1 tsp in a 10 oz mug for 3-5 min, with a ~10 sec rinse. It brewed up very dark — I was worried it would be bitter. But it wasn’t, just very strong. I decided to set half the mug aside and added about 3 oz. milk to the other half to make it more like a latte. Perfect! Full-flavored, sweet and thick and complex. The description of why pu-erh works as a “scottish” blend seems apt. This was a wonderful afternoon cuppa that I was still thinking about and craving days later.
Scottish Caramel Pu-Erh
Country of Origin: Yunnan Province, China
Information: Characteristics: Dessert in a cup. The earthiness of pu-erh fuses with caramel for a sweetly decadent finish.
Ingredients: Luxury pu-erh tea, Butterscotch pieces, Natural flavors.
Information: Introducing the favorite beverage of the Scotland-China Association. While it might sound odd that an organization with a mandate to combine kilts and haggis with dragons and dumplings exists, it does! The SCA was founded in Glasgow in an effort to strengthen ties between the two very different countries and offers seminars in Traditional Chinese medicine, language courses and more. Scotland and China have a long history together. (Read more at: http://angelinasteas.com/teaProfileL3/pu-erh/ScottishCaramelPu-erh.html )
Amazingly, the sweet, burnt sugary profiles of Caramel and Toffee blend in perfect harmony with the loose leafed pu-erh. The cup is warming and thick, layered with notes of damp sweet earth, burnt caramel and cream with balanced astringency and medium finish – as an afternoon tea, this one has no peer. Interestingly, while most pu-erh teas are best enjoyed on their own, the unique sweetness of this cup is well suited to a splash of milk.
Preparation Method: Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour water into teapot to cover the leaves – pour the water off – in effect you are ‘rinsing’ the tea. Next pour the boiling water into the teapot over the ‘rinsed’ leaves. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). You may add milk and sugar to taste.
