Make This: Bourbon and Cognac Tea Party Punch

I made this for the adults attending my kid's first birthday. Lets just say a few grown-ups were ready for the babies to leave so we could turn up.

Cupcakes and punch. A perfect duo. (Source: Me)

The Wife had been planning my son’s first birthday party since birth. Soon after The Boy entered the world, The Wife had already secured various inspirational boards on Pinterest and bucketed multiple items on Amazon for future purchases. The Wife’s ladyfriends have exchanged ideas in group chats since the springtime. The Boy had no idea what was awaiting him at the end of his first rotation around the earth.

Meanwhile, I sat there thinking … he would not remember any of this. Right?

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I soon realized that the point of The Boy’s first birthday party is that the moments made now will make for great storytelling in the future. Our family and friends came together to celebrate him, and it felt good to give and receive that love. Of course, having 20-25 folks in the crib meant that provisions would need to be available for said guests. Managing that, along with overseeing The Boy’s smashing of a cake and unwrapping gifts, could be problematic.

My solution? Make a punch!

The tricky thing about punches is that it needs to be palatable for all parties. Make it too spirit-forward, and folks might be unable to drive home and enjoy the beverage. Make it too light, and the flavors might not translate.

I’d been experimenting with punches with my good friend Kris. The dude makes incredible whiskey smash punches all the time. His secret is fresh ingredients, especially mint and fruit. I needed my own lane.

I’ve always leaned on teas for punches. The herbaceous taste always surprises on the first sip, and the aromas leap off the drink. Teas usually pair well with other ingredients. This is it.

After doing some internet research and some trial runs, I’d found MY punch. Specifically, my Bourbon and Cognac Tea Party Punch.

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Recipe: Bourbon and Cognac Tea Party Punch

The inspiration. The recipe below is the remix. (Source: Bon Appetit)

• Serve: Via a pitcher, punch bowl or dispenser, into (red) cups

• Servings: 16 (half for 8 servings, double for 32)

• Ingredients:

  • 1 bottle — Bourbon (I used Larceny Small Batch)

  • 1 cup — Cognac (I used Courvoisier VS)

  • 1/2 cup — Earl Grey tea (8 bags)

  • 1 cup — Agave

  • 8 springs — Thyme

  • 4 springs — Rosemary

  • 1 cup — Lemon juice

  • 1 cup — Orange juice

  • 2 tsp — Orange or Angostura bitters

• To make: 

  1. Boil 2.5 cups boiling water and eight tea bags. Steep for 5-10 minutes, and strain into a measuring glass if possible. Let cool.

  2. Add honey, thyme, rosemary sprigs and one cup of water to a pot or skillet on medium heat. Stir occasionally until the mixture simmers. Let cool and discard herbs.

  3. Pour tea, honey syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, bourbon, Cognac and bitters in a large pitcher or punch bowl.

  4. Add 4-5 cups of ice and stir until the ice is melted and the punch is very cold.

  5. Serve in glasses with ice and garnish with lemon or orange wedges.

This cocktail punch was inspired by Bon Appetit’s Ann Redding and Matt Danzer and their Earl Grey-Bourbon Punch recipe. I’ve made their punch twice prior and it’s really good, however, I like the orange juice pairing with the tea, bourbon and Cognac. Also, as y’all know, I love adding agave into cocktails, so I swapped it in place of the honey.

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I wished I’d made enough for 32 instead of 16. The punch didn’t last more than 90 minutes.

“You did that with this tea,” said Robyn, one of The Wife’s girlfriends proclaimed with a smile.

“Ummmm, you’re going to have to show me how to make this the next time I visit,” said Nicole, another one of The Wife’s girlfriends.

“Bro,” said Kris, after taking a sip. “Bro.”

He and I were on the same page, and I appreciated his compliment.