Pomegranate Black Tea

Pomegranate Black Tea is very refreshing. Pomegranate gives a lovely astringency and Vitamin C laden Rosehip rounds the edges.

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, Safflower Threads, Pomegranate Flavor.

Information:
Tea. In many ways, it’s very British. From high tea to tea biscuits and tea clippers, the Brits have had a hand in many tea related endeavors. We’ve got two more to add to the list: Pomegranates and Rosehips. John Bartram, a London Botanist, sent pomegranates to British Quakers in Philadelphia in 1762. The early Americans prized the fruit for its sweet juicy flavor and high vitamin C content, one fruit providing 40% of an adult’s daily requirement. Interestingly it is for the same reasons the British have long collected and consumed Rosehips, the round apple-shaped interior of the rose flower. During WWII, Rosehips with their high levels of Vitamin C became an important source of the vitamin for British school children. Closure of trans-Atlantic shipping routes meant that shipments of Oranges from the US and Southern Europe were no longer available. Children were subsequently given the task of collecting rosehips from their local gardens for the creation of a syrup that was diluted with water. The concoction was sweet and hinted faintly of the flowers they came from. So there you have it. The British love Pomegranates and Rosehips. So it only seems fitting that someone should combine the two with a good solid British tea, which is what we’ve done here. Sweet, tart and fruity on the nose, the cup exhibits deep notes of syrup, red berry and faint wisps of rose blended seamlessly with our astringent Ceylon – a fabulous blend.

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.