It’s #MusicAndTeaMonday and I hope you will join us by posting on your favorite social media! #MusicAndTeaMonday
Today’s #MusicAndTeaMonday pairing is: Laoshan Chocolate Genmaicha from Liquid Proust Teas with song choice of Have Faith In Me by A Day To Remember.
Liquid Proust Teas tend to have unique and inspiring blends that are quickly becoming a favourite of mine. Generally speaking I’m not a flavoured tea fan but if it’s blended well it can be heavenly. From the small collection of LP teas that I have I chose Laoshan Chocolate Genmaicha as it’s sweet, rich and nutty which pairs with my feelings for my chosen song and band. I am a music fan and attend festivals and concerts when I can, A Day To Remember have been a favourite of mine for a few years; and not just because I swoon over the singer.
With the lingering sweetness and rich quality of the Laoshan Chocolate Genmaicha it mimics the lyrics:
“I said I’d never let you go, and I never did
I said I’d never let you fall and I always meant it
If you didn’t have this chance then I never did
You’ll always find me right there, again”
Sipping the tea whilst listening (and looking) at such beauty creates a warmth inside that feels like a hug. The impact of the tea sips making me want more each time until I’m left with a chocolate and dry, nut aftertaste and an empty mug. A sigh follows before I’m back with reality yet I still feel that when Jeremy McKinnon says he will always be there I believe him and that leads to a smile.
I hope you enjoy my #MusicAndTeaMonday pairing!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea and Oolong Tea
Where to Buy: Liquid Proust Teas
Description:
Ingredients: Laoshan gongfu black tea, Laoshan roasted oolong, jasmine rice, wild rice grown in Minnesota, cocoa nibs
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peach vs. Bergamot ft. Formosa Oolong from Liquid Proust Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Liquid Proust Teas
Tea Description:
Ingredients: Formosa oolong, marigold, flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I probably would have never thought to pair Peach and Earl Grey/Bergamot, which is I guess why Andrew at Liquid Proust Teas is the blender and not myself. The idea is intriguing though; and I have to admit I’m incredibly happy to not see apricot or mango thrown in here as well; I get so tired of those flavour combinations. It’s been done time and time again, and it’s refreshing to see something else. The oolong base is really innovative as well; with it’s characteristic fruity flavour Formosa is a fantastic choice.
The dry leaf smells really incredible! You can get a sense of the bergamot as this grounded, lofty sort of flavour but then the ripe, plump aroma of fresh peaches seems to bounce off it! It smells juicy, and I can’t help but picture taking a bite of some sort of fantastic peach/orange hybrid and having the sugary juices running down my chin like some sort of gluttonous child gorging themselves on fresh picked fruit.
In traditional Earl Grey fashion I made sure this was my first tea of the day; however because I got the impression this was going to be more naturally sweet than a lot of EG I’m familiar with so I iced it instead of having it hot. True to my suspicions this was pretty sweet but in a very natural way that was realistic to the sweetness of fresh fruit. The bergamot was actually a lot milder than I would’ve guessed it to be base on the smell of the dry leaf. It ran like a citrusy current throughout each sip, consistently merged with the body of the sip. The peach left me breathless; there was something unnatural about it, but not in an artificial way or anything like that. It was more unnatural in a “how can this taste so plump, rich, and juicy!?” sort of way. I’m not really a fan of actual peaches, but if they all tasted like that I’d go through a crate of them a week. The bergamot and peach compliment each other to a tea; similar to what I was getting from the dry smell the bergamot is this lovely stable flavour and the peach seems to jump off it.
The formosa base was a great choice; while there’s a really faint but of astringency it doesn’t detract and the natural fruitiness of the oolong contributes even more lively fruit flavours. What I specifically observed was a really rich stonefruit like flavour in line with cherry, but a little more of a cocktail cherry type of note, which just goes incredibly well the peach. Plus, oolong means more solid steeps and so more bang for your buck.
As someone who is neither anti-Earl Grey or Peach but who doesn’t seek out those flavours I want to own this. I think I could drink it often; and with a growing list of Liquid Proust Teas that are blowing my mind Andrew is slowly wearing me down to the point where a LP order is probably in my near future despite the poor state of the Canadian dollar. Definitely a blend worth trying!
A final note though, in the battle of bergamot vs. peach I think peach wins…
