Spirit-free sipper
Blackberry Sage Nocturne
Dark blackberry, toasted tea and sage build a layered evening sipper with the depth of a cocktail and none of the alcohol.
15 minutes to mix20 minutes to chill2 finished drinks
01
What you’ll need
- 120 g fresh or frozen blackberries
- 180 ml strong chilled lapsang souchong or black tea
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 fresh sage leaves, plus 2 small leaves for serving
- 2 dashes alcohol-free aromatic bitters, optional
- 2 large clear ice cubes
- 4 blackberries, for serving
02
Mix the drink
- Muddle the blackberries, maple syrup and two sage leaves in a shaker until juicy and fragrant.
- Add the chilled tea, lemon juice and alcohol-free bitters if using. Fill the shaker with ice and shake firmly for 10 seconds.
- Double-strain into two rocks glasses over one large ice cube in each glass.
03
Serve it beautifully
The glass, temperature and first aroma all shape the drink. Set those details before the final pour.
- Choose low cut-crystal or heavy rocks glasses so the drink feels substantial in the hand.
- Thread two blackberries onto a short cocktail pick for each glass. Rest the pick across the rim and add one small sage leaf beside it.
- Let the drink sit for one minute over the ice before serving so its smoky, fruit and herbal notes settle together.
At the table
What to pair with it
Dark chocolate truffles
Smoked mushroom skewers
Beet and walnut tartlets
Estimated per drink
Nutrition at a glance
- Calories
- 74
- Fat
- 0.4g
- Saturated fat
- 0g
- Carbohydrates
- 18g
- Fibre
- 4g
- Sugars
- 11g
- Protein
- 1g
- Sodium
- 6mg
Blackberries give this dramatic drink colour, tartness and fibre, with sweetness kept deliberately restrained.
Estimates vary with ingredient brands, substitutions and serving size.