Turn Your Iced Tea Into A 3-Ingredient Whiskey Cocktail To Sip On All Summer

This summer, there's a simple and refreshing drink you can sip all season long to quench your thirst. As a bonus, it's a little boozy — and all you need are three simple ingredients: brewed iced tea, a sweetener of your choice, and some bourbon or whiskey. 

The sweetener you choose can simply be sugar or honey, or try using our secret ingredient for impossibly refreshing homemade iced tea: cranberry juice. You could even craft our spiced chai simple syrup, the one we use in our spiced chai Old Fashioned recipe. It's up to you what you want to use to sweeten this iced tea whiskey cocktail. For iced tea, we recommend brewing black or rooibos tea. The water used when making tea matters more than you might think, so use new, filtered water to brew your fresh tea. 

As for the bourbon or whiskey to pick, we suggest using your favorite spirit to craft this easy cocktail. If you're going to use maple syrup as the sweetener, consider bourbon. After all, just a splash of bourbon can deepen the flavor of maple syrup. Fans of the more floral and lighter Japanese whiskies can pair this spirit with honey and try brewing a white or green tea instead of a black one when making this cocktail to give it a fun Asian-inspired spin. 

As you can see, there are many ways to craft an iced tea whiskey cocktail or a spiked iced tea. Let's say you're craving one that highlights maple syrup. Start by brewing a large cup of black or rooibos tea. Then, add it to a tall glass and mix in about 1 tablespoon of maple syrup — the real kind from Canada, not the imitation type. Give it all a stir, and, of course, add ice. Otherwise, it would be tepid tea and not iced tea. Finally, stir in 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon.

As for the type of bourbon to go with, we recommend a bold, non-chill-filtered, high-proof spirit, as the sweetened ice tea will dilute the flavors of your bourbon. To learn more about choosing the best bourbon for your cocktails, check out Tasting Table's in-depth conversation with an expert who explained all the important factors that impact bourbon's flavor.

Now, let's give this spiked iced tea an Asian spin. First, brew your favorite green or white tea. Add it to a glass, then mix in 1 tablespoon of honey and adjust the sweetness level to your taste. If you have yuzu juice, add a few drops. Pour in the ice and stir in 2 ounces of Japanese whisky. We have uncovered the 12 best Japanese whiskies in case you need help picking out a bottle of this delicious spirit.