Did you know that Cranberries are one of only 3 fruits native to the United States and Canada? The other two are a variety of grape and the blueberry. (Both of which also happen to make delicious tea. Call us; we'd love to sell you some! We're shameless.) Cranberries are harvested between September and October and were first planted commercially in Massachusetts by a veteran of the Revolutionary War named Henry Hall in 1816. I'm sure he would never have guessed how well his berries blended with juicy Florida oranges. Poor Henry - the state of Florida didn't even exist until 1845! You can find out how well the two go together by brewing a pot of this tea. The piquant flavor profile of the cranberry perfectly balances the much sweeter character of orange - a magnificent blend. This one's perfect over ice!
What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?
Firstly... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic 'Ceylon' tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This 'dual peak period' allow us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.
Secondly... we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat.
Thirdly. we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat 'soft ' and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.
We work hand-in-hand with suppliers who are proud members of the Ethical Tea Partnership. Together, we’re dedicated to fostering worker equality, creating sustainable environments, and nurturing a thriving tea industry at every level.
