Making your own Tea Infused Bourbon is a simple & quick DIY gift idea! Impress friends & family & enjoy the delicate flavors of Earl Grey black tea in your own craft whiskey cocktails.
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Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon. Sounds beautifully sophisticated, right?
For many, the words should evoke the delicate flavors of black tea and oil of bergamot, perhaps a bit of lavender and lemon, and the sweet caramel notes of a good craft bourbon. I fell in love with the idea after sampling this beautiful craft cocktail in Asbury Park, and knew I had to give infusing a try. Little did I know that something that sounds so special could be so easy to make!
Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon
Unlike making your own vanilla extract or infusing vodka for limoncello, it only takes a couple of days to infuse a few cups of bourbon with Earl Grey black tea. The steps are so easy the recipe below seems like a cop out – 1) purchase your preferred brand of middle-shelf bourbon whiskey; 2) infuse one sachet of tea to two cups bourbon in a jar for 2-3 days; 3) transfer to airtight bottles and store as you would any whiskey. Seriously. It’s that quick and simple!
Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon can be used in any of your favorite whiskey drinks for a subtle new twist on the traditional flavors. Make a bourbon smash with muddled berries and mint for a fruity drink, or use it in a traditional Whiskey Sour or Old Fashioned cocktail. If you still need inspiration, an Earl Grey Manhattan is a smooth, classy way to impress your guests (link coming soon).
I recommend using multiple eight-ounce swing top bottles for easy gifting, but well sealed jars would work too.
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Edible Gifts are the Best Gifts
I love giving (and receiving) thoughtful homemade gifts. Making your own Early Grey Tea Infused Bourbon is an easy way to go that little bit further for the whiskey fans in your life. And it doesn’t have to end there. Round out your sample bottles of Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon with an extra few items to create the perfect craft cocktail gift basket. You can make it small and thoughtful, or go all out and curate a full cocktail kit. It’s entirely up to you and your budget.
Curating the Perfect Gift Basket
With only two or three items, an Old Fashioned Travel Set is perfect as a small hosting gift, and even better for those times when you need to give a number of people similar gifts on a budget (wedding party favors come to mind). Pair an eight-ounce bottle of homemade Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon with a few inexpensive additions:
- 4-ounce jar of superfine white sugar
- A single fresh lemon (or tiny bottle of lemon juice)
- A bottle of aromatic bitters
If you have a larger budget or want to go with something more elaborate, pulling together a Cocktail Connoisseur’s Kit is always a possibility. Add any number of the below items to expand the gift into something even more special:
- A jar of gourmet cocktail cherries – or even some homemade bourbon-soaked cherries if you have them.
- An etched mixing glass
- A long-handled cocktail spoon
- A stainless steel jigger
- Specialty ice molds, like large cubes or spheres
- A new set of lovely rocks glasses from a local antique shop
- Your favorite niche cocktail book (recommendations coming soon!)
You can even include a copy of an easy cocktail recipe printable (link coming soon) to go along with the gift. Pile everything into a wooden crate or gift basket from a home goods store and tie things off with a bow. I promise you’ll look like a regular Martha Stewart come gift-giving season.
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Impress your friends and loved ones by making your own homemade Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon for your next event, or gift small bottles to your favorite people, either alone or in edible gift baskets. Once you see how easy infusing your own liquor is, you’ll be excited to experiment with new and different combinations!
Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon
Ingredients
- 2 cups bourbon whiskey
- 1 sachet of Earl Grey Tea (with Lavender if possible!)
- 1 quart-sized mason jar with lid
- 2 8-ounce swing-top bottles
Instructions
- Pour the bourbon whiskey into the quart size jar. Hang the tea bag into the jar, draping the string over the lip and securing it in place with the lid (if your tea bag has no string, just drop it into the bourbon).
- Let the tea infuse with the bourbon for 48 hours, stored in a cool, dark place.
- Taste the bourbon. The infusion of tea should mellow out some of the harshness of the whiskey and leave a nice aroma, but don’t be surprised if you can’t exactly identify the flavor of tea if you aren’t an experienced taste tester. As long as you like the flavor, strain the Earl Grey Tea Infused Bourbon into airtight bottles and store in a cool dark place until use. If you think the bourbon needs more time, infuse for another 6-12 hours, checking occasionally.
I have been excited to do this with blood orange rooibos and Basil Hayden! Thanks for the kick start.