Leaving Colombo in the morning to head out to our first tea estate, I had no idea what drink I would make for my video shoot at the top of the mountain. My only plan was to visit markets on the way and use local items we find along with Dilmah’s robust low-elevation tea.
The first interesting ingredient we found is the nelli, a local fruit that is quite hard but has a nice tartness. The other is fragrant cinnamon, taken from tree to spice at the estate. I simmered the two of these together with sugar and water, making a syrup with a big spice note and a touch of acidity.
The day being so hot, I originally planned to make an iced tea cocktail. However it became cooler up near the rain forest and a hot drink seemed in order. The cocktail I came up with is below, named the Rainmaker in light of the storm that interrupted our shoot several times. The setting was nonetheless fantastic, an absolutely beautiful place to make tea cocktails.
1 1/2 oz Bols Corenwyn 6 Year
1 oz cinnamon nelli syrup
5-6 oz Dilmah Yata Watte
Serve hot and enjoy!
