You've got to try this Spiked Arnold Palmer cocktail. Made with fresh peach, rum, vodka, sweet tea, and lemonade, this cocktail screams summertime!
And if you live in the south as we do, summertime is all the time! We love our tea around here, especially when it's boozy, like this Ice Tea Whiskey Slush! It's one of our favorites!
So why is sweet tea and lemonade called an Arnold Palmer, anyway? According to some friends I met at Bay Hill Golf Club, Mr. Palmer said he drank iced tea with lemonade at home all the time.
In a report in USA Today, it was said he asked his wife to put a little lemonade in the pitcher of iced tea. He liked it so much he decided to take it in a thermos when he was playing golf.
In 1960, he was at the Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver for the U.S. Open and ordered the drink at the bar. A woman who was sitting nearby overheard Mr. Palmer and ordered "that Palmer drink." And that's all she wrote (or said!) Thanks to her, we now have the Arnold Palmer loved by so many!
In fact, SO many people love this concoction that the rights to the Arnold Palmer were sold to the AriZona Beverage company, where it's done very well.
Here's a video of the man himself making his namesake drink:
Arnold Palmer's Home Course
My husband and I played golf at Bay Hill, Mr. Palmer's home course, just after he passed. We were so sad we never got the chance to see him play in person. He was loved by everyone and truly missed.
Bay Hill is an amazing golf course, but if you don't play golf, it's still a lovely resort. Even better, if you have a golfer in your life, they can play while you check out the Bay Hill Spa and have lunch at the Clubhouse. You won't be sorry!
We're lucky to have so many great golf resorts in Florida. If you're planning a golf trip, check out Innisbrook resort, and if you're up in the St. Augustine area, be sure to visit the World Golf Hall of Fame.
And if you're looking for Florida destinations where you can go to the beach and play golf, check out this article I wrote for Visit Florida; Surf and Turf, 4 Resorts for Beach and Golf.
But back to that cocktail! We've taken the perfection of the Arnold Palmer and added to it, making this a refreshing cocktail. And thanks to Mr. Palmer, we already knew sweet tea and lemonade were a great combination.
What You Need to Make A Spiked Arnold Palmer
You'll need a fresh peach for each serving, your choice of rum (not flavored), vodka (we used Citron), Peach Schnapps, sweet tea, and lemonade. Prepare a slice of lemon for garnish as well as a spring of mint.
How To Make a Spiked Arnold Palmer
Slice the peach in half and remove the seed.
Take half of your peach, chop into cubes, and add to your blender on puree. Or better yet, just go ahead and muddle the peach, the old fashioned way!
Take the other half of your peach and slice into quarters.
Fill glass ¾ of the way full with ice and add your peach slices.
Using a bar shaker add your liquors, peach mix, and lemonade.
Shake to combine.
Pour mix into the glass and top with sweet tea.
Garnish with lemon wheels and mint.
Ingredients
- 1 Peach
- 1 oz Bacardi liquor
- 1 oz Citron Vodka
- ½ oz Peach Schnapps
- 1 cup Sweet tea
- ½ cup Lemonade
- ½ lemon for garnish wheels
- 1 mint sprig for garnish
- Ice
Instructions
- Slice the peach in half and remove the seed.
- Take half of your peach, chop into cubes, and add to your blender on puree.
- Take the other half of your peach and slice into quarters.
- Fill glass ¾ of the way full with ice and add your peach slices.
- Using a bar shaker add your liquors, peach mix, and lemonade.
- Shake to combine.
- Pour mix into the glass and top with sweet tea.
- Garnish with lemon wheels and mint.
Looking for another special drink recipe to make for your next party? You've got to check out my Southwest Bloody Mary with Bacon recipe!
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