Hot Damn cinnamon liqueur poured into the bottom of a mason jar and topped with sweet tea makes the Herbal Flame, an unusually Southern-influenced warm drink. The liqueur's spicy-sweet cinnamon heat meets the tannin-rich character of Southern-style sweet tea, the two combining into a warming, regionally distinctive cocktail. A cinnamon stick is suggested as both garnish and stirrer, left in the glass to reinforce the spice. At roughly 12 percent alcohol by volume, it is straightforward to assemble, asking only that the liqueur be layered beneath the tea and stirred together.
The Herbal Flame is a warm cocktail combining Hot Damn cinnamon liqueur with sweet tea, served in a mason jar. The spicy, sweet cinnamon heat of the Hot Damn blends with the sweet, tannin-rich character of Southern-style sweet tea for an unusually warming, Southern-influenced combination. A cinnamon stick is suggested as both garnish and stirrer.
History & Origins
The Herbal Flame is an American casual drink that draws on the Southern tradition of sweet tea — one of the defining beverages of the American South — combined with the cinnamon-flavored liqueur that became popular in American bars during the 1990s. Hot Damn 100-proof cinnamon schnapps was a widely used product in the same era as Goldschläger and other cinnamon spirits. Its specific origin is disputed.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: cinnamon spice from the Hot Damn and sweet, tannic black tea from the sweet tea. Palate: warm and spicy with cinnamon's heat and sweetness blending with the tea's tannins and sweetness, creating an unusual Southern-spiced combination. Finish: warm, cinnamon-spiced, and sweet with a lingering tea tannin and a gentle spirit heat.
Pro Tip
Use a strongly brewed, properly sweetened Southern-style sweet tea and add a cinnamon stick as both a garnish and a stirrer to reinforce the cinnamon character throughout drinking.
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