Nuwara Eliya Elderflower Spritz
A pale, floral spritz built on Nuwara Eliya-infused gin, elderflower liqueur, and sparkling wine — light, fragrant, and made for slow sipping in the late afternoon.
Nuwara Eliya's floral, almost green-tea-like delicacy makes it a natural match for gin and elderflower rather than the darker spirits and bitter amaros that suit bolder Ceylons. The goal here is a cocktail as light on its feet as the tea itself.
Infusing gin with the tea for a short window — no more than 45 minutes — captures its perfume without pulling tannins into the spirit. Steep any longer and the gin turns cloudy and bitter instead of fragrant.
Elderflower liqueur deepens the floral theme rather than competing with it, while a topper of dry sparkling wine keeps the drink light, effervescent, and easy to sip slowly over a warm afternoon or early evening.
For a non-alcoholic mocktail version, brew the tea slightly stronger, chill it, and combine with elderflower cordial, a squeeze of lemon, and sparkling water in place of the gin and sparkling wine. The result keeps the same pale, floral character and gentle effervescence, just without the alcohol or the gin's botanicals.
Ingredients
- 45 ml gin, infused with 1 tbsp Nuwara Eliya tea for 30–45 minutes, then strained
- 15 ml elderflower liqueur (such as St-Germain)
- 60 ml dry sparkling wine, chilled
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- Ice cubes
- Lemon twist for garnish
- Edible flower or mint sprig for garnish (optional)
How to make it
- 1Infuse the gin: combine gin and loose-leaf Nuwara Eliya tea in a sealed jar. Let sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes, then strain out the leaves.
- 2Fill a wine glass or tall flute with ice.
- 3Add the tea-infused gin, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice. Stir gently.
- 4Top with chilled sparkling wine and stir once, lightly, to combine.
- 5Garnish with a lemon twist and an edible flower or mint sprig.
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