Maria and I have been involved in an experiment. She was telling me about some tea-infused vodkas she’s made in the past, and I made a dangerous suggestion: why not Lapsang Souchong? Lapsang Souchong is one of my favorite black teas, particularly as the weather gets cold. For the unfamiliar: Lapsang is a chinese black tea that is smoke-dried over pine fires, which gives it a really smoky (duh), burnt flavor. Lapsang is a love/hate tea–I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they find it ‘ok.’ The flavor is very bold, and the brew is very dark, similar to Pu’erh. But where Pu’erh can taste slightly like soil, Lapsang tastes slightly like a campfire. I love the stuff, and waiting for to try Maria’s infusion wasn’t easy.
At long last, the liquor has arrived, and it is evil looking. It’s a pitch black infusion with a biting scent that escapes the jar like the smog monster in Fern Gully. Maria seems disappointed in it, but I happen to think it’s pretty good. I also admire it for its strength.
I wanted to put together a cocktail recipe for you (our dear readers), but unfortunately didn’t quite have the time today to get that done. So I’m putting it to you. We had a small debate over which ingredients could compliment this dark, smoky vodka. I suggested citrus, Maria suggested cream. The photo I’ve attached includes those ideas as well as some chai spices. So here, dear reader, is my quest for you: tell me which ingredients you think could best compliment this strange creation (remember, no judgment in brainstorming!), and by this day next week I promise I will have for you a delicious triumph of tea mixology that you can try at home. So what will it be–sweet like a brandy alexander, sharp like a mojito? Let me know!
Check out our Organic Lapsang Souchong!