Cheers to Tea Time: 5 Tasty Alcoholic Teas for Your Next Celebration

Having a cup of tea with a meal or a quick snack is one of life's simple pleasures – so much so that it merits its own celebration, such as National Tea Day. Drinking tea is a ritual embedded in many cultures. Tea culture apparently dates back to 2737 BC in China, according to legend, but there are now so many fashionable flavours to be found worldwide such as fruit teas and caffeinated or non-caffeinated tea varieties which go beyond the traditional builders tea or dreaded tasteless milky teas! There is truly a type of tea for everyone these days and that includes cocktail lovers too as there are tea infused cocktails to satisfy most tastes.

Believe it or not, but there are tea cocktails to suit each stage of your dining experience from eating starters right the way through to indulging in desserts! If that piques your interest (and why wouldn’t it), here are five alcoholic teas that will absolutely satisfy both tea drinkers and cocktail lovers alike!

Tios Hard Tea Light & Stormy

Tios hard tea is a sparkling tea infused entry in the RTD (ready to drink) cocktails market and is designed to be drunk on the go! It is made with organic white tea with a twist to provide a variation of your favourite cocktails such as Dark and Stormy. This rum based tea cocktail is a light brown colour which would look familiar to ice tea lovers with an intense ginger flavour profile providing that tangy sensation on the nose and palate. Well blended without being sugary, this is a vegan certified product that will go well by your side at afternoon tea and summer festivals as an aperitif!

Size: 250ml
ABV: 4.4%
Price: £16.99 for 6 cans

Riddles Mango Ice Tea

A sparkling ice tea rum blend that is slightly orange tinged and infused with Nigerian Moringa tea. According to folklore, there are health benefits associated with drinking Moringa tea and this works well with the fruity mango flavour to produce an easy drinking, light cocktail without reducing the flavour! It is so smoothly blended that neither the rum nor the tea dominate, but then again that will make it ideal to pair with the well-seasoned Caribbean Sunday dinner of rice, peas and chicken!

Size: 250ml
ABV: 4%
Price: £2

Masons of Yorkshire, Tea Edition

Tea drinkers and gin lovers will rejoice with this ideal combination of flavours for the Tea Edition of this gin! Mason’s Tea Edition blends dry Yorkshire tea with the botanicals and juniper flavours from the gin profile. It will be an excellent drink for both cosy nights in, as the warmth and alcohol strength will keep the cold weather at bay, and it will be suitable for the spring and summer climates too with its refreshing citrus and slightly sweeter taste. Look no further, If you are seeking that Trou Normand as that palate cleanser between dishes - this Tea Edition would be good for that or you could simply have it as a shot or on the rocks, as we said - it will please many!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 42%
Price: £33.95

Noveltea Whisky & Oolong Tea

Coming on to that after dinner time, when you might still be craving a night cap, this tea liqueur from Noveltea combines whisky with the lighter, fruity oolong tea variety. This is a boozy cocktail which is best served chilled with ice. It is as dark in colour as a traditional Scotch whisky, but without the high alcohol content! Smooth on the mouth, without being overpowering, with a subtle, smoky whisky aroma and a hint of lemon – this digestif combination is a natural partnership that will make you want more as the night draws to a close!

Size: 500ml
ABV: 15%
Price: £27.50

Tipsy Tea Spiced Chai

You might enjoy having a cuppa before bed and this spiced chai liqueur is perfect for those cosy moments to unwind at home. Packed full of spices, this alcoholic tea is designed to be mixed – you can be adventurous and try it hot or cold! Simply add a shot of hot water or sparkling cold water with a slice of lemon and away you go! Its golden colour also provides that sense of warmth in this fruity blend which tastes just like a herbal tea but with that added kick! It’s the perfect drink for catching up with the gossip with friends after that night out or dinner party!

Size: 350ml
ABV: 20%
Price: £15

Even if you may not be a regular tea drinker, these alcoholic teas explore its versatility for all meal times, tastebuds and special occasions. These will definitely satisfy those cocktail lovers searching for a lighter but flavourful alternative to their favourite cocktails and for tea drinkers seeking the tea version of an Irish coffee! The burning question now is – which boozy tea will you try first?

If you want to make some of your own boozy tea combinations, here are some suggestions to get you started.

By Latoya Austin

The Best Boozy Coffee and Hot Chocolate Recipes

Is there anything better than a steaming hot drink when it’s cold outside? Well, maybe – booze! These grown up coffee, hot chocolate and tea cocktails are deliciously comforting, but also pack a punch, be that with Baileys, whisky, rum or whatever! Decadent, indulgent and utterly soothing – treat yourself to one of the beautiful recipes below.

Baileys Hot Choc

This is a classic, and of course you don’t have to use Baileys (find alternatives here), but it’s a winter favourite that lots of you will have in the cupboards. This recipe keeps it fairly simple because there’s already a lot of delicious flavours going on, but try including different creams, cinnamon, and/or coffee liqueurs if you fancy going all out. Rich whiskey undertones, a sweet hot chocolate hug and the soft texture of whipped cream – nom. We’d recommend making the hot choc with water but if you want it even thicker, then try a half and a half mix, or all milk – it’s up to you of course.

Ingredients
60ml Irish cream liqueur
100ml hot chocolate
Whipped cream (optional)
Grated chocolate (optional)

Method
Make your hot chocolate separately (try it so it’s just right) and pour it gently over your Baileys. That really is it, unless you top up with whipped cream and some grated chocolate for a special touch… which we always recommend.

Irish Coffee

One of the most indulgent and delightfully rich winter warmers, Irish Coffee is pretty much mandatory at this time of year. It’s so warming and velvety smooth, and if you’ve never clicked with it then try out all these subtle variations here. The fundamentals don’t change too much from Irish whiskey, black coffee, and cream, usually with some sugar too, but like any simple classic, adjust it to your preference. This original recipe is the one we recommend for waking you up and soothing the soul.

Ingredients
45ml quality Irish whiskey (like Powers or Teeling)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
120ml hot, fresh coffee
20ml double cream (can lightly whip)

Method
Preheat your glass a little, and slowly add your favourite whiskey, sugar, and coffee. Once combined nicely, pour your cream over the back of a spoon (a valuable skill to learn), making an inviting and luxurious cream top. Slainte!

Hot Scotch Tea

At its essence, this is a Hot Toddy tea remix. In fact, some Hot Toddies are actually made with tea. For so many people, tea is the most comforting and familiar drink there is, so combining that with this sweet and warming tonic to battle the cold weather is magical. Combining different teas and whiskies for this is great fun, but regular English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Rooibos works a treat. Also, if you’re into Japanese whisky then try using that with green tea – it’s big over there as a chilled drink, but would work hot too.

Ingredients
1 clove
1 cinnamon stick
½ lemon juiced
1/2 tbsp honey
100ml-150ml tea
40ml Whisky
Lemon twist (garnish)

Method
Add your tea first, and then mix in the whisky, lemon juice and honey until it’s completely disappeared – it needs a good stir. Chuck in the clove and the cinnamon if you like it and let them infuse. There are no hard rules, so just add more whisky (oomph), or more lemon (less sweet), or more honey if needed (more sweet).

Spanish Coffee

Carajilo, popular in Spain and Mexico, is the combination of fresh coffee, sugar and liqueur or spirits, and this showy variation on it, more popular stateside, is delicious. Brandy is common, but dark rum is gorgeous, bringing together a rich, caramelly flavour that pairs with the orange liqueur, coffee liqueur and coffee for a dessert style hot cocktail with intense flavour and kick. It can also be set alight if you wish! (see the method below).

Ingredients
25ml dark rum
35ml coffee liqueur (Kahlua)
25ml Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
90ml strong coffee
Whipped cream (or 25ml heavy cream)
Granulated sugar (for rim)
Orange/lemon wedge (garnish)

Method
Rub the lemon or orange wedge around the rim of your glass and roll it in sugar (make sure it’s super fine and shake off any excess bits). Now, once you’ve poured in your rum and orange liqueur, you have a choice. You can dazzle guests and set them alight, thereby caramelizing the sugar rim before extinguishing it with the coffee liqueur. Or, you can just add the coffee liqueur and do without the flames. Depends how brave you’re feeling! Top up with hot coffee and float the cream using the back of a spoon.

Vert Chaud

The Vert Chaud, or Chaud Vert, is a classic après ski drink popular in the French Alps, and no wonder because not everyone has chartreuse lying around. But, even though is a bit pricey it’s adored by so many, and here the powerful, herbaceous, peppery notes and fresh palate combine gloriously with hot chocolate. The minty flavours in particular come out with the heat, creating a mint-chocolate paradise.

Ingredients
40ml green chartreuse
120ml hot chocolate
Whipped cream (optional garnish)

Method
Super simple pouring of both into a handled glass or mug, stirring to combine. The whipped cream tempers the intensity of the chartreuse nicely and puts a cap on the boozy aroma for the first sip, but it’s up to you as always.

Hot ‘n’ Minty White Russian

This warm twist on the classic offsets silky sweet white-hot chocolate against hearty vodka, rich espresso and distinctly, a cooling, flavoursome peppermint syrup. It’s thick and full-bodied, with that lush chocolate and lively espresso, packs a vodka punch, and the peppermint touches the lighter side of the palate.

Ingredients
25ml vodka
25ml espresso shot
80ml white hot chocolate
15ml peppermint syrup
Whipped cream (optional garnish)

Method
You could combine everything in a saucepan so it’s nice and hot, but if the espresso and white-hot chocolate are nice and hot, then simply combining and pouring in vodka and peppermint syrup should come out at a drinkable temp. Whipped cream if you like to finish!

It’s easy to look at something like peppermint syrup and think that it needs buying or is complicated, but syrups are actually some of the easiest things to make and can completely elevate your cocktails. For more syrup recipes, go here!