Three Iced Tea Alcoholic Drinks that Aren’t Arnold Palmers

Hello, tea friend. Are you tired of the same old thing? Are you ready to shake up the status quo? Try something new? We may not have control over much these days, but we can control what goes into our glass. In the world of summer beverages, Arnold Palmers are tried and true, but sometimes you long for something different. Something fresh. Enter: Three iced tea alcoholic drinks that aren’t Arnold Palmers!

Novel Iced Tea Cocktail

When days get long and the sun comes out, and you’re craving something cool to sip on those balmy summer nights, there are so many satisfying ways to combine iced tea and alcohol.
Iced tea sangria is sure to beat the heat every time. Mint cocktails provide a refreshing reprieve any day of the week.
And this Novel Cocktail features what is, to date, my all-time favorite Plum Deluxe blend: Reading Nook black tea with rose, lavender, and chamomile (now also available in decaf!). In a delightful medley of flavors, this cocktail combines floral and fruity elements for the ultimate summer indulgence.
Coconut, citrus, fresh raspberry, and black tea come together to create a flavor explosion that is both sweet and tangy, bold and complex. The final result is a taste sensation that will leave you asking, "Arnold who?"

Earl Grey Cocktail

One of my absolute favorite things on a crisp autumn afternoon is a steamy London Fog – an Earl Grey latte with vanilla. In the summer months, it feels wrong to drink what I consider to be a quintessentially cold-weather beverage, but anytime I feel rebellious and start to miss the Earl, there’s nothing like an Earl Grey Cocktail to satisfy my bergamot cravings.
Earl Grey tea is itself a timeless and ubiquitously enjoyable beverage that can proudly grace your table any time of year. Shake it up with some brandy, triple sec, and vanilla vodka, and you’ve got yourself one heck of an iced tea cocktail!
The vanilla vodka enhances the vanilla essence in the tea, and the triple sec harmonizes beautifully with the bergamot oil essential to any Earl Grey blend.
With so many delightful Earl Grey blends to choose from (including, incidentally, the aptly named Delightful Morning blend with lavender), you can easily adapt the drink to your own tastes. Add a fruity twist with strawberry-infused Gratitude Earl Grey, or lean into the creaminess of the cocktail’s vanilla notes with Creme Brulée Earl Grey.
This cocktail makes a wonderful pre-dinner aperitif, though if you’re planning to enjoy it later in the evening and are sensitive to caffeine, be warned: traditionally, Earl Grey contains quite a bit of caffeine. If that’s not your style, you can always mix it up with the Queen’s Blend Green Tea, a lemon crème Earl Grey that has lower caffeine levels.
Or, for a completely caffeine-free cuppa, try Healthy, Wealthy, and Wise Herbal Blend with bergamot, sage, lemongrass, and mint. The flavor profile of your cocktail will naturally differ from those made with a traditional Earl Grey, with sage and citrus dominating the tea arena, drawing out different notes in the triple sec and brandy.
So choose your favorite Earl Grey blend and treat yourself to an iced cocktail fit for a king!

Elderflower Evening Cocktail

I am a sucker for elderflower liqueur; it’s a wonderful addition to both gin and champagne, and it adds a touch of elegance to any cocktail. It’s also a natural pairing for Evening in the Garden herbal tea, which brings together elderflower, lemon, and rose in a wonderfully soothing blend that is delicious all on its own and absolutely stunning in an iced tea alcoholic drink.
The Elderflower Evening cocktail highlights Evening in the Garden as its base, complimented by St. Germaine – an elderflower liqueur – along with gin, champagne, and fresh lemon juice. The floral notes in the tea are accentuated by the St. Germain, and balanced by the herbaceousness of the gin, the brightness of the lemon, and the sweetness of the champagne. The result is an exquisite cocktail that is subtle, nuanced, and unbelievably soothing.
The beauty of using a complex herbal tea in your cocktail is that it’s an easy way to add depth and sophistication to your drink without having to mess around with (or invest in) fancy alcoholic add-ins. No bitters, no syrups. Just layers of flavor and subtle complexity that you don’t have to work for. And what’s more, there’s something so relaxing about a cocktail made with herbal tea; it’s a perfect way to unwind at the end of the day.
If you’d like to explore other elderflower-based herbal teas, Slowly Unwind is a lovely blend of elderflower, linden flowers, and berry, while Just Elderflower is exactly what the name suggests and really gives the single ingredient a chance to shine. For those caffeine-lovers out there, consider Abundance Blend Green Tea with passionfruit and elderflower or Royal Wedding Black Tea with elderflower and lemon.
Each one of these blends will bring its own special flavor to your cocktail. Experiment with the different blends, and enjoy the calming undertones of tea mingled with a refreshing pop of lemon and hint of effervescence from the champagne, crowned with the botanical notes of St Germain and gin – the epitome of simple elegance.


As much as I love a good Arnold Palmer, it can’t monopolize the world of iced tea alcoholic drinks forever. Sooner or later, other cocktails need their moment in the literal and proverbial sun. So when you’re ready for a fresh take this summer, whip up one of these three iced tea cocktails that aren’t Arnold Palmers (sorry, Arnold!) and enjoy the taste of something new.