavender syrup (recipe below)
- .5 oz of earl grey syrup (recipe below)
- 3 dashes of lavender bitters (available on Amazon)
- Tonic water
- Lime wedge and flower for garnish
Method:
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add gin, lime juice, lavender and earl grey syrups and bitters.. Shake vigorously and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice. Top with a splash of tonic.
- Strain in a Collins glass and top with tonic!
- (If you want to add an extra floral twist, you can add a few drops of B’Lure, a butterfly pea flower extract that will change the color of the cocktail to a soft purple!)
For the Lavender Syrup
Yield: 1 quart
Ingredients:
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup dried lavender flowers (available on Amazon)
Method:
- In a large pot, add the water and bring to a boil.
- Gradually stir in the sugar. Stir until most of it is dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add lavender and stir. (It’s important not to add the lavender when the water is boiling. You don’t want the syrup to have a burnt taste.)
- Strain with a fine strainer or cheese cloth into an airtight container.
For the Earl Grey Syrup
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Earl Grey Tea
- 1 cup sugar
Method:
- Steep Earl Grey Tea to make 2 cups
- Add 1 cup of sugar while still hot. Stir until dissolved.
Amalia’s Tea
Available at Little Bull, Durham, NC
Ingredients:
- .5 oz Earls Grey tea syrup
- .25 oz lemon juice
- .5 oz Old Forester signature bourbon
- 1.5 Montenegro
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Method:
- Build all ingredients into a shaker, shake vigorously.
- Double strain into a teacup — garnish with a rosemary sprig and serve.
