Today's tea is Chocolate Orange, and wow, just look at that colour! This is a prime example of why pu'erh teas are referred to as "black" teas in China, as opposed to what we call black tea which they call "red" tea.
Brand: David's Tea
Primary Type: Pu'erh
Dry Scent: This smells very much like a holiday classic (and something that our house MUST have every year at this time) Terry's Chocolate Oranges (although it's a little stronger on the chocolate and slightly less strong on the orange scents than a Terry's) There is certainly a rich, creamy milk chocolate scent to this right off the bat, with bright overtones of orange and citrus at play, and it almost masks the musky earthiness of the pu'erh. Or rather, the chocolate blends so well with the pu'erh that one might be forgiven for assuming that it isn't there at all.
Steeping Time: 4-5 min
Steeped Flavour: Ah...there's the orange that was hiding in the dry scent! The first sip brings an explosion of sweet, citrussy orange across the tongue and into the nose, followed and supported by a chocolatey richness that speaks mostly to the pu'erh tea and not too much to the chocolate. Actually this is good, though. I wasn't looking for hot chocolate with orange here, and there is still enough chocolatey flavour to ensure that one does not feel left in the lurch by something which promised chocolate goodness and failed to deliver. This tastes like the holidays, but without being overly sweet and sickening.
Food/Drink Pairings: This would pair beautifully with a slice of Terry's Chocolate Orange. In fact, I just had to run upstairs and grab a slice to have with my tea, and the flavour profiles blend perfectly! It would also make a very good digestif after a heavy meal, such as a rich Christmas dinner. Even better with a splash of Grand Marnier to really amp up the slightly bitter orange flavours! Seriously yum!
Rating out of Six Tails:
6/6 (can I rate this even higher? XD)
Buy/Don't Buy
Definitely a "buy". Definitely definitely. In fact, I think I'm adding this to my list of "must keep on hand" teas.
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