The Hatter & Hare
So as all artistic types know, inspiration can come from the strangest places. I was home in Tulsa over the past weekend celebrating my birthday with my family. Knowing Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite books/movies, my family decided to theme my birthday around the book. More specifically, around the tea party.
With this fresh in my mind, I returned to Arkansas a few days later and immediately went to work creating a cocktail centered around the best part of the whole movie & book, The Hatter & Hare’s tea party.
Figuring out the liquor part of the drink was easy. Bourbon goes famously well with tea drinks. Citrus and honey was an easy next step. The teas took some figuring out, though. I didn’t want anything tannic. I didn’t want it to feel like it was drying you out. I wanted it to be earthy, bright, and to blend well with the liquor but to be bold enough to be obviously present in the drink.
Having a background as a tea salesman and being an absolute nerd about the stuff, the choice was obvious for me. Once i knew what to look for, it was practically staring me in the face. Chamomile and Honeybush teas would be the perfect mix for a bright and fresh tea flavor while not having caffeine or being rich in tannins. If you can’t find them at your local grocery store, you can order them off of Amazon.
The final cocktail was a bright blend of velvety herbal tea notes, vibrant acid from the lemon, and smooth vanilla and oak from the bourbon. This is currently one of my favorite things that I have ever made.
The Hatter & Hare
Ingredients
1 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon (any other good quality bourbon will do)
.5 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
.5 oz Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur
1.5 oz double strength Egyptian Chamomile tea
1.5 oz double strength South African Honeybush tea
.5 oz honey syrup
.5 oz fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin full of ice.
Shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice in a rocks or snifter glass.
Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Enjoy!