Earl Grey tea is rightly treasured for the citrussy, aromatic bergamot oil overtones it layers onto the gentle bitterness of black tea leaves. At Pittsburgh’s Blue Sky, a Negroni made with Earl Grey-infused gin results in a cocktail rich with botanical sophistication. Campari, made from bitter chinotto oranges, along with gentian root, quinine, and other natural flavorings, deepens the drink’s dive into the botanical world. So does Carpano Antica, made from southern Italian white wines, tropical vanilla beans, and a host of herbs. Slowly savor the abundant natural flavor, and the subtlety, of this cocktail.
Traditionally speaking, the Negroni is made with equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet red vermouth and always garnished with an orange wheel.
How to Infuse Gin with Earl Grey
We’ve linked below to a recipe from Thirty-One Whiskey, because we understand you might not just have earl grey-infused gin laying around in your house. But infusing spirits is easier than you might think. Gin starts out as flavorless neutral spirits, and you add the botanicals through steeping and distillation. Adding tea is no different. And all you’ll have to need is coffee filters, a measuring cup, a strainer, earl grey, and gin. Once you have the infused gin, then you can make this cocktail and countless others!
Earl Grey Negroni Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 oz Earl Grey-infused gin
- 1 oz Campari
- 1 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
- Lemon bitters
- Garnish with lemon wheel
Instructions
- Add the gin, Campari, vermouth, and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until well-chilled.
- Strain into a rock glass over a large ice cube.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel.
Recipe by Tyler Lewis, Blue Sky Mixologist / Story by Keith Recker / Photography by Dave Bryce / Produced by Star Laliberte
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