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“During one of the many wasteful hours spent browsing tea-related website on the internet, my interest was piqued by the idea of mango-flavoured tea. This is rather surprising as I never cared for...” Read full tasting note
Tropical mango crushed into a fine black tea, enriched with bright yellow blossoms.
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During one of the many wasteful hours spent browsing tea-related website on the internet, my interest was piqued by the idea of mango-flavoured tea. This is rather surprising as I never cared for mangoes – too sickly sweet for my liking, prefering, as in life, the bitter-sweet or the sweet-and-sour – which made me something of an oddity in Australia. It was seeing the rather cute little wooden tea-chests that Mlesna/Metropolitan Tea Company package their teas in that I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, all of the Mlesna teas I have tried are rather disappointing with the possible exception of their Russian Caravan, so the mango tea remained untouched in the back cupboard under a mountain of tea that I have hoarded these last few months.
At the Adore Tea stall in Chatswood, Sydney I was tempted to give the mango tea another try as I was not wanting to waste the nice little Mlesna box. Their mango tea was one of about twenty two-cup samplers I have picked up over the last couple of weeks but haven’t got round to trying as yet.
The fragrance of the tea prior to infusing is that unmistakable, if somewhat overbearing, tropical smell of mango. The leaves seem to be standard broken orange pekoe, and flecked with shards of orange and yellow in various shades. After infusing in the standard manner – water just off the boil and left to stand for four minutes – the liquor is a deep, dark bronze and the aroma of the mango is muted.
Served black, this is a smooth, slightly sweet tea with no bitterness and slightly tingling sensation in the middle of the tongue. I can’t really place the origin of the tea base – at a guess, I would say a mix of Chinese black teas. Realistically, no one drinks flavoured teas for the actual tea so I wouldn’t say the lack of a definite identity or terroir is a negative unless it was ‘bad’ tea or I wasn’t actually able to taste the tea-flavour. In this case, the tea base is very mild and unremarkable but pleasant enough, and there is no bitterness or astringency.
Although I don’t think I will be drinking this every day, or even every week, this is definitely worth having again.
I got a couple of Mlesna teas – the wooden chest is awesome and used to keep samples but the tea which came inside is taking up a large tin at the back of the shelf, not sure what to do with it. Of their flavoured blacks I have had one which was ok if a bit paint-stripping strong and came in nice packets – it was like russian flavoured teas, but really russian, not what the french call russian tea or anything to do with russian caravan.
And Akbar, another sri lankan brand, has probably the worst teas I ever had. I like very much ceylon tea, I just sort of do not trust the sri lankan brands.
Aren’t Mlesna wooden chests just the best thing ever! They are my favourite, along with some of Harney & Sons and the old, traditional Twinings tins.
I may have been a bit harsh on Mlesna. Their Russian Caravan is ok, and I actually really like their Soursop and Blue Lady teas. It’s just a shame the general quality is not up to the packaging. I wouldn’t say it was “bad”, but is very much your typical, cheap BOP tea.
Thanks for the warning about Akbar. I was thinking about getting some of their boxes and tins. Most of the Sri Lankan brands are pretty awful, aren’t they! Dilmah is ok but everything just comes in cardboard boxes and tea bags. I tend to go for 50gm of loose tea from some local tea shops and I’ve always been happy.
What’s your favourite Ceylon?
My favorite ceylons were some stuff I got from the local tea shop – these are very old fashioned, handwritten labels, very early 20th century, they do not say plantation names (I think) or any such thing, just “ceylon superior” and grades. They let me smell it and look of course and I tend to pick which ever smells most like raisins and has large leaves and it works for me. It´s relatively cheap say 5-6 euros per 100 grams, compared to buying online or american prices, though sort of pricey compared to other teas you can get here.
Some ceylon teas are so excellent, it is baffling how the ceylon brands are so so bad at flavouring and all.
Akbaris dire stuff