Choc-o-Mint Black Tea (Black Tea)

(Black Tea with natural flavors)

Ingredients From: Sri Lanka
Region(s): Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva
Shipping Port(s): Colombo
Grade(s): (Loose Tea): OP (Orange Pekoe)
(Classic Tea Bag): BOPF (Broken Orange Pekoe Fannings)
Growing Altitudes: 4000 – 8500 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type(s): Tea : Orthodox (Traditional leafy)
Cup Characteristics: Fresh lovely mint combined with full flavored chocolate tea that is wonderfully reminiscent of an after-dinner mint. How decadent!
Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Luxury Ingredients: Black tea, Blackberry & Peppermint leaves, and Natural flavors.

Information:Everything and everybody needs a special day right? Well, according to the National Confectioners Association, February 19 is Chocolate Mint Day. Mmmm. That’s a good day. The combination of chocolate and mint is one of the most delectable flavor pairings known to humankind. It’s a fact. The exact origins of the combo are unknown, but considering people have known about both ingredients for thousands of years, it was no doubt a long, long time ago. (The ancient Maya and Aztec of South America discovered chocolate and mint is so old it features in ancient Greek mythology.) In our opinion, this exceptional chocolate mint black tea blend is the ultimate expression of the delectable pairing. For a real treat, brew yourself a nice hot pot of tea then add a splash of milk and dash of sugar to open up all the chocolaty, minty goodness. Here’s to Feb. 19, the tastiest day of the year!

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.