CLEMENTINE CLOVE

It may not be as synonymous with France as croissants or the Eiffel Tower but Clementine Clove tea is most definitely French. The tea owes its existence to the former French Empire that stretched from North Africa to the Far East. Clementines, (Latin: citrus reticulata), are believed to have been developed by an Algerian priest named Pierre Clement in 1902. Clement apparently discovered the small hybrid citrus growing in the courtyard of his orphanage near Oran in what was then French Algeria. He noted how deliciously sweet they were, began propagating them and soon they had spread throughout North Africa. Cloves on the other hand, (Latin: Syzygium aromaticum), although they originated in Indonesia, were named by the French. The word clove stems from the word clous, which mean "nail", an item the spice closely resembles. Cloves have a very unique, slightly nutty, musky flavor. When you combine the two, Clementines and cloves, the result is nothing short of fantastic. When you combine them both with a high-grown Ceylon tea as we have done here, the results are even better. Brew a pot today and taste life in the colonies of old. Magnifique!

What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?

Firstly... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic Ceylon tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This dual peak period allows us to buy the best for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.

Secondly... we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat.

Thirdly... we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat soft and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.