Apple Crunch

Country of Origin: Sri Lanka Region: Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula or Uva districts
Shipping Port: Colombo
Grade: OP (Orange Pekoe)
Altitude: 4800 - 7600 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Cup Characteristics: Distinctive apple character with mellow notes of cream. A tea to savor.
Infusion: Bright and Coppery.
Ingredients: Luxury tea, Natural dried apple, Freeze dried apple, Sunflower + Calendula petals, Natural flavors

Information:
The year 1904 was a great year for tea and apples. How is that? Well, at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis iced tea was created by a merchant who decided to add ice to his cups in order to quench the thirst of his Southern patrons. At the same St. Louis fair, a man named J.T. Stinson made the famous statement, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Mere coincidence? Perhaps. Whatever the case, we believe this Apple Crunch blend is afitting tribute to the 1904 World’s Fair. Apple Crunch itself is a traditional Southern Dessert similar to an apple pie. (For all we know it too may have been invented at the 1904 St. Louis fair!) Brew a pot of this tea and savor the tart character of apple blended with the pleasing astringency of our high grown Ceylon. Roll the brew over your tongue and note its creamy finish. Delicious. Here’s to 1904!
What type of tea do we use, how do we flavor the tea and why do we use natural flavors?
First... we only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing regions of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These three high-grown districts produce flavorful teas that have classic ‘Ceylon’ tea character which is noted by floral bouquet and flavor notes, touches of mild astringency, bright coppery color and, most importantly - perfect for use as the base tea of our flavored teas. (We have tested teas from various other origins around the world as base stock for our flavored teas, but none of these teas made the grade.) Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, whereas Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. This ‘dual peak period’ allow us to buy the best for our
flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.
Second... we use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat. Third… we specify natural flavors. High quality tea tastes good and natural flavors do not mask the natural taste of the high grown Ceylon tea. (The norm for many making flavored tea is to use overpowering artificial flavors, which can be used to hide lower quality tea). Natural flavors do not leave an
aftertaste giving the tea a clean and true character. It should be noted that natural flavors tend to be somewhat ‘soft ‘ and the flavors slightly muted, but for many this is a refreshing change and one of the desired attributes of our naturally flavored teas.
Hot tea brewing method: Bring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the
flavor character on this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea ‘straight-up’
Iced tea-brewing method: (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistantpitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher withcold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water]. Please note that this tea may tend to go cloudy or ‘milky’ when poured over ice; a perfectly normal characteristic of some high quality
black teas and nothing to worry about!