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“Gongfu! Snuck in a session with this Wild Blueberry Leaf this morning, a tisane from Georgia that has been processed as if it was black tea!! I have to admit that the dry leaf visual is...” Read full tasting note
Mindblowing!
All the aromatics of blueberries, minus the fructose. This brew has the rounded mouthfeel of black tea but virtually no astringency.
When we opened a sample bag labeled ‘blueberry tea’ we were skeptical… scented black tea has never been on top of our ‘to drink’ list. The tea looked very much like orthodox black tea… and the aroma seemed naturally sweet, unlike the candy-like characteristics of most scented tea.
It turned out:
The brew is delicious! It tasted like a blueberry plant.
There is no ‘tea’ (i.e. Camelia sinensis), in this tea; these beautiful leaves are from wild blueberry plants, processed very much like black tea.
Wild forager & craftsman: David Tenieshvili
Harvest: May 2022
Process: oxidizing, rolling and firing just like Mr. Tenieshvili’s black (Camelia sinensis) tea
Origin: Bakhvi, Guria, Georgia
GPS: 42.0 N, 42.1 E
About the Grower: Mr. Teniesvili farms 10 hectares of beautiful land in Western Georgia, close to the Black Sea. Since he started, 20 years, he has practiced ONLY organic agriculture and sustainable foraging (the valleys and hills have may wild tea plants, some 3m high and 100 years old).
O stands for our obsession with Origin. We travel the world building strong bonds with farmers and sourcing rare tea from remote villages. We want your cup to tell the story of the earth on which the tea grew and the hands that lovingly harvested each leaf. FIVE represents Natureʼs elements: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire and Void. In harmony, these elements express tea leaves into an outstanding cup. Welcome to our tea bar! We see it as a space to host friends, share and experiment.
Gongfu!
Snuck in a session with this Wild Blueberry Leaf this morning, a tisane from Georgia that has been processed as if it was black tea!! I have to admit that the dry leaf visual is impressively close looking and, were I not actively looking for differences, I definitely would have assumed this was Camellia Sinensis!! Steeped it was interesting as the liquor wasn’t as full bodied and tannic as “true tea,” though still more thick and round on the palate than the average tisane by quite a lot. I would describe the taste as subtly mineral yet sweet, with a fresh petrichor earthiness that made me think of rain water and dew. It was also fruity in a way reminiscent of wild blueberries, with their more subtle and muted notes and that sort of floral undertone – I quite enjoyed how those quiet (yet not dull) notes coupled with the earthiness. Made me think of foraging for berries in the still, quiet hours of the morning when everything is still cool and crisp outside!!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtHwcTFOao4/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqIAr4uOSwc
