oscarWhen whipping up a batch of cocktails, tea might not be the first ingredient that springs to mind, but this is something that is changing fast.

Tea not only adds a distinctive flavour, but it also adds depth and body, making for rich, complex serves - it’s no wonder that tea cocktails are currently so on trend. Move over Irish coffee: Right now, it’s all about the combination of high-quality tea and whiskey. #TIPSYTEA

To celebrate the collaboration in the #BlackBushStories series, which sees Bushmills Black Bush teaming up with Suki Tea to host a series of whiskey and tea blending masterclasses, we decided to pull together a list of delicious cocktails that bring together the best of both worlds.

With a shared interest in quality and flavour, the collaboration between the two Irish brands will saw the introduction of the Black Bush inspired blend. 

Taking his cue from the rich, smooth notes of Black Bush, Suki Tea founder Oscar created a tea blend brimming with aromatic, warm spices and a finishing flavour of sweet, dried fruit, mirroring the big flavours of Black Bush.

Black Bush Old Fashioned

This one requires a little bit of prep. You’ll need to steep the tea in Black Bush for an hour or two, so this is a good one to make in batches. Trust us, it’s worth it!

Pu-erh is a variety of fermented, dark tea from China that adds a unique character to this twist on the classic Old Fashioned.

Ingredients

Method

Combine the Black Bush Blend Tea and whiskey in a jar and cover. Leave it to steep at room temperature for two hours, remove the teabag

To make the sugar syrup, simmer 1 cup of unrefined demerara sugar with 1 cup of water until the sugar is fully dissolved. Allow to cool and decant into a glass bottle.

Add bitters and sugar syrup to a chilled rocks glass. Add the infused whiskey and top with ice, stirring for 10 seconds.

Garnish with a twist of orange peel and enjoy!

Black Bush High Tea

This delicious take on iced tea uses Suki Tea’s specially blended Black Bush Blend, to create something truly unforgettable.

Ingredients (per serve):

35ml Bushmills Black Bush 1 tsp Black Bush Blend loose leaf tea Sugar 125ml soda water 1 lemon twist/wedge Chunk of ice

First, create a sugar syrup with the tea: make a strong cup of hot Black Bush Blend tea and add the same amount (one cup) of sugar. Allow the sugar to dissolve and the syrup to cool.

Pour 35ml of Black Bush and 25ml of the tea-infused syrup into a collins glass or tall wine glass over ice, top with soda water and garnish with a lemon wedge.

The rich fruity character of Black Bush is enhanced by the spiced aromatic notes of the tea to create a flavourful and refreshing cocktail.

Iced Black Berry Tea

Fresh, fruity and delicious – this is a real tea-tastic taste of summer!

Ingredients (makes 8 serves):

200ml Bushmills Black Bush 4 Suki Tea Breakfast teabags 250g blackberries or raspberries 50g sugar Fresh mint

Mash berries, sugar and mint together in a large bowl. Add teabags to 1 litre boiling water and steep for five minutes. Remove the teabags and pour tea over the berry mixture, then let it sit at room temperature for an hour.

Strain the berry and tea mixture, cover and refrigerate until nicely chilled.

For each serve, fill a glass with ice and pour over 125ml tea and 50ml Black Bush, stir and garnish with mint.

Black Chai Latte

Chances are you’ve never combined the smooth, fruity notes of Bushmills Black Bush with the exotic sweetness of Chai, and once you’ve had a sip of this delicious serve you’ll be wondering why not! This is one of the simplest serves on the list and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Ingredients (makes 4 serves):

200ml Bushmills Black Bush 2 tablespoons Suki Tea Indian Spiced Chai 500ml milk Sugar or honey to taste

Bring 500ml water to the boil, add chai tea and steep for 10 minutes.

In a saucepan, heat 500ml milk and stir in honey or sugar.

If enjoying hot, simply divide chai and milk between four cups and add 50ml Black Bush.

To make an iced version, combine the chai and the sweetened milk, cover and chill for a couple of hours and serve over ice with 50ml Black Bush.