Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
Congou is a general name for non-broken Chinese black teas. Rose Congou is layered 5 times with rose petals, which give the tea a delicate ethereal rose character.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Until today, I had never tried a Rose Congou tea iced. I had heard so much about how good Rose Congou tea is iced, but, I had not tried it. So when it came time to try this Rose Congou Emperor Tea from Culinary Teas, I figured it was high time that I try it iced!
And WOW! All that I’ve heard – all the hype and praise of Rose Congou as an iced tea – it’s all true! This tea is absolutely DELIGHTFUL iced! It’s a little sweeter, and there’s a tangy quality to it that is … it’s not quite what I’d call “tart” exactly, but, it offers a really pleasing contrast to the aforementioned sweetness. It is actually a little reminiscent of a Baklava that’s been flavored with rose water … at least, that’s what memories it evokes for me.
I really like this Rose Congou … having tried it first hot before allowing the remainder of the pot to cool enough to chill in the refrigerator, I found that this particular rose tea was very pleasant. The rose is soft and delicate and doesn’t taste perfume-y or overly floral.
The rose is nicely balanced with the Chinese Congou black tea, which provides a smooth, rich backdrop of flavor for the rose notes that play on the foreground. It tastes sweet and exotic. A very enjoyable cup hot … made even more enjoyable when served iced!
So, if you’re like me, and haven’t taken the time to stash a pitcher full of Rose Congou Tea in the icebox, do that now! You won’t be sorry. This makes an incredibly refreshing, unique and surprisingly delicious cold drink.
