Heat the 1.65 litres of water to 90–95°C. This temperature range is wide enough to be forgiving but still matters: water that's too far below 90°C produces a thin, underdeveloped tea, while water that's been allowed to boil too aggressively for too long can drive off some of the more delicate aromatic compounds even before the bags go in. Bring the water just to this range and move on without unnecessary delay.

Add the black tea bags and steep for 2½–3 minutes maximum. This window is what keeps the tea's structure clean rather than harsh — black tea's desirable theaflavins and thearubigins extract within this range, while the more astringent tannin fraction develops noticeably if the bags are left in any longer. Remove the bags gently without squeezing, since squeezing forces out the most concentrated and bitter liquid held inside them, which is precisely the fraction that would compete most directly with the peach's delicate fruit aroma later on. Let the tea cool to lukewarm before continuing.

While the tea is still warm, stir in 2 tablespoons of mild honey until fully dissolved. Honey integrates far more evenly into warm liquid than into cold, and adding it at this stage avoids the uneven, pooled sweetness that results from stirring it into a fully chilled base. Taste carefully and add up to 1 additional tablespoon only if needed — the tea should be lightly sweetened at this point, not sweet, since the peaches will contribute their own natural sugar once they're added. Let the tea cool fully to room temperature before moving on to the fruit.

Pit the peaches and slice them into thin wedges, leaving the skin on, since much of the fruit's aromatic character sits closest to the peel. Leave most of the slices intact so they release their juice and aroma gradually throughout the infusion, but lightly crush about one-quarter of the total slices between your fingers or with the back of a spoon to release immediate juice and fragrance into the liquid. Do not cook the fruit at any point in this process — the entire goal of this recipe is fresh, raw peach aroma rather than the deeper, more concentrated character a cooked compote or syrup would introduce.

Add the prepared peach slices to the completely cooled tea. Refrigerate and allow the infusion to develop for 45 to 60 minutes, checking at the 45-minute mark. You're looking for a tea that smells clearly and freshly of peach, with the colour lightly tinted a pale golden hue — the fragrance should be unmistakable but the tea itself should still taste recognisably of black tea underneath the fruit, not like peach juice with tea added as an afterthought.

Remove the peach slices once the desired aroma has developed, since leaving the fruit in beyond this point causes the tea to turn muddy and the fruit flavour itself to dull rather than intensify — raw peach left in liquid for too long begins to soften and break down in a way that clouds the tea without adding meaningful additional flavour. Continue chilling the strained tea for 1–2 hours until it's fully cold and the flavours have settled into a cohesive, balanced character.

Fill glasses with ice, pour over the chilled peach iced tea, and garnish with fresh peach slices if desired. Serve cold, clean, lightly fruity, and not overly sweet.