Cranberry Clementine Naturally Flavoured Black Tea

• Country of Origin: Sri Lanka
• Region: Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula or Uva districts
• Shipping Port: Colombo
• Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
• Altitude: 4800 - 7600 feet above sea level
• Manufacturer Type: Orthodox
• Cup Characteristics: This tea is fruity and piquant with cranberry, yet sweet and saucy with Moroccan clementine notes.
• Infusions: Bright and Coppery
• Ingredients: Luxury black tea, Natural dried Mango, Sweetened cranberries, Natural dried orange, Freeze dried orange, Rose, Ginger, Natural flavors.

Perfection. Is it really so much to ask for? If you’re talking about a potential life partner, probably. But if you’re talking about a fruit flavored tea, then we’re pleased to tell you that we’ve discovered the perfect match - Cranberries and Clementines. To say that these two fruits are perfect together is actually quite an understatement. If you’ve ever tasted a cake, parfait, or other dessert that makes use of this sweet and juicy combination you’ll know what we’re talking about. The reason the two fruits go together so well is their opposing flavor profiles. Like any good matchmaker will tell you, opposites attract! Spanish Clementines, one of the smallest varieties of Citrus on the market, are highly aromatic and have an intensely sweet, almost sugary character. Freshly plucked Cranberries on the other hand, have very subtle undertones of bitterness and a berry-specific astringency not found in citrus fruits. The end result of putting these two fruits together is an almost magical mix of sweetness, bitterness, and juiciness. And, as an all-natural addition to our Ceylon tea, the flavors of Cranberry and Clementine perfectly compliment its inherent astringency, making for a highly thirst quenching brew. Brew a pot today and taste a fleeting few moments of perfection. Hey, nothing lasts forever! (Although feel free to brew another pot.)

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.