Smoky Mandarin Tea Cooler
A sophisticated sparkling mocktail featuring smoky Lapsang Souchong tea, bright mandarin juice, and warm cinnamon. Perfect for alcohol-free entertaining.
By Larry Leo | Prep: | Servings: 1 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 3 oz brewed Lapsang Souchong tea (cooled)
- 2 oz fresh mandarin juice
- 0.5 oz cinnamon simple syrup
- 3 oz sparkling water
- Ice cubes
- 1 whole star anise (garnish)
Instructions
- 1. Brew the Lapsang Souchong tea by steeping one tea bag or one teaspoon of loose leaves in 4 ounces of hot water for three minutes, then strain and let cool completely.
- 2. Fill a tall highball glass or a large wine glass with fresh ice cubes until it is nearly full.
- 3. Pour the cooled Lapsang Souchong tea, fresh mandarin juice, and cinnamon syrup into the glass over the ice.
- 4. Stir the mixture gently with a long spoon for ten seconds to combine the flavors and chill the liquid.
- 5. Top the glass with chilled sparkling water, pouring slowly to maintain the carbonation.
- 6. Give the drink one final, very brief stir to integrate the bubbles without degassing the beverage.
- 7. Garnish the top of the drink with a single whole star anise for a subtle aromatic finish.
Category: tea-forward-sparkling
Tags: tea mocktails, sparkling mocktails, non-alcoholic drinks, mocktail, sparkling, tea-based, smoky, mandarin, cinnamon, non-alcoholic, drinks