Arnold Palmer, the golfer, ordered his signature half-iced-tea-half-lemonade at a country club somewhere in Pennsylvania in the 1960s, and a woman at the next table said she’d have what he was having, and that was apparently enough to name a drink after someone. It’s a good drink. It has always been a good drink. And at some point someone added bourbon to it, which made it a better drink.
The Bourbon Arnold Palmer is exactly what it sounds like — iced tea, lemonade, bourbon, over ice in a tall glass. It’s one of the most approachable summer drinks you can make, it scales up to a pitcher without any difficulty, and it pairs with everything from a summer afternoon on the porch to a round of actual golf if that’s how you spend your Saturdays.
The bourbon is the only variable that requires any attention. The tea and lemonade are doing the heavy lifting on flavor, so you want something that plays with them rather than fighting them — a naturally sweet, approachable bourbon with vanilla and a little caramel. This is not the place for barrel proof whiskey or heavily oaked single barrels.
Generic Bourbon Is the Right Call Here
Use whatever good mixing bourbon you have in the house. Evan Williams Black Label, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam White Label, Heaven Hill — any straightforward Kentucky bourbon in the $15-$25 range makes an excellent Bourbon Arnold Palmer. The tea and lemonade are flavorful enough that the nuances of a more expensive bourbon would largely disappear anyway.
This is a hot afternoon drink. Bring out the everyday bottle.
The Tea and Lemonade Ratio
The classic Arnold Palmer is equal parts tea and lemonade, which is a good starting point. Some people prefer a more tea-forward version — two parts tea to one part lemonade — for a less sweet, slightly more tannic drink that lets the bourbon show up more clearly. Others go heavier on the lemonade for a brighter, more citrus-forward version.
Start with equal parts and adjust from there based on your preference. Make the lemonade a little tart — the tea and bourbon both add sweetness and you don’t want the finished drink going soft.
Make It a Pitcher
The Bourbon Arnold Palmer is a natural batch cocktail. Brew a pot of tea, make a batch of lemonade, combine them in a pitcher with the bourbon, and refrigerate. Pour over ice when you’re ready. It holds up in the fridge for a day or two without losing anything.
