Duke Cardiff's Black Tea Blend

Tea type
Black Herbal Blend
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Not available
Sold in
Bulk, Loose Leaf
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Cameron B.
Average preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

Currently unavailable

We don't know when or if this item will be available.

From Our Community

1 Image

1 Want it Want it

4 Own it Own it

12 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Still working my way through the Simpson and Vail order I received yesterday. This tea smells very fruity in the tin and has purple flowers in it. :) This was steeped for around 3 minutes and...” Read full tasting note
    81
  • “Amy Oh and Nicole had me curious about this one so I got it! Glad I did! It’s way different than I was expecting but that is what I like most about it. The various black teas used in the base...” Read full tasting note
    90
  • “Very noticeable grape scent from the steeped tea. Seems lightly sweet though there is no sweetener in the blend and I added none. I know that true currants do not come from grapes but the grape...” Read full tasting note
    95
  • “The background story on Simpson & Vail’s website about George the customer, and the inspiration for this tea, was heartwarming. As usual, Simpson and Vail has a good hand with blending their...” Read full tasting note
    81

From Simpson & Vail

George, a customer in our retail store, came in one day and asked us to duplicate a blend for him that he used to enjoy and could no longer find in the US. After hearing his description and tinkering around, we unveiled this blend. Duke Cardiff is a hearty, well-rounded blend of China and Indian teas that has an amber cup with a light currant after-taste. George still comes in to purchase Duke Cardiff blend, as do many of you now. We’ll never forget the day George came in for his tea wearing a kilt. He’d just come from a parade in the next town where he had played his bagpipes. With a little urging from us he treated us to a private show, much to our delight. As he headed off to his car, still playing his pipes, we all took a moment to reflect on how lucky we are to have such amazing customers.

If you haven’t tried George’s tea yet, give it a try. We think once you do you’ll add this blend to your favorite’s list.

Ingredients: Black and oolong teas, blackberry leaves, black currant flavoring and cornflower petals.

About Simpson & Vail View company

Company description not available.

12 Tasting Notes

81
2816 tasting notes

Still working my way through the Simpson and Vail order I received yesterday. This tea smells very fruity in the tin and has purple flowers in it. :)

This was steeped for around 3 minutes and soymilk was added, but I think it would be very good plain as well. This tea is hefty enough for morning but would also be good as an afternoon tea. The currant flavor is light and not too sickening like some currant teas can be. The description says China and India teas but I’m not sure I could place which ones – perhaps a yunnan and an assam? In any case I definitely like this blend and am happy I got a tin of this. It will be a great everyday drinker.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 30 sec
Nik

Such a beautiful tea! (That’s not something to which I usually pay any attention, so I find this one especially remarkable.) I couldn’t find any Ribena at my usual supermarket the last time I was there. I’m itching to sweeten one of these currant teas with just a few drops of Ribena. =)

TeaBrat

Ribena – I have no idea what that even is… lol

Nik

Oh, I’m sorry, I always include links and completely forgot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribena

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

90
6768 tasting notes

Amy Oh and Nicole had me curious about this one so I got it! Glad I did! It’s way different than I was expecting but that is what I like most about it. The various black teas used in the base make up a flavor of its own and it does have notes of grape and/or currant as others as well as the product description noted. There is a bit of smoke but more notably the peppery black tea popping thru. And there are fruity/floral notes, too! This is very different but quite good, indeed!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

95
790 tasting notes

Very noticeable grape scent from the steeped tea. Seems lightly sweet though there is no sweetener in the blend and I added none. I know that true currants do not come from grapes but the grape smell and taste is so distinct as to make me wonder if dried currants were used in this blend because I think most dried currants do come from grapes – Black Corinth grapes.

A very enjoyable blend. I may have to keep this one on hand.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

81
289 tasting notes

The background story on Simpson & Vail’s website about George the customer, and the inspiration for this tea, was heartwarming. As usual, Simpson and Vail has a good hand with blending their teas and for a good price. It’s a nice brisk breakfast or afternoon blend with black tea and oolong. There is a touch of fruit in there but I didn’t pick it up really. It mainly comes across to me as a straight out tea blend but a good one.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

83
4164 tasting notes

Thank you so much for this one, Tamarindel! I thought this blend wouldn’t be for me since I’m not a black currant fan but why are S&V teas always so GOOD?!?! If there is a successful black currant flavor, this is one of them. And the pairing with the black tea is wonderful. I wish I knew what types of black tea were used (description says China and India black)… especially once in a while in the scoop there is a tea that looks rolled up like gunpowder green or a really dark oolong. I don’t think the flavor is deep enough for that tea to be a black pearl, but this should be black tea so I’m not sure. The brew is a deep red. The base itself is fruity with hints of floral and whatever it tastes like is perfect with the black currant. A medium level strength brew. If I stocked up on a black currant tea, this would be it!
Steep #1 // 1 teaspoon for a full mug// 10 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

60
672 tasting notes

This blend has a pleasant fruity flavor, a bit sweet, but doesn’t pack quite the punch I was expecting. I guess I just assumed it was a breakfast tea, but it’s really more of a light afternoon tea. I get a lot of grape from this, though the label says currant. I guess the flavors are sort of close.

One thing I’m picking up from all these Simpson & Vail teas is this after-effect, more a sensation than a flavor, that I usually associate with decaf tea. It’s hard to put my finger on, kind of a drying of the mouth. I know that’s usually associated with astringency, but none of these teas taste astringent, so I don’t even know what to call it. It’s weird though, because the bases in these teas aren’t even the same, so I don’t know why they would all share this trait.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.