Blackcurrant leaves and berries carry an aroma all their own, and this black tea leans on that fully — real blackcurrant leaf blended with natural flavouring alongside the loose leaf base gives a cup that's fruity and berry-forward, with malt underneath and a woody, herbal edge from the leaves themselves. Tea & Coffee packs it fresh to order at a Kent-based factory.
The blackcurrant plant, Ribes nigrum, is a woody shrub in the Grossulariaceae family, grown across temperate central and northern Europe and parts of Asia. It favours damp, fertile soil, often near woodland, and can grow to about 1.5 metres. Every part of the plant is aromatic, which is why the leaves work so well steeped alongside the tea itself. Ribes nigrum has nothing to do with caffeine production on its own, but because this blend is built on Camellia sinensis, the tea does carry caffeine — roughly 45mg per 8-oz cup.
Brew it with freshly boiled water at 100°C and give it 3 to 5 minutes; push much past that and the cup turns bitter. It's best taken plain, without milk or sweetener, so the fruit and malt notes come through unmasked. Tea & Coffee also points to the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants naturally present in black tea leaves — a bonus rather than the reason to reach for the cup, which is really about that blackcurrant character.
