Absolut Boston Tea Flavor Parties Well with Drink Recipes

When Absolut recently announced the release of its new ‘Cities’ edition, Absolut Boston with black tea and elderflower influences, my first thought was this bottling just had to be good.  Tea inspiration in cocktail recipes may be seen by the occurrence of cocktail competitions that embrace tea as the main ingredient with base spirit as the secondary factor.  Many inspired recipe creations stem from tea blends and evolve into cocktails or Mocktails depending on the bartender or mixologist who ‘razzle dazzles’ and tweaks the recipe to high perfection ultimately landing said recipe on a cocktail menu in renowned hot spots around the world.  Tea companies have come on board with recipe creations beyond the hot tea cup or iced tea glass and now serve up sophistication within wine and martini glasses complete with garnishes beyond the lemon wedge.  Absolut Boston took the idea a step further by infusing black tea with elderflower within the vodka for a flavor packed spirit ready to create a cocktail with little fuss and a whole lot of flavor.

The spirit itself smells exactly like clean, barely sweetened sharp black tea.  There is little burn on the nose.  Sipping neat there is little sweetness, but no sugary feel.  Some flavored vodkas carry significant sweetness in the flavor.  This is definitely not the case with Absolut Boston.  The feel is light.  Elderflower flavor flutters out around the edges with tepid burn.  It is more warmth that burn, but maybe a slight sting.  Then again, remember this is sipping vodka neat.  This would be quite nice with an ice cube to soften the edge without adding any additional flavor.  However, quite often I don’t mind my vodka straight or my spirits warm.  The essence of Absolut Boston hits its flavor target.  Shaken with ice to chill and served straight up would do rather nicely.  If you need just a hint of sweetness, my suggestion would be to add an eighth to quarter ounce of simple syrup to keep the authentic influences of the spirit or embellish them with the same measurements of St-Germain Liqueur. 

Before playing with Absolut Boston for cocktail creation purposes I did a little research…in the pantry.  It made sense to me to look at the array of tea boxes with their multitudes of flavors to see exactly what flavors are paired together with black tea.  Tea companies research consumer likes and dislikes and market products accordingly.  So, if you have a bottle of Absolut Boston at home take a cue from tea companies and what they pair with black tea compared with flavors you already like. 

Monumentally Raspberry Boston – created by Cheri Loughlin

7 Fresh Raspberries

1/2 measure Homemade Grenadine

1-1/2 measure Absolut Boston

2 measures Club Soda

Fresh Raspberry Garnish

Muddle fresh raspberries and grenadine in a mixing glass.  Add Absolut Boston and ice.  Shake to blend.  Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice.  Top with two ounces club soda.  Garnish with fresh raspberries.  If fresh raspberries are unavailable, try using 1/2 ounce Chambord liqueur in place of the raspberries.  Taste for sweetness before adding in the grenadine.

Monumentally Raspberry Boston keeps the distinct flavor of Absolut Boston’s black tea roots while exploring the possibilities of fresh fruit inclusion.  Bright and lively without too much fuss.  Muddling takes a little more effort, but the payoff is usually worth it in the wonderful fresh taste.  Raspberry pairs wonderfully with the black tea and light elderflower flavors.

Boston Apricot Sidecar – created by Cheri Loughlin

1-1/2 measure Absolut Boston

1/2 measure Apricot Brandy

1/2 measure Premium Orange Liqueur

1/4 measure Lemon Juice

Orange Twist Garnish

Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into a martini glass.  Garnish with an orange twist. 

The glowing effect of the Boston Apricot Sidecar cocktail turned out beautifully.  This is a loose adaptation of a traditional sidecar using vodka as the base spirit with Apricot Brandy inclusion.  Absolut Boston tea flavor still shines, but this time with some gorgeous vanilla highlights that no doubt stem from the Apricot Brandy and lemon combination.  Apricot and orange flavors can both be found frequently in black tea blends making them perfect choices for pairing with Absolut Boston.

Boston Girlfriend – created by Cheri Loughlin

1-1/2 measure Absolut Boston

3/4 measure Pomegranate Liqueur

1 measure Cranberry Juice

1/4 measure Lime Juice

Orange Twist Garnish

Combine liquids in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake to blend and chill.  Strain into a cocktail glass.  Garnish with orange twist. 

Ah, the Absolut Boston equivalent to a pomegranate Cosmo; the cocktail of girlfriends the world over.  Surely the numbers wouldn’t lie and a healthy percentage of women have sampled a variety of Sex and the City Cosmopolitan cocktails at one time or another.  Absolut Boston gives the Cosmo new dimension and complexity.  This lovely cocktail recipe turns out not too tart, is an easy mixer without the inclusion of specialty ingredients, fresh fruit or muddling and keeps the black tea influence flowing in the finish.  Pomegranate pairs charmingly well with black tea and may be found within many popular cocktails throughout the country.  The color makes this recipe a winner for the holiday season with its nice festive hue, too.

Absolut Boston Vodka sample for review courtesy representatives of Absolut Vodka. 

Cheri Loughlin is a leading cocktail and photography resource for beverage companies, event planners, businesses and individuals. High resolution cocktail and beverage stock photography images are available in downloadable digital format in the newly redesigned Stock Photography Gallery at www.cheriloughlin.com.

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