Is flavoured tea in favour?
For those who like to experience a real burst of up-front flavour, without the guilt of calorie-laden pudding, The Tea House has a range of flavoured blends. Punchy, fruity, floral, luxurious, warming, some delightfully soft, others shouting FLAVOUR. They draw upon tradition but make the most of modern flavouring techniques. With nearly 40 to choose from, go on, dive in!
To lovers of traditional orthodox tea, flavoured tea may appear to be a novelty, a fun flash-in-the-pan, suitable only for those hunting a calorie-free sweet sensation. Modern blenders draw upon inspiration from traditional tea flavouring roots and the natural world, creating a dazzling kaleidoscope of flavours, lavishly decorating not just tea, but herbal infusions and beyond.
Modern twists on classic teas
A fine example of contemporary flavoured black tea is Heavenly Peach & Apricot. Sweet and more-ish the flavours enhance a solid black tea base which is delicious with or without a dash of milk. For a richly decorated full-blown green tea experience, try Sencha Cranberry & Rose, a great introduction to the subtlety of green tea and one that converts many a wary green tea novice.
Spicy options include trendy Chai, of course, but many are surprised by our Rooibos Cinnamon & Vanilla, reminiscent of an oriental night, and perfect for a good night's sleep, given the lack of caffeine. As for the less well known oolong tea, Orange Blossom Oolong is naturally flavoured and utterly delicious.
The ancient art of scented teas
In reality, flavourings have been added to tea for centuries. Take jasmine blossom, for instance, bringing a heady sensual aroma to grassy green tea. A popular accompaniment to food, production of this delicate art developed over a 800 years ago.
Tea masters layered jasmine blossom amongst freshly dried tea leaves and realised that the flowers opened at night releasing their delicious oils which were absorbed by the leaf. Production of The Tea House Celestial Jasmine green tea follows this tradition and the resulting tea is elegant and refined.
And consider black tea richly flavoured with sweet yet tart lychee, a versatile afternoon or after meal brew. Legend has it that lychee tea was created in the Tang dynasty to please an imperial concubine. Scented teas are rooted in centuries-old tradition; they are delicious brewed hot, or as slow steeped cold brew.
The Legend of Earl Grey Tea
Earl Grey tea came much later and again there seems to be some story-telling at work ... The tea is named after Charles Grey, the 2nd Earl Grey, who served as the British Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834, renowned for the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. There are many variations on the origin of Earl Grey tea, ranging from the use of natural bergamot oil to offset the mineral flavour of Charles's local water to unscrupulous tea merchants masking poor quality tea leaf!
Today's Earl Grey tea comes in a variety of options, both in green and black tea. Fashionable vanilla provides a subtle background creaminess to our most popular flavoured tea: Earl Grey Indulgence, a sophisticated black tea blend classically enhanced by natural bergamot oil and beautifully decorated with rosebuds. A super gift, for those that can bear to give it away.
Discovering the natural flavours of Camelia Sinensis
The ancient Chinese knew that leaves from the simple tea plant, Camelia Sinensis, brew to produce a multitude of aromas and flavours. These often depend upon where the plants are grown (the terroir), when they were picked, how they are produced and how they are brewed.
Many may not appreciate that sipping and savouring a plain, simply brewed unflavoured black tea may elicit floral scents, followed by flavours of stone fruit, or honey. A green tea, brewed off the boil, can yield apricot-type stone fruit flavours, or be nutty and toasty, grassy and herbal, with marine notes, or combination of all. The flavours are all there, to be discovered, best found through multiple short steeps.
Regardless of personal taste, treat yourself to a tea or two from The Tea House and become immersed in the huge range of sublime possibilities. There is something for everyone in our incredible selection.
