Two Spoons full of Cassis helps the Lapsang go down.

Last month we celebrated the fact that we are blessed with some brilliant businesses in our area. We visited Kate and Ben at Campfire Gin to see them weave their cocktail making magic using some of our teas.  It was a fantastic collaboration and fascinating to see what could be made with some very different ingredients. We set Ben a challenge to use one of our teas with the strongest flavour, Lapsang Souchong. 

Traditionally Lapsang is infused with smoke from pine wood fires.  It is a common ingredient in Russian caravan tea.  This is a blend whose origins began with the transport of tea from China to Moscow. On the 6000 mile journey, the caravans of camels and mules would set up camp and light fires to keep them warm.  The smoke from these fires would infuse into the cargo of tea giving it a distinctive aroma. On arrival, people buying this tea got used to the smoky flavour picked up along the way.

But enough of the history and on to the cocktail!

For the syrup:

250g Castor sugar
250ml Water
1 heaped teaspoon Lapsang Souchong loose leaf tea

Heat all ingredients until the sugar has dissolved, set aside to cool for 2.5 hours. Strain the mixture to filter out the tea and store in an air tight sterilised bottle in the fridge.

To make:

50ml Lapsang Souchong tea syrup
50ml Campfire London Dry Gin
30ml Fresh lemon juice
15ml Crème de Cassis

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake for 20 seconds. Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice. Strain the cocktail over the crushed ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon.