Recipe

How to Make Tennessee-Style Iced Tea

By Andrew Penman at St. Mary's College

Recently, I took a fantastic trip through Tennessee. Along with moonshine, the state is also home to Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, distilled in Lynchburg. I had the pleasure of visiting and afterwards ate at a Jack Daniel’s restaurant in Nashville. Ordering anything but a Jack-laden drink seemed blasphemous.

I decided on their “Tennessee Tea.” It was wonderful. A great summer drink to try along with these non-beer beverages, too. Many recipes online essentially dump a Jack n’ Coke into a glass of Long Island Iced Tea, and call it “Tennessee Iced Tea.” If that sounds like the drink of your dreams, then I’ll drop you off at this recipe. Otherwise, read on, because what those show isn’t the real deal I had in Nashville.

Tennessee Tea

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Servings: 1
  • Easy
Ingredients
  • 1 part Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Brand Tennessee Whiskey
  • 1 part lemonade
  • 1 part sweetened iced tea
  • 3-4 leaves of mint
  • 1 small sprig of mint
  • 1 wedge of lemon

Photo by Andrew Penman

Step 1

Pour the Jack over ice in a highball, pint, or any other similarly tall glass.

Photo by Andrew Penman

Step 2

Mix your lemonade and tea in equal ratio, like an Arnold Palmer, or in your preferred ratio.

#SpoonTip: I highly suggest experimenting with different proportions for the liquids in this drink to see what you like best.

Photo by Andrew Penman

Step 3

Pluck about three to four mint leaves and mix them into the drink, like a Mojito. Save some mint for garnishing later.

Photo by Andrew Penman

Step 4

Cut a wedge of lemon and mix it into your beverage.

#SpoonTip: With both lemons and limes, my preferred method of cutting wedges is to first cut the fruit in half, then cut as many wedges as I like.

Photo by Andrew Penman

Step 5

Stir your drink. Place the mint garnish and Enjoy responsibly.

#SpoonTip: Try placing the mint near a cut-down straw so that your taste is most informed by the smell, like a mint julep.

Photo by Andrew Penman

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