Chai Honey Highball in a highball glass with lemon twist

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Comisario Añejo: Chai Honey Highball.

A gently brewed chai supplies aromatic detail, and the sparkling finish stops the warm spices from feeling heavy.

Ingredients

Serves

2 ozComisario Añejo Tequilathe bottle we pour
2 ozChilled chai tea60 ml
½ ozFresh lemon juice15 ml
½ ozHoney syrup15 ml
1 ozSoda water30 ml
Lemon twistfor garnish
Fresh iceas needed

Method

Prepare an unsweetened chai tea without milk, following the packet directions. Strain if necessary and cool completely before measuring. For honey syrup, combine equal volumes of honey and warm water and stir until smooth. Cool before use. Diluting the honey helps it combine evenly with the chilled ingredients.
before you mix
Prepare the garnish: lemon twist. Chill a highball glass while you measure the ingredients.
the garnish and the glass
Add the measured base and any still juice, tea, syrup or liqueur to the glass. Stir briefly to combine.
the build
Fill the glass with fresh ice, then add any soda water, tonic or ginger beer slowly.
the build
Lift gently with a spoon once or twice so the ingredients are evenly mixed without losing the bubbles.
the stir
Add the prepared garnish and serve promptly. Express any citrus twist gently over the glass before adding it.
the serve

"A gently brewed chai supplies aromatic detail, and the sparkling finish stops the warm spices from feeling heavy."Flight notes · Creenagh Flynn

From the bar

The pleasure of a considered pour

A thoughtfully made cocktail can change the pace of an ordinary evening. The effect comes from small choices: a fresh ingredient cut neatly, a glass chilled in advance and a pour measured instead of guessed. This recipe brings those choices together in a form that is easy to make your own. It has enough detail to hold attention, while leaving the conversation and the food room to be the centre of the occasion.

A gently brewed chai supplies aromatic detail, and the sparkling finish stops the warm spices from feeling heavy. For this version, Comisario Añejo Tequila provides the base. The recipe below keeps the preparation clear so you can concentrate on the aroma, the texture and the way the ingredients meet. Serve it in a highball glass and let lemon twist introduce its character before the first sip.

The bottle behind the recipe

Comisario Añejo is the centre of this recipe, with the other ingredients chosen to create contrast and room around it. An añejo cocktail can be polished and expressive without requiring an elaborate bar setup. A well-chilled glass, accurately measured sweetness and a restrained garnish will do much of the work. Keep the first sip small enough to notice how the fruit or aromatic accent meets the base, then consider the finish as well as the first impression.

Finding the balance

Fresh juice, fruit puree and bottled mixers vary in sweetness and acidity. Prepare the first drink using the quantities below, then taste the completed mixture. If it needs more brightness, add a teaspoon of the listed citrus. If it feels too sharp and the recipe includes a sweetener, add that in teaspoon increments. Keep the base measure fixed. This gives you a repeatable starting point while allowing for the real ingredients on your counter.

The technique that makes the difference

A built drink depends on the temperature of its ingredients because there is no vigorous shake to cool everything at once. Chill the bottle and mixers in advance, fill the glass with firm ice and add the carbonated ingredient last. Stir just enough to combine the layers. This preserves the bubbles and keeps the first sip from tasting different from the last. Choose a glass large enough for the full recipe and its ice, with a little space left for the garnish.

Bring it to the table

Serve this cocktail with spiced roast carrots. A gently brewed chai supplies aromatic detail, and the sparkling finish stops the warm spices from feeling heavy. Keep the food in small, easy-to-share portions so that the glass and the plate can be enjoyed together. Put a little of the garnish ingredient on the table where it also belongs in the food, but avoid making every element taste identical. The most useful pairing is one that gives the drink a new detail after a bite, with the food and the cocktail retaining their own character.

Make it your house recipe

To make the recipe again, begin with the same Comisario Añejo Tequila and the same ingredient measures, then change one small detail at a time. That makes the result easier to learn from and repeat. Keep a note of the fruit or syrup you used if it made a particular difference. Once the balance feels right, the drink becomes a useful addition to your own table, whether you are preparing one glass or setting out ingredients for a few guests.

Make it tonight

Made it?

Fifty Casa Stellar points, and the bar remembers it.