Jalisco High Tea recipe
Earthy reposado tequila pairs with lemon verbena tea and cherry liqueur in a refreshing highball.
Method: Shake and strain over fresh ice ·
Glass: Highball glass ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Highball Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz Reposado tequila (100% agave)
- 0.5 oz Cherry Heering (or similar cherry liqueur)
- 0.75 oz Fresh lime juice (bright and freshly squeezed)
- 0.5 oz Simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)
- 3 oz Chilled lemon verbena tea (brewed and cooled)
How to make a Jalisco High Tea
- Brew lemon verbena tea and allow it to chill completely in the refrigerator.
- Combine reposado tequila, cherry liqueur, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup in a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for ten to twelve seconds until well chilled.
- Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
- Top with chilled lemon verbena tea, stir gently to combine, and garnish with a verbena sprig.
Garnish
Garnish with a fresh lemon verbena sprig and a brandied cherry.
Pro tip
Steep the lemon verbena tea slightly stronger than usual so its herbal brightness cuts through the rich agave and cherry liqueur. For the best effervescence, use clear, hard ice cubes.
History of the Jalisco High Tea
While modern tequila highballs pairing agave spirits with tea and fruit liqueurs gained popularity across contemporary craft cocktail bars in the 2010s, exact origins remain debated among mixologists. Some accounts attribute the pairing of reposado tequila and herbal tisanes to modern Mexican cantina revivals, whereas others trace tea-infused highballs to broader American tavern innovations. Regardless of its precise provenance, this beverage modernizes traditional long drinks by wedding aged agave complexity with garden herbs.
Flavour profile
Herbal, Citrusy, Agave-forward, Fruity
Variations
- Mezcal High Tea — Substitute smoky mezcal for reposado tequila to introduce a rich, earthy peat profile.
- Green Tea Jalisco — Swap chilled lemon verbena tea for Japanese sencha green tea for a grassy, tannic backbone.
Practise making the Jalisco High Tea in the free Virtual Bar game.