Irish Tea Party Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 07/23/21
Irish Tea Party Cocktail

 The Spruce

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
126 Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 39mg 197%
Calcium 44mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 147mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Have an Irish tea party on St. Patrick's Day. This simple recipe is, essentially, a Jameson and green tea drink, but there's a fun twist that makes it a little more interesting and very memorable.

The surprise you'll find in this drink is a hint of absinthe. It's a very intensely flavored spirit that can easily overpower any drink. Here, however, it is handled with care and used to simply rinse the glass, leaving behind its characteristic anise taste and softly accenting the spiked iced tea. It's a technique that's been used for decades, including in the funky classic called the monkey gland.

This recipe comes from Jameson Irish Whiskey, so it naturally favors that brand, and it is a good pairing choice for both the chilled sweet tea and the absinthe. If you're typically a fan of drinks like the whiskey ginger, this should be a nice alternative and that absinthe kiss is sure to invigorate your taste buds.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 ounce absinthe

  • 1 ounce Irish whiskey

  • 4 ounces sweetened green tea, chilled

  • Lime slice, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail ingredients
     The Spruce

  2. Pour the absinthe into a rocks glass. Tilt and rotate the glass to swirl the absinthe around the inside of the glass.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

  3. Tip the glass to allow the absinthe to reach the rim of the glass, continuing to swirl.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

  4. Once the glass is completely coated, pour out the remaining absinthe.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

  5. Add ice to the glass.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

  6. Pour the Irish whiskey over the ice.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

  7. Add the green tea and garnish with a lime slice. Serve and enjoy.

    Irish Tea Party Cocktail
     The Spruce

Tips

  • Be sure to have your tea brewed and chilled before making the drink.
  • It's also best to sweeten the tea to your taste because there's no other sweetener or actual mixing involved in the cocktail. Use honey, agave nectar, simple syrup, or your favorite sweetener.
  • To keep your drink colder for a longer period, chill the glass before mixing the drink.
  • Avoid an overly diluted drink and ensure you get to enjoy the full flavor until the last drop by using large pieces of ice. An ice ball, for instance, will melt slower than the average ice cubes, offering all the coolness without any excess water.

Recipe Variation

Rather than absinthe, rinse your glass with another herbal liqueur if you like.

How Strong Is an Irish Tea Party?

Despite the fact that the absinthe is just a little rinse, it's generally a high-proof spirit that shouldn't be ignored when estimating the alcohol content of the Irish tea party cocktail. However, it is still insignificant and this drink remains relatively mild, weighing in at right around 10 percent ABV (20 proof). In this case, the absinthe is included for taste, not potency.

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