21st Century Afternoon Tea
21st Century Afternoon Tea
21st Century Afternoon Tea
21st Century Afternoon Tea

21st Century Afternoon Tea Loose Leaf Oolong Tea


Regular price $19.99
(62¢ per cup)

51 in stock

An iconoclastic blend of old and new world oolong teas to make something truly delicious.

This loose leaf oolong blend combines Iron Goddess of Mercy from the ancient gardens of Anxi in China with the pristine new leaves of Waikato in New Zealand. The result is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

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Tasting Notes

The flavour develops with each infusion of this clean but complex tea. The first infusions are rich with flavours of tart stewed apple and cookie dough. This leads into bright sencha greens and sherbert. Later infusions have a soft digestive biscuit note and a final mineral finish.

Quantity

Use 0.1 oz of leaf per 5.5 fl oz of water (2.5g per 150ml).

(We recommend giving the leaves a quick wash with hot water before infusing to help them open up.)

Temperature

For the optimum infusion use 203°F (95°C) water.

Time

Infuse for 90 seconds, tasting regularly.

Infusions

You can infuse this tea at least three times. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

Cost Per Cup

62¢ per cup based on 0.2 oz of tea per 5.1 fl oz of water and 3 infusions.

A gaiwan is the ultimate way to enjoy your oolong tea. Used in China since the Ming dynasty (over 900 years ago), gaiwans are unassuming but beautifully functional teapots that can be used to explore tea to its fullest – the following method can be used to make up to six infusions.

Start with 4-6g of oolong tea and pop it in the gaiwan teapot. Boil a kettle to 212°F/100°C, then pour an inch of the water on the leaf for a few seconds, and discard this liquid. This "wash" softens the rolled leaf and allows the water to penetrate.

Fill the gaiwan with the hot water to just below the rim, infuse for 5-10 seconds and strain completely into your cup or a jug. There's no need to reheat the water as you go, because the softened leaves will require lower temperatures to release their flavours - but you will need to extend the time to 10-20 seconds for later steeps. We recommend at least six infusions to allow the leaf to completely open out and reveal all its beauty.

For a more comprehensive guide to using a gaiwan see our full guide here.

Here is a short video demonstrating how to get the most out of your precious oolong leaves with a gaiwan:

What is the best afternoon tea?

In the past we have drunk a blend of black teas to go with Afternoon Tea, but this is a loose leaf tea blend for the 21st Century. We don’t all have time to sit around at 4 o’clock eating sandwiches and scones. Tea in the afternoon is more likely to be a pick-me-up in the midst of our busy days. Hopefully a time to stop for a moment or two to recharge and get through the last push of the day.

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