Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Caraway Tea Company
Product Description:
Juicy aromatic currants paired with the delicacy of white tea leaves delivers a smooth flavor profile with a deeply fruity finish. There’s a lot of flavor is this healthy white tea.
Ingredients
China Pai Mu Tan, China Cui Min, rose hip peel, freeze-dried blackcurrants, flavoring, mallow blossoms, cornflower blossoms.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about UniqTeas here – UniqTeas is the “sister site” of Caraway Tea where you can create your own unique tea blend!
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum!
As I was preparing this review, I had the teacup sitting just under my nose (well, about a foot from my nose) and I enjoyed the fragrance of the tea. It smells really yummy. And as I was enjoying the aroma, I started thinking: there really aren’t a lot of currant flavored white teas. I’ve encountered quite a few currant flavored black teas and maybe a couple of currant flavored green teas, but I think I’ve only tried a couple of currant flavored white teas.
And that’s a shame, because I think that the tart with a touch of sweet flavor of currants seems really well paired with the crisp sweetness of white tea.
What I’m drinking now – this White Currant Tea from Caraway Tea – tastes a lot like a sweet wine, only without the tannic quality of a wine. Sure, tea has tannins too, but I find white teas to be less tannic than black teas. Perhaps this is because I brew my white teas at a lower temperature. Or perhaps it’s because they’re just less tannic. I don’t know.
Disclaimer: I’m not a tannin expert.
So, imagine if you would, a sweet red wine without the tannins. Now, imagine it … served hot. That’s what I’m tasting now. Since I don’t usually drink wine hot, I’m thinking that this tea is a stunner served iced. (Then again, I don’t drink wine much at all. Hot or otherwise.)
The currant flavor is lightly tart – not puckery – and there is a pleasant sweetness to it too. The white tea is not overpowered by the flavors of this tea. It is light and refreshing with delicate vegetal notes and a sweet, airy quality. I also notice a hint – just a hint! – of a warm, gentle spice to this too. Like a slight peppery kick. It’s a nice contrast to the tart and sweet fruit notes and the light sweetness from the white tea.
A really good tea. This is one that I’d happily drink again!
Ebony Wine Tea from White August Tea Company
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: White August Tea Company
Product Description:
Assam black tea garnished with black currant leaves and sweet berries. We recommend enhancing this tea with a lemon zest or cream for an outstanding smooth and lightly fruity morning beverage.
Tasters Review:
Ebony Wine Tea is another outstanding offering from White August Tea Company!
The aroma reminds me of a cross between ice(d) wine and Cabernet! It’s a nicely flavored black tea. The currant leaves and berries are perfectly in tune with my palate! This is juicy and has a nice evenness to the sweet-berry verses the sour-berry. I think it’s just lovely!
I have looking into more iced wine teas lately. I must say my personal tea stash is a little low on iced wine teas at the moment so this was a perfect ‘stand-in” for it.
Black Currant Tea from Georgia Tea Company
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Georgia Tea Company
Product Description:
Black Tea with Currants
Tasters Review:
There are some flavored teas that no matter which company you try them from they seem fake or taste chemically or artificial. I have found this with many Currant Flavored Teas. If memory serves this is only the 2nd Currant Flavored tea I remember tasting real. Georgia Tea Company did well with this one! This is my 2nd favorite Currant Flavored Tea to date!
The aroma is pleasant without being too over the top. It’s juicy but you can still taste the black tea, too!
I have had good luck with many of Georgia Tea Company’s Teas and this is another WIN!
Patriot Tea (Daughters of the American Revolution)
Tea Type: Rooibos
Where To Buy: Local Coffee & Tea (Sip Locally)
Product Description:
This tea perfectly captures the essence of the Sara DeSoto chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. This is the oldest non profit organization in the Sarasota located in historic Payne Park.
Early colonists learned about locally grown herbs from the Native Indians. These discoveries played an important role in the protest against taxes the British were placing on tea, which would eventually lead to the Boston Tea Party.
Daughters of the Revolution vowed to “drink tea made from weeds” instead of imported tea. Thankfully they chose herbs, fruits and flowers to make their tea and as a celebration of those early beverages we now present them to you in this beautiful tea!
A CERTIFIED ORGANIC Rooibos blended with lavender the “Herb of Harmony”, rosehip shells, dried red and black currants, rose petals and bilberries. Heady, perfumed lavender notes with a floral, fresh, fruity and mellow flavor. This is a very relaxing tea for consumption any time of day or night. Naturally caffeine-free.
20 to 25 cups of tea can be made from 2 oz of loose leaf rooibos. We also suggest steeping our Rooibos multiple times for even more cups of great tea.
Store in a dry place.
Tasters Review:
This is a juicy flavored rooibos. I can taste the elderberries and currants more than the floral ingredients but I certainly like that. The rosehips and floral notes are subtle and are a nice gentle touch.
This is nice hot but I am going to be trying it ICED soon because I think it will be even better iced!
Another draw to this tisane is the history behind it! Not only the history – locally – and for their local DAR Chapter but the story behind Sara, herself! I did some research and found the following about Sara…
The Spanish explorer, Hernando DeSoto, explored this part of Florida in 1539, and according to legend, he had his daughter Sara with him. Sara met and fell in love with a native warrior by the name of Chi Chi Okobe (pronounced Chee Chee Okobee). He was a member of the Calusa tribe, which inhabited this region at that time. Unfortunately, he contracted a fever and was gravely ill. Sara decided to remain with him and nurse him back to health, but she contracted the fever and she died. Chi Chi Okobe was grief-stricken at the loss of his love. He had her body buried out in the bay. He then sent 100 of his best warriors out to the spot where they chopped holes in the bottoms of their canoes and drowned themselves to protect her final resting place. According to the legend, when you see whitecaps on the waves in the bay, they are actually the feather headdresses of those native warriors still guarding her grave.
For more information about Daughters of the American Revolution see THIS Website.
For more info about Sarasota’s Chapter see THIS Website.
And for more information about Local Coffee & Tea’s Sarasota Collection of Teas – check this out!