A deep copper cup with a citrus lift up front and ripe blackcurrant carrying through underneath is the signature of Garden of England Afternoon Tea, a black blend that draws leaf from three continents rather than one estate. Black teas from Assam and Nilgiri in India sit alongside Ceylon leaf from Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva, with green tea from China's Zhejiang province worked in for lift, at altitudes ranging from 500 to 8500 feet. Cornflowers and safflowers are added along with natural flavouring, and the blackcurrant note softens what would otherwise be a fairly astringent cup, leaving something sweet and well rounded with malt and earthy tones underneath the floral and stone fruit notes. Graded Orange Pekoe Gunpowder, it's built with afternoon tea and cream teas in mind, on the theory that a warm day calls for something bright rather than heavy.
Black tea carries theanine, an amino acid some research links to the relaxed, settled feeling many drinkers associate with a good cup, and it's also part of what gives black teas that faint 'wet stone' earthiness. Brew it with boiling water for three to five minutes depending on strength, and serve it black — that's how the ripe blackcurrant and citrus come through most clearly. Tea & Coffee packs it fresh to order in card-and-foil packaging chosen for keeping tea fresher for longer, and it's worth storing afterwards in an airtight container away from anything strongly scented, since blended teas pick up other smells easily.
