Vanilla and black tea are a natural pairing, and this blend leans into it with a full, creamy vanilla character backed by malt. The first impression is sweet and rounded, almost like dessert, before the malty backbone of the black tea leaves comes through underneath — closer to a coffee note than a sharp tannic finish. Cream and milk notes round out the cup, so it drinks well plain, though a splash of milk or a spoon of sugar suits it too.
Tea and Coffee sells this as their Vanilla Black Tea, and the loose leaf holds up hot or iced, making it a reasonable year-round pour rather than a strictly cold-weather blend.
To brew it, use about five grams of loose leaf in a filter and pour water straight off the boil, 100°C. Give it three to five minutes to steep; shorter lands lighter and more delicate, longer pulls out more of the malt and body. As with most black teas, expect a moderate dose of caffeine per cup, though the exact amount will shift depending on how long you let it sit.
