Violet Femme Black Tea Blend from Zhi Tea

by liberteas

violetfemmeTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Zhi Tea

Tea Description:

Cousin to the famous Earl, we welcome the illustrious Violet Femme. Resplendent. Elegant. Complex. Mysterious.

Not so simple and definitely refined, Violet Femme takes her cues from the well-balanced Earl Grey and goes a step further with a splash of creamy vanilla and luxurious lavender. The resulting cup is evocative, aromatic, and smooth.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

As some of you are probably well aware, I’ve tried many different variations on the classic Earl Grey tea.  I love Earl Grey, and I love trying new spins on the traditional favorite.  This Violet Femme Black Tea Blend from Zhi Tea is another twisted Earl Grey … and I’m loving it!

The sharp, tangy bergamot is softened by the addition of sweet, creamy vanilla and then becomes delightfully floral with the addition of lavender.  I love these three flavor profiles together!  They work very well together.

The black tea base is smooth and richly flavored and can hold its own in the presence of the strong flavors of bergamot, vanilla and lavender.  It has a bold taste to it, and it isn’t overly astringent. It doesn’t taste bitter, although I don’t know if I’d be saying that if I over-steeped the tea.  I brewed this tea at 205°F for 2 1/2 minutes in my Breville One-Touch and it produced a perfect cuppa.

The bergamot is strong but as I mentioned already, the tangy citrus has been subdued with the velvet-y vanilla notes.  Together, they taste sweet and creamy, but also deliciously exotic with lively citrus tones.  There is almost a “caramel-y” sort of quality to this … the combination of the tea, bergamot and vanilla tones offers a hint of caramel-ish low notes that I find very enjoyable.

The lavender hits the palate at about mid-sip, offering a beautifully subtle floral note.  Sometimes lavender can be overdone and end up tasting kind of soapy, but, that didn’t happen here.  Zhi Tea knew what they were doing with this blend and added just the right amount of lavender buds to offer a sweet touch of lavender without overpowering the cup.

Overall, I think that this is a masterful blend that – in my book – raises the bar when it comes to Earl Grey variations.  This is really tasty.

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Earl Grey