Tea Temptations, Ginger Apricot

Tea Temptations Description:
Ceylon Apricot flavored tea with Ginger pieces.

My Review:
A sample of this tea was included in a recent order from Tea Temptations. This company has been reviewed many times on The Everyday Tea Blog, but under the name Empire Tea Services. Tea Temptations is the retail side of the business and Empire Tea Services is the wholesale. This company is located in Southern Indiana and is a couple hours drive from my home. They remain the only local establishment I am aware of that actually blends their own teas. Once or twice a year I visit the warehouse and so I only recently realized the two names involved.

Opening the sample, the leaf looks very much like the picture. The Ceylon tea leaf is very dark and healthy looking. The ginger takes two forms. One is little cream colored nuggets, the other is like tiny dried planty hairs. The tea is flavored with apricot. The dry leaf scent is nicely apricot. At this point I am not sure I am smelling the ginger.

I used about 3 g in my press with 212 F water. The steep time was 3 minutes. The brew is kind of cloudy and a deep muddy orange. It looks a bit like fresh apple cider. Of course the apricot aroma tells you it is quite something else.

Sipping, the apricot steps down allowing the spiciness of the ginger to come into play. Neither flavor is overly strong. The ginger adds a depth of warmth along with its spicy notes that builds under the apricot. My mouth is filled with a tingling glow long after swallowing. The Ceylon base is the least noticeable element. It is there but is mostly filling in any voids in the profile. Usually Ceylon adds bite and that may be the case here though it is not apparent as it is mixing with the ginger.

I have never encountered this combination before. Though I think the quality is high enough, it is is not something I would order for my self. Their Peach Apricot is much more to my liking.

Visit Tea Temptations online.