This tea has a robust, deep, tart, and woodsy feel. It reminds me, oddly, of some kind of classy alcohol. Maybe, like, bourbon?
Something that a successful CEO would pour out of a crystal decanter. “This is the finest 100-year-old whatever,” he’d puffily boast. “It has spent all that time in the most fancy type of wood possible.”
His other men would gather around and sip it in their fancy glasses and go “ah, a fine year. GOES DOWN SMOOTH.”
Now, as you can tell by this description, I don’t know much about alcohol; but I do know a bit about tea, and I can tell you that it’s distinctly pu erh, in the best way possible. It doesn’t have that tragic fish taste that they sometimes do. It is just a solid, distinctive flavor that keeps it real. It’s masculine, but not so much so that I’m choking on smokiness or bitterness.
I think that this tea is just the right thing to drink at work. Gotta earn those dollars.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Pu Erh
Where to Buy: JK Tea
Description
Tea tree: small tea tree over 80 years old from one single tea plantation only. Vintage: 2013 Spring
Picking standard: One bud with two leaves Fermentation: Raw Shape: Tight, fat, plump. Dried tea color: dark yellowish green color Aroma: high floral aroma, and honey fragrance Tea soup color: Yellow color Taste: flowery and honey taste, sweet.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Bourbon from Dammann Freres. . . . .
Growing up my stepfather would often have a nightcap. A hard drink on ice to relax just before bed. Sometimes it was Rye, sometimes it was Whiskey, sometimes it was Scotch, and on the odd occasion it was Bourbon. On one such occasion, he poured his drink and left it on his nightstand while he went to make a quick nighttime snack. That is when my 10-year-old me wandered into the bedroom where my mom sat on the bed. I went to my stepdad’s side and climbed in. Then, I looked at the drink then at my mom, back to the drink and back to my mom, and then back to the drink. My mom, knowing what I had in mind said one word: “okay”. Well, I jumped at the chance, brought the glass to my mouth and took one tiny sip. The liquor barely made it past my lips before I immediately spat it out and made the biggest “blech” face I could muster. My mom knew I would hate it but also knew I would be stubborn about wanting to try it so she figured it was best to let me learn the hard way. So why am I telling you this story? I decided to share because I wanted to make it clear that I have not had good experiences with Bourbon in the past and yet I still decided to purchase this tea.
For some reason, despite not enjoying the inspiration, certain flavors in tea just call to me. For instance, I am not one to drink coffee but when I see latte teas or mocha teas or even just coffee teas, I convince myself it will be awesome. Nine times out of ten that is not the case. Same goes for a variety of alcohol flavors such as this one. Luckily, this time my gamble paid off as this is one lovely tea, albeit an inaccurately named one in my opinion.
Simply named “Bourbon” and yet this tea has no alcohol flavor to it whatsoever. Instead it is more confectionery-themed with its full-bodied vanilla-caramel flavor. More natural than many caramel teas out there, this manages to have a thick mouthfeel without being overly sweet (a task not easily achieved when you consider the fact that caramel is basically just sugar). The base plays a key role here as it blends effortlessly with the flavor while still maintaining its presence. This results in the black tea imparting a caramel note, but one that is toned down and subtle by the smooth malt of the tea itself.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Dammann Freres
Description
A blend of black teas scented with the aromas of vanilla and caramel. Ideal for lovers of warm, gourmet teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Bourbon from Dammann Freres
Even though I still drink coffee in the morning to get myself going before work, with the arrival of the cold weather (finally!) I have been reaching for more tea. It’s so nice to pick a tea and sip on it throughout the afternoon and evening. This one sounded warming and sweet, just what I needed this evening when a sugar craving hit.
Sipping… I love that the black tea base is mellow, while also providing a bold base for the added flavors. The vanilla comes out as the sip spreads across your tongue. It reminds me quite a bit of Lucky Charms marshmallows with that pure, sugary sweet flavor. I think the caramel comes out at the tail end, but is almost overshadowed by the vanilla. They blend really well together and really make this cup a delicious treat. The caramel isn’t terribly complex, but brings to mind gooey, sticky strands hugging vanilla beans.
If you’re looking for a simple black tea with the addition of vanilla and caramel, I highly recommend this one. It’s a lovely dessert tea that is great on its own, but might even take milk and sugar well, too. I think it would partner well with a slice of cake or pie.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Dammann Freres
Description
A blend of black teas scented with the aromas of vanilla and caramel. Ideal for lovers of warm, gourmet teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company click here.
Bourbon Black Tea from Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Elmwood Inn
Tea Description:
Enjoy the flavors and aromas of Kentucky’s best-known beverage infused into a custom blend of handpicked Chinese and Indian teas. Vanilla and caramel notes with a hint of char from the bourbon barrel. Make mine a double!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Another blogger that is more into lifestyle recommend this tea for me. She purchases tea from them and thought I would enjoy them. So of course I instantly checked them out and couldn’t believe the variety of tea they had. This one instantly caught my eye and seems to be one of their best sellers. I jumped on the chance to try this unique blend.
Brewed this up like a black tea with the help of my Breville One Touch and poured myself and Jason a cup. He was more excited to try this one than me I think. Before I even took a sip of the tea you could definitely pick up the char that they hint at in the description.
Took a sip and we both smiled. The tea is definitely bourbon inspired. The vanilla and caramel notes are delicious with a mix of a woodsy malty flavor. The char is a bit stronger than a hint like the description suggests and can be overpowering at times. But overall this tea is unique and is one that demands your attention. Such a rich deep smooth flavor that is very reminiscent of the title of the tea. I just adore those vanilla and caramel notes mixed with that char note.
I found that my cup was empty at no time and was wanting more. Jason on the other hand wasn’t a big fan of the char aspect of the tea. He adored the flavor of the tea-he just isn’t a fan of smoky teas. I’m typically not either but I really like the combination of flavors. This is one cuppa I could drink all night!
For my first experience with this company, I’m extremely pleased!