In 2008, former Death & Co head bartender Phil Ward tasted a chamomile-infused grappa and had an idea. He grabbed a bottle of Old Overholt rye, steeped loose chamomile tea  in it for a couple of hours, then tasted it. “The results blew my mind,” he said. He poured it into a julep tin with a touch of simple syrup and a cone of crushed ice, and the Chamomile Julep was born—one of the bar’s most enduring drinks, and the beginning of our deep interest in tea as a cocktail ingredient.

What that infusion taught us is something we’ve applied ever since: tea doesn’t just add flavor, it adds a dimension that’s hard to achieve any other way. It has the bitterness of a spirit, the aromatics of a liqueur, and a tannic grip that mirrors what a barrel does to whiskey over years—all in under two hours at room temperature.

How to infuse. The chamomile-rye method is still our template for most tea infusions: combine 7.5 grams (about ¼ cup) loose-leaf tea with one 750ml bottle of spirit, stir, and let stand at room temperature for one to two hours, tasting frequently. Strain through cheesecloth. For more delicate teas like green or white, cut the time in half and taste every 20 minutes—they turn bitter fast. Robust black teas can handle the full two hours.

Match tea to spirit. Any tea is worth exploring in cocktails, but the pairing logic matters—each style has its own character, and its own natural partners. Our approach to pairingsteas with other spirits is simple: match by character. Chamomile’s soft, apple-floral quality harmonized naturally with rye’s spice. Green tea—grassy, delicate, with a hint of umami—belongs with botanical spirits like gin. Malty and tannic black tea stands up to bourbon, rum, or aged tequila; Earl Grey, scented with bergamot, bridges cleanly between dark spirits and citrus. Oolong, which lands between green and black, is our most versatile option—roasted varieties bring a caramel-adjacent depth to whiskey that’s nearly impossible to replicate otherwise. Lapsang Souchong, a Chinese black tea dried over pinewood, adds a whisper of smoke to tequila blanco or rum; keep the steep to 45 minutes or it takes over the spirit. And chamomile—or any herbal tisane—remains our go-to for softening the edges of a high-proof spirit, exactly as Phil discovered.

Beyond infusions. Brew any tea double-strength, sweeten while warm, and you have a tea syrup that adds flavor and body in a single pour. Or use a cooled, strong brew as a measured ingredient the way you’d use juice—especially useful in punches and long drinks, where it adds tannin and complexity without alcohol.

Start with chamomile and rye. It worked for Phil, and it will teach you everything you need to know.



Chamomile Julep


By Phil Ward (Death & Co NYC, 2008)


2 ounces Chamomile-Infused Old Overholt rye

¼ ounce simple syrup

Garnish 1 mint bouquet

Put the rye and simple syrup in a julep tin. Fill the tin halfway with crushed ice. Stir with a teaspoon, churning the ice as you go, for about 10 seconds, holding the tin by the rim so the entire tin can eventually frost up. Add more crushed ice to fill the tin two-thirds full and stir until the tin is completely frosted. Add more ice to form a cone above the rim. Garnish with the mint bouquet in the center of the ice and serve with a straw.