Welcome to the GND Recipes Library! Transitioning into cooler weather usually means swapping light, fruity drinks for darker, more complex flavor profiles. This mocktail solves the challenge of creating a zero-proof fall drink by utilizing Lapsang Souchong—a unique tea dried over pine wood fires that provides a rich, intensely smoky backbone. Complete with a theatrical glass-smoking technique, this recipe offers all the ritual, depth, and savoriness of a high-end craft cocktail without a drop of alcohol.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 5 Minutes

• Servings: 1 Drink

• Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 3 oz Apple cider

• 3 oz Lapsang Souchong tea (brewed and cooled)

• 1/2 oz Fresh lemon juice

• 1/2 oz Spiced Demerara syrup (or cinnamon simple syrup)

• 1 Cinnamon stick (broken into pieces)

• 6 Whole cloves

• Ice cubes

• GND Orange Slices for garnish

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the base: Brew a cup of Lapsang Souchong tea and let it cool. In a mixing glass, combine 3 oz of the cooled tea, apple cider, lemon juice, and spiced syrup. Set aside.

2. Smoke the glass: Place the broken cinnamon stick and whole cloves on a fireproof surface. Use a kitchen torch to briefly ignite the spices until they begin to smoke. Immediately invert a rocks glass over the smoking spices to capture the aromatic smoke.

3. Chill: While the smoke fills your inverted glass, add ice to your mixing glass and stir the liquid ingredients for about 20 seconds until perfectly chilled.

4. Pour: Flip the smoked rocks glass over, fill it with fresh ice, and immediately strain the chilled mocktail into the glass.

5. Garnish: Finish this aromatic masterpiece with a dehydrated orange slice and a fresh cinnamon stick.

💡 GND Pro-Tip: A heavy, smoky, and spiced drink needs a bright aromatic lift to keep it balanced. Replacing the traditional fresh orange twist with a GND dehydrated Orange Slice introduces a rich, caramelized citrus oil that pairs flawlessly with the campfire notes of the tea and spices. 👉 Shop GND Orange Slices