Watermelon Kiwi Black Tea (Art of Tea)

Shortly after the 2011 World Tea Expo I made a suggestion to Art of Tea via Twitter to make a tea with Kiwi in it. I felt this fruit was undervalued by the tea blenders of the world, but also a difficult pairing. A couple weeks later, I got my wish!

Teas which contain little used ingredients can be a real adventure. Sometimes those ingredients aren’t used on purpose. There’s just something about them which begs to be avoided. Not in this case though! Kiwi ho!

This tea is wonderful to look at. With BOP grade Chinese black tea leaves of varying sizes and lengths and twists combined with raspberry bits it presents a visual profile worth admiring. The liquor turns out a wonderfully golden copper.

The aroma of the loose leaves is light and fresh. Heavy notes of watermelon flavoring and raspberry tartness run throughout. The dry and spent leaves hold nearly identical aromas thanks to the natural flavorings used.

The flavors on the palette move quickly. Hints of crisp apple with kiwi smoothness, the pucker of fresh raspberries and the undertones of watermelon sweetness provide a well rounded and nuanced flavor profile.

While the tea doesn’t start out astringent, it does begin to dry the palate quickly and if brewed even slightly long does provide a bit of extra pucker.

Fans of stone fruit profile oolongs will likely enjoy this tea. Fans of fruity herbal and green teas may also enjoy this brew. This tea is likely fantastic iced!