Asha's Chai Old Fashioned

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If you're looking for a stiff cocktail spiced to the nines, this one's for you. Drawing inspiration from the flavors of masala chai with an old fashioned twist, it starts with DIY black tea-infused bourbon, which is shaken with chai masala-jaggery syrup to create a highly sippable sensation.

Ingredients

FOR THE BLACK TEA-INFUSED BOURBON

1 cup bourbon
1 tablespoon Chota Tingrai Black Tea

FOR THE SYRUP

¼ cup water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ cup Madhur Jaggery
1 tablespoon Chai Masala

FOR THE COCKTAIL

2 ounces black tea bourbon
2 to 3 teaspoons chai masala syrup
Ice
Orange twist

Methods

To make the tea-infused bourbon, combine the bourbon and loose-leaf black tea in a jar, seal, and let steep for at least 1 hour, up to 6 hours. Strain the leaves before using.
Meanwhile, make the chai masala syrup. Combine the water, maple syrup, jaggery, and chai masala in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved. Cool to room temperature, strain into a container with a lid, and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To make the cocktail, combine the tea-infused bourbon, chai masala syrup, and a handful of ice in a cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously until the outside of the jar feels icy, 30 to 45 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass with a big ice cube, garnish with an orange twist, and sip away!