Celestial Dragon Recipe

Brew Jasmine Tea

Place 1 tsp jasmine loose-leaf tea into a small heatproof container. Pour 60 ml (about 2 fl oz) just-off-boil water (about 90°C/195°F) over the leaves. Steep 2 minutes. Strain and cool to room temperature (about 5–8 minutes). You should end with roughly 1 oz of concentrated jasmine tea; reserve 1 oz for the cocktail and refrigerate any extra for another use.

Make Lavender Infusion

Place 1 tsp dried culinary lavender in a separate small container. Pour 60 ml hot water over the lavender. Steep 3 minutes to extract fragrance but avoid bitterness. Strain through a fine mesh and let cool to room temperature. Measure 1 oz (30 ml) of the lavender infusion to use in the cocktail; any excess can be refrigerated.

Chill two coupe or rocks glasses by filling with ice and water or placing in the freezer for a few minutes.

Combine in a cocktail shaker: 3 oz Ron Santiago de Cuba Carta Blanca, 1 oz Muyu Jasmine liqueur, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, and 1 oz lavender infusion (from the Tea & Infusions section) and 1 oz of the brewed jasmine tea (if your jasmine brew yielded a single concentrated ounce, add that ounce here; otherwise add 1 oz jasmine tea).

Add plenty of ice to the shaker (enough to fill) and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and well-chilled.

Discard ice/water from the chilled glasses and strain the cocktail evenly into the two chilled glasses (about 3.25 oz per serving). If you prefer it on one large ice cube in a rocks glass, double-strain over the cube to remove fine particulates.

Prepare your smoking setup: place about 1 tablespoon applewood or oak chips in a smoking box, smoking gun, or on a piece of aluminum foil. Light chips until smoldering or use a smoking gun to direct smoke into a covered glass or cloche.

If using a cloche or glass cover: after pouring the cocktail into glasses, cover each glass with the cloche and fill the covered space with a short burst of smoke (5–8 seconds of smoke). Allow smoke to infuse for 20–30 seconds, then remove the cover to reveal the smoked cocktail. If using a smoking gun, aim the smoke into the glass and cover between bursts.

Garnish each serving with a lemon wheel or twist and a fresh lavender sprig. Optionally float an edible jasmine blossom on the surface for visual effect.

Serve immediately so the drink is aromatic and the smoke effect remains pronounced.