Origin: Organic, fair trade black tea from Yunnan, China. Blended with organic vanilla bean and natural vanilla flavor in the U.S.
Flavor Profile: Pungent, hearty notes of malt, cocoa, black pepper, brown sugar and bakey Graham crackers. This full-bodied tea is preceded by the scents of vanilla bean sugar, Cocoa Puffs and toasted marshmallows, and has a finish of cocoa and smooth vanilla bean with full tannins and lots of copper.
Tea Story: Dian Hong is a traditional Yunnan tea with a history of being blended with sweeter ingredients, such as lychee, rose or longan fruit (“dragon’s eye”). This blend is a tightrope balance of robust, peppery and even coppery Dian Hong with delectably smooth vanilla beans. It is set apart from other vanilla teas in that it is a completely natural, sophisticated, subtly flavored tea rather than a questionable flavor source with sub-par tea as a delivery vehicle. Also, unlike other vanilla blends, its vanilla notes are primarily in the bouquet and the aftertaste.
Bold Yunnan teas (like this one and our Samovar Breakfast Blend) particularly appeal to coffee drinkers. Vanilla Dian Hong is great on its own, with milk and sugar, or prepared as a latte.
Samovarian Poetry: Tealeaf and vanilla bean brew in dazzling harmony. Sip and savor the balance.
Food Pairings: Pair Vanilla Dian Hong with the sweeter end of the flavor spectrum – lavender butter cookies, tiramisu, German spice cake or rhubarb-compote-topped cinnamon French toast.
Formerly known as Vanilla Dian Hong