A review of Moroccan Mint by Whittard of Chelsea
Company: Whittard of Chelsea
Tea Name: Moroccan Mint
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region: Africa
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea leaf
Liquor Color: light green to light brown
Leaf Characteristics: fine tea leaves when steep resembles that of the Gunpowder green tea; the leaves seem to resemble them even curled/fried in pan etc.
- Steepings
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 195 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
I took only one teaspoon for this cup of tea that I am having middle of day. The tea leaves smells wonderfully of the mint; I add the leaves (small pellets) to my tea cup and pour in the boiled water. I leave tea to steep for a few minutes. When straining the tea I am reminded of this Gunpowder green tea that I had since the leaves are fuller in my cup resembles/bunches up the same as the gunpowder tea. Anyhow, I strained the tea with strainer and take my cup of tea to sip and sip.
Tea has a lovely minty aroma that is most light and not at all over powering. It is as if drinking mint leaf tea but I imagine that the brew would be stronger. Instead this tea is smoothly rich and the spearmint is evenly distributed throughout the tea.
I like this tea just the way it is I would not dare add anything else. Sugar would be nice to those desiring more sweetness.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes
I am able to enjoy another cup of this fine tea using the same tea leaves. Water is slightly cooler and I steep it longer whilst straining the tea leaves, tea’s color is a light brown with a minty aroma. When I sip of the tea it is mint and green tea with no astringency at all.
I had read from my Tea Chings book that “In Morocco, a traditional hot beverage was made from mint leaves; British traders introduced green tea in the nineteenth century. Today Moroccan tea is a blend of the two leaves; it’s served strong, minty, and sweet, poured in a thin stream from high above the table into small glasses.”—Ministry of Tea by The Republic of Tea
I am mentioning of this as reminder of how steep in history tea is; as one fixes a cup of tea, knows the land and customs where tea was fashioned after is good resource to know.
I like this tea very much. I mustn’t forget to thank those from an An International Tea moment for sending me some of their teas to sample.
