Black Fleece from the Etseri Gardens — Georgian Black Tea

Black Fleece from the Etseri Gardens is a loose-leaf black tea from Georgia, picked and processed by small family tea workshops. These are the makers who strike the best balance of quality and price: their tea is made conscientiously, without chasing the exotica of wild-grown plantations.

Because of the way the leaf is fired, the tips in this tea are barely visible — they were there, but were rubbed away during processing. The flavour, however, survived intact: the liquor is dense and deep, close in character to Chinese Dian Hong.

Tasting notes

• Meadow flowers and pine
• Honey and vanilla
• Dried apricot, cherry, papaya
• A light citrus peel finish

How to brew

Use about 5 g of leaf per 200 ml of water at 90–95 °C. Steep the first infusion 10–15 seconds, then add a few seconds to each following one. The leaf holds up for 4–6 infusions.

Packaging

Kraft paper doypack with a clear window and a zip-lock seal. Available in 7, 25, 50, 100 and 200 gram packs — from a sampler to a large household size.