Jo Kent, World Whisky Day 2017 Ambassador, has created The Oak Tea – this year’s signature cocktail, made using Woodford Reserve Double Oaked.
Jo says: “It’s a great drink to make at home and share with friends. It’s also the perfect way to introduce someone to whisky as it softens the edge of the bourbon and the drink’s not too strong. Tea is a flavour that people are really familiar with, so it’s a great way to lead newcomers gently into tasting whisky.
“They have a lot of iced tea in America’s Deep South, and those flavours work well with the bourbon. They also combine tea and whisky a lot in Asia – it’s really refreshing cold or hot.”
Jo was inspired by the Julep to use mint to give the drink a lift. She recommends using Moroccan mint tea if you can as it has deeper spice flavours, which match the Woodford Double Oaked’s flavour profile.
Ingredients
50ml Woodford Double Oaked
Fresh mint leaves
2 large dashes of Fees Whisky Barrel Bitters
Lemon peel
For the Tea Infusion (makes 750ml)
3 teabags of Moroccan mint tea (green tea with spearmint and cardamom)
50ml runny honey
1tsp coriander seeds
Method
Combine the teabags, honey and coriander seeds with 700ml boiling water in a teapot. Infuse for 30 minutes then cool in the fridge. This should make enough infusion for around three cocktails.
Pour the whisky into a glass with the mint leaves and a third of the infusion and press them gently with a flat spoon. Add the bitters, add ice and stir until diluted. Pour over fresh ice into a rocks glass, squeeze the lemon peel over the glass and garnish with mint.
