A Swedish Tiger

Thai Iced Tea, Batavia-Arrack Van Oosten, Kronan Swedish Punsch, Bonal, and Coconut Milk

Bartender Briana Hestad of Ørkenoy | Chicago
Yield: 1 cocktail

What do you get when you cross Thai iced tea with Swedish punsch? A Swedish Tiger, a creamy and refreshing drink by Briana Hestad, operations manager and co-owner of Ørkenoy. When the Thai iced tea craving hit, Hestad doubled-down on the herbaceousness of Pantai Norasingh tea and fortified the cocktail with astringency and complexity, while still allowing the signature velvety texture and sweetness to shine. For weight and a bit of funk, she looked to Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, a pre-Prohibition spirit of sugar cane and red rice. “It can be difficult to work with,” she says. “You have to find things to complement or mask it, which is how we came up with this.” Paired with its cousin of sorts, Kronan Swedish punsch, the beverage takes on warm spice and notes of smoky caramel. To balance things out, Hestad adds Bonal and rose syrup for a delicate floral flavor and aromatics. All that’s left is to pour over a generous dose of half-and-half (or coconut milk for the dairy-averse) and watch the cream swirl.

Adapted by StarChefs | September 2021

INGREDIENTS:

Rose Simple Syrup:
1½ cups food-grade dried rose
3 cups sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
2 ounces Thai iced tea (Pantai Norasingh mix is my preferred.)
0.75 ounce Batavia-Arrack van Oosten
0.5 ounce Kronan Swedish punsch
0.25 ounce Bonal
0.5 ounce Rose Simple Syrup
Half-and-half or coconut milk

METHOD:

For the Rose Simple Syrup:
In a pot, bring 3 cups water and rose to a boil. Turn down to low heat for about 15 minutes. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Strain.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a Collins glass, combine tea, Batavia-Arrack van Oosten, punsch, Bonal, and the Rose Simple Syrup. Top with ice. Fill with half-and-half or coconut milk.

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