How to infuse gin

With bartenders up and down the country infusing their own spirits to put their own twist on classic cocktails, we asked Head Bartender Alex Warren how to infuse gin. Alex’s favourite way to infuse gin is by using jasmine tea – and he adds the Rare Tea Company blend that were serve in the Royal York Hotel’s Garden Room.

Ingredients

A bottle of gin (Alex uses Plymouth Gin)
Five tablespoons of loose leaf jasmine tea (try experimenting with different types of tea)

Method

– Add the tea leaves straight into the bottle of gin
– Place the lid back on, and give it a good shake
– Leave to steep for five to six hours, but check every hour to ensure it’s not too strong
– The tea will darken the gin significantly – be sure to strain the leaves out once you are happy with the flavour

Jasmine tea infused gin

As this infusion has a distinctive flavour, it’s best to enjoy in a gin and tonic.