PATRÓN and Ixta Belfrage put tea centre stage in summer Margarita twist

Tea is moving beyond the teacup and into the cocktail glass, as bartenders and chefs explore its potential to add depth, aroma and complexity to familiar serves.

The growing interest is being fuelled in part by the rise of Hard Tea, one of the fastest-growing sub-categories within ready-to-drink beverages. IWSR data shows that Hard Tea volumes in the US rose by 5% in 2025, following a compound annual growth rate of 22% between 2021 and 2025. Tea-related ingredients also featured in 3% of new RTD launches in 2025, up from 2% in 2021.

Now, chef and food writer Ixta Belfrage has partnered with PATRÓN Tequila to bring the trend into the home cocktail space with a fresh take on the classic Margarita.

The PATRÓN Silver Tomato & Peach Iced Tea Margarita combines PATRÓN Silver with a homemade syrup infused with rooibos, jasmine green tea, black tea and cinnamon. Ripe peach and tomato bring a savoury-sweet edge to the serve, while basil, chilli and fresh lemon juice offer a bright, aromatic finish.

The result is a complex yet approachable cocktail that balances the crisp agave character of PATRÓN Silver with the tannic structure and gentle warmth of the multi-tea syrup. Designed for summer entertaining, the recipe offers a restaurant-style serve without the need for specialist equipment or complicated techniques.

Tea is increasingly being used as a flavour ingredient across premium spirits, RTDs and cocktails, rather than simply as a base for Hard Tea products. Its natural earthiness and botanical notes can work particularly well with agave spirits, creating new layers of flavour while retaining the recognisable profile of established classics.

Ixta’s serve reflects that wider shift in cocktail culture, using tea not as a novelty but as a versatile ingredient capable of bringing body, complexity and balance to a Margarita.

PATRÓN Silver Tomato & Peach Iced Tea Margarita

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• 30ml PATRÓN Silver
• 25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 10ml house tea syrup
• 60g very ripe peach, skin on and roughly chopped
• 40g very ripe tomato, skin on and roughly chopped
• ⅛ tsp fine sea salt
• 5 basil leaves, torn
• ¼ red birdseye chilli
• Ice

To garnish:

• Lime
• Tomato
• Peach
• Fresh basil

Method

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1. Add the chopped tomato, peach and sea salt to a container, mix well and refrigerate for at least two hours to draw out the natural juices.
2. Transfer the peach, tomato and extracted liquid to a cocktail shaker. Add the PATRÓN Silver, lemon juice, tea syrup, torn basil and chilli.
3. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled.
4. Fine-strain through a sieve into a glass filled with fresh ice.
5. Garnish with lime, tomato, peach and fresh basil, ideally served on a stainless-steel cocktail pick.

House Tea Syrup

Makes enough for eight drinks

Ingredients

• 200g agave nectar
• 3 rooibos tea bags
• 3 jasmine green tea bags
• 2 black tea bags
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken

Method

1. Warm the agave nectar gently, taking care not to let it boil, then remove from the heat.
2. Add the tea bags and broken cinnamon sticks, stir and leave to infuse for at least two hours.
3. Squeeze the tea bags thoroughly into the syrup to release the remaining liquid and flavour, then discard the bags and cinnamon.
4. Store the syrup in a sealed container in the fridge until needed.