Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea
Rare Afternoon Tea

Rare Afternoon Tea

8 reviews
$10.49
(26¢ per cup)
263 in stock

A luxurious blend of black loose leaf teas, designed specifically to be enjoyed in the afternoon when a delicious pick-me-up is required.

Exquisite on its own; or as the perfect accompaniment to the great British tradition of sandwiches, scones and cakes.

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Customer Reviews
5.0 Based on 8 Reviews
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MA
22 September 2022
Martin A.
United States

At first not a fan but then one finds a really good tea

At my first sip I thought the tea was sour. But after more sips it became apparent this tea is very good. It has a nice balance and I found myself enjoying this tea in the morning. One note, I use bags with this tea as the tea leafs are almost powder so a strainer doesn’t do the trick.

Rare Afternoon Tea
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WK
02 June 2022
Wendy K.
United States United States

A parade of flavor with each taste

The initial response on tasting was WOW good!, and then I tasted new and different flavors with each sip. A tea to sip and enjoy slowly, I have a busy physical job and I'm old so having this wonderful delicious boost in the afternoon is pure pleasure.

Rare Afternoon Tea
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L
27 April 2021
Lizzie
United States

Amazingly delicious

I thought that I found my best go-to black tea of all time with Speedy Breakfast, but Rare Afternoon is quickly overtaking it. They are quite different teas, but equally wonderful. While Speedy has a brighter flavor and is a bit more malty, Rare Afternoon is still plenty malty but is also darker in flavor. As soon as I took the first sips, I tasted milk chocolate and malt. I was amazed because I do have black tea that is blended with real chocolate, and I have never tasted a black tea that tastes so chocolatey without any actual chocolate blended in. It's so addictive and scrumptious. Sinful for a black tea! Outrageously delicious with 1/2 and 1/2 and brown sugar. The second infusion will taste a tad more delicate, but the milk chocolate flavor will come out even more. I will be rushing to by more of this. I can not be without it!

Rare Afternoon Tea
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VF
09 March 2021
Valerie F.
United States

Wonderful

Delicious and refreshing - perfect with a biscuit in the afternoon.

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VC
03 March 2021
Vikki C.
United Kingdom

Fantastic afternoon cuppa

I love this tea, it’s perfect as a pick me up or moment of calm. Best with a biscuit or piece of cake - yum!

Rare Afternoon Tea
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Tasting Notes

There are notes of chocolate and a malty richness. With a short infusion you can find a silky subtlety with intense cacao aromas. With a longer extraction (and milk), the tea becomes creamier and the malty, milk chocolate flavours develop even further.

Quantity

Use 0.09oz of leaf per 5.1fl oz of water (2.5g per 150ml).

Temperature

For the optimum infusion (without milk) use 185°F (85°C) water.

If you prefer milk, use 212°F (100°C) water.

Time

Infuse for 1 minute at 85°C, and 2 minutes at 100°C.

Taste regularly to find your optimum time.

Infusions

You can infuse this tea at least twice. With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

Cost Per Cup

26¢ per cup based on 0.09oz of leaf per 5.1fl oz of water and 2 infusions.

Jun Chiyibari Tea Garden & Satemwa Estate

This blend comes from the highest tea garden we work with – Jun Chiyabari right up in the foothills of the Nepali Himalayas; combined with rich leaves from Satemwa in the Shire Highlands of Malawi. These mountain teas combine ethereal elegance with great profundity and depth.

AFTERNOON TEA

A thoroughly British invention

Tea in the afternoon has been enjoyed for millennia. It would be almost inhuman not to long for a cup as the day ebbs. But what we now think of as the ritual of Afternoon Tea is a thoroughly British invention that arose in the middle of the 1800’s around wealthy aristocrats and their need of a boost, and to demonstrate their wealth and good taste.

AFTERNOON TEA

Showing off...

Tea was expensive and they had the good fortune to not need to work. So the afternoon became a time to show off; not just their wealth and good taste in being able to purchase tea, but having the leisure to enjoy it in the afternoon.

(For the working classes tea was taken in the evening, often with the evening meal- which is why in some parts of the UK, dinner is still called “tea”.)

Serving Suggestions

We recommend drinking this tea without milk if you are eating something sweet and creamy or buttery alongside it. The tradition has always been that the cream or butter and jam (on bread, crumpet, scone or a slice of Victoria Sponge) was there to have with your black tea to balance the bitter tannins. It’s the perfect flavour pairing. You only really need to put the milk in your Afternoon Tea if you don’t have something sweet and creamy to eat with it.

A piece of shortbread is also wonderful. A simple piece of good bread and butter is sublime.

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