My Overall Impression (Score of 85.5 %)

Anyone that knows me well knows that I have a soft spot for Black Currants.  Maybe because when I was young, my dad had a bush in the backyard, and I would get to eat them fresh.  Maybe it’s a rare thing since black currants are hard to find.  Maybe it’s because it’s one of the first teas that I learned to enjoy drinking.  There may be a few more reasons but it’s one of my benchmarks for a tea company.  If they offer a black currant tea and I don’t care for it, it throws me off.

I have to say that T-Swing’s Black Currant is a great brew.  Please note that this is their tea blend, not the straight Potlis of Black Currants.  This brewed up to a deep rich cup that’s very smooth and rounded over the profile.  I wish I had made this as an Iced Version over the summer (but I will next year).  Overall, this is a great tea to relax with and very easy to drink.

The price as of 10/25/23 is $14.95 for 100 gm.

Broken down:

• 100gm / 2.5 gm for steeping = 40 cups
• 40 cups from package = $0.37 per cup app

Typically, I double steep all my teas (use the tea twice) so I can get 80 cups or approximately 19 cents per cup.  I think that’s worth the price as this cup brews up big in depth.

SideNote:  When measuring, try to balance the dried fruit pieces and loose tea.  It’s very easy to measure too much dried fruit out and your brew will not be balanced.

Aromas

• In the pouch, it shows a rich, deep unripe black currant aroma with toasted malt lying underneath. It almost has alimony tone as well.
• It also shows hints of blackberry, black raspberry, and a faint touch of smoke.
• Once brewed, the black currant becomes riper with richer berry notes and toasted malt.
• Over the profile, it shows hints of marzipan, wet gravel, and toasted Brazil Nuts.

Flavors

• The flavors of ripe black and red currants shine with a touch of unripe red raspberry.
• Right at the very beginning, it shows a quick note of blackberry and raspberry.
• It has a flat curve over the profile and it’s a bit one dimensional in the flavor. However, this flavor is consistent over the entire curve which is a big plus.
• It shows great structure in the body with medium tannins, off dryness and no bitterness.
• The creamy mouthfeel reminds me of sugar cookies.

Scores

• Aromas (4.3/5)
• Flavors (8.4/10)
• Overall impression (4.4/5)
  • Total score = 85.5 percent (17.1/20)

Foods to Pair and Why

• It’s that time of year that berries are coming into MI (not local of course) but for some reason, they are exceptionally cheap. Last week, red raspberries were 50 cents a pint for a few days!!  What do I do when this happens?  I purchase a lot of them for freezing to make jams, jellies and BBQ sauce (Chipotle red raspberry).  I do keep a few pints handy to consumer and these are great fresh with this tea.  I take a sip and pop one in my mouth for a great combination of flavor and mouthfeel.
• Since I make my own BBQ sauce, this sauce with a grilled chicken breast or brined pork chop would be amazing to serve with this tea. The BBQ barely caramelizing would be a beautiful contrast.
• As an appetizer, a small wheel of Brie wrapped in Puff Pastry and baked off so its warm and creamy would be perfect. Add a dollop of berry Jam to this would be a great match with some crackers.
• One of my fondest memories is having black currant tea with biscotti. I tried this for the first time in Pittsburg at Enrico’s Biscotti shop and was blown away with the flavor combo.  They are worth the order or find your favorite vendor.  It’s a great way to relax and enjoy a cup.