A new spin on time-tested favourites, Four Seasons is launching Tea & Coffee Cocktails as the next theme in the ongoing Cocktail Quarterly series, mixing up much more than a regular cup of joe. A year-long global initiative, the Cocktail Quarterly series hones in on a new cocktail trend, technique or seasonal ingredient each quarter.
Started in the summer of 2015, Cocktail Quarterly will now add Four Seasons expert mixologists’ unique takes on tea and coffee cocktails to the list of classic libations re-vamped throughout the series, including the Old Fashioned and bubbly cocktails.
From February through April 2016, mixologists from participating Four Seasons hotels and resorts worldwide will craft original tea or coffee based cocktails, exploring the many varieties of tea and coffee, both in terms of type and origin as well as method of preparation.
Featuring both hot and cold cocktails, served in classic glassware or “disguised” in teapots and coffee cups, each drink will incorporate a multitude of seasonal and locally-produced ingredients and garnishes.
From Kahlua and Guinness to espresso and Earl Grey tea, this new batch of Cocktail Quarterly libations will be the perfect evening pick-me-up or post-dinner digestif.
Tea and coffee cocktails include:
- 1927 Original Ancho Café at Four Seasons Resort The Biltmore Santa Barbara: Made with Ancho Reyes, Kahlua, brown sugar simple syrup, half & half and espresso, the name is a nod to the 1927 recipe for Ancho Reyes that originated from Puebla, Mexico, and the year that the Biltmore Hotel opened – resulting in a perfect blend of spice and history.
- Fake Guinness at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet: This riff on a classic coffee martini features espresso, coffee liqueur, milk and Guinness beer – a perfect digestif to be enjoyed slowly after a meal.
- Kopi Luwak Martini at Four Seasons Hotel Beijing: An elegant coffee cocktail made with rum, Kahlua and espresso, it also contains kopi luwak, considered the world’s most expensive coffee. Served from a traditional Neapolitan coffee press filled with dry ice, the cocktail keeps smoking, diffusing its delicate aromas.
- Grog in Florence at Four Seasons Hotel Firenze: Made with rum-infused ginger, Ron Zacapa 23, amaro, cranberry juice and homemade lapsang souchong syrup, this cocktail is served in an elegant tea pot, which is then poured into individual tea cups.
- Golden Autumn at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai: Served chilled, the Golden Autumn combines Johnnie Walker Gold Label osmanthus-infused whisky with oolong tea for a perfectly crisp fall finish. The Golden Autumn is served from a teapot into an on-the-rock curved glass containing osmanthus ice cubes with oolong tea inside.
For additional details on the Cocktail Quarterly initiative including recipes, tips and inspiration from Four Seasons mixologists worldwide, follow the #CocktailQuarterly hashtag on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and magazine.fourseasons.com.
