Chocolate Black Tea

Chocolate tea blends the flavor of chocolate and tea in a way that is quite simply, divine. Enjoy hot or as a cool chocolate-y treat in the summer.

Ingredients From: Sri Lanka

Region(s): Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva

Shipping Port(s): Colombo

Grade(s): OP (Orange Pekoe)

Growing Altitudes: 4000 – 8500 feet above sea level

Manufacture Type(s): Tea : Orthodox (Traditional leafy)

Infusion: Bright and Coppery.

Luxury Ingredients: Black tea, Calendula & Sunflower petals, and Natural flavors.

Information:
Chocolate's scientific name, Theobroma Cacao, literally means "food of the gods". And so it was for the ancient Maya who worshipped the cacao bean and regarded it as a priceless treasure. Hernando Cortez brought the beans back to Spain in the 1500's where chocolate was subsequently enjoyed as a hot drink by royalty and commoners alike. By the 1700's chocolate houses were as prominent as coffee shops in many parts of the European continent and the U.K. In 1756 chocolate crossed back over to the new world with the opening of North America's first chocolate factory in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. We aren't sure when chocolate was first added to tea or who was responsible for doing it. But we are sure of one thing - thank the gods he or she did it. With each tasting we are consistently impressed by the way the natural chocolate flavoring blends with our Ceylon tea. Heavenly with a dash of milk and a little sugar.

What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?

Firstly... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic ‘Ceylon’ tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This ‘dual peak period’ allow us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.

Secondly... we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat. Thirdly… we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat ‘soft ‘ and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.