When made right, this is one of my favorite Epcot cocktails. It is available at the Joy of Tea kiosk outside the China Pavilion. I say “when made right” because although I am sure there is a recipe they should follow, I have had it made once or twice by a cast member with a heavy hand when pouring the bourbon.
The recipe is simple – a blend of cold tea and coffee, bourbon and chocolate – topped with some whipped cream. When blended together correctly the taste is fabulous and delicious! When a heavy handed cast member adds too much bourbon, it truly ruins the entire drink. The first time I had one with way too much bourbon I threw it in the next trash can I came across. The second time I went back and asked for another with the “right amount of bourbon” since at $8.50 each I wasn’t about to throw another one in the trash.
The description lists this as a Hong Kong Style Yuan Yang Drink (I had to look up what that means). According to Wikipedia:
Yuanyang or Coffee with tea (often transliterated according to the Cantonese Chinese pronunciation Yuenyeung, Yinyeung, or Yinyong), also commonly known as Kopi Cham in Malaysia (cham from the Hokkien word mix) is a popular beverage in Hong Kong, made of a mixture of three parts of coffee and seven parts of Hong Kong-style milk tea. It was originally served at dai pai dongs (open air food vendors) and cha chaan tengs (cafe), but is now available in various types of restaurants. It can be served hot or cold. The name yuanyang, which refers to Mandarin Ducks, is a symbol of conjugal love in Chinese culture, as the birds usually appear in pairs and the male and female look very different. This same connotation of a “pair” of two unlike items is used to name this drink.
There is a non-alcoholic version available which I have tried but it wasn’t quite as tasty as the one with bourbon since I think the drink needs the combination of all flavors, in the right amounts, to be wonderful!
Next time you’re at Epcot – give one a try!