Country of Origin: China, India
Leaf Appearance: small, dark
Ingredients: organic black tea
Steep time: overnight
Water Temperature: room temperature
Preparation Method: Takeya Flash Chill Iced Tea Maker
Liquor: dark reddish amber
The name says it all, this really was a classic black tea. Being a blend of Yunnan and Nilgiri, this tea was smooth and sweet without being overly tannic. The taste was earthy with notes of honey and just a hint of maltiness. It was just brisk enough to be refreshing but I did not find it bitter at all. Cold steeping is always my favorite method of preparing iced tea and it worked very well with this one. I accidentally left it steeping longer than the recommended 8 to 10 hours but that did not seem to negatively affect the flavor. The biodegradable pouch was very generously filled and became quite large by the time that I removed it. I prefer all of my tea unsweetened but this one would handle being sweetened well if you were so inclined. I think that this iced tea would make a perfect base for experimentation. Try infusing it with fresh mint, sage, lavender or lemons. I’m even tempted to use it to make an Arnold Palmer.
You can find out more about this tea here.