Drinks brand NOVELTEA has paired the two with red rose petals, papaya, mango flakes to create The Tale of Oolong.
It is the brand’s third infusion of tea with spirit, with the ready-to-drink tipple able to be served either hot, cold or as part of a cocktail.
A completely natural product, The Tale of Oolong made with real loose leaf tea and devoid of any artificial colours.
To create the blend, NOVELTEA cold-brew the ingredients for 10-hours to draw out the distinctive flavours of the tea and then pair with whisky. The cold-brewing process delivers natural sweetness with a smooth finish thanks to the bitter tannins that have been drawn away.
Picture: NOVELTEA
Developed by mixologists Vincent Efferoth and Lukas Passia, NOVELTEA originally launched their concept in 2017 with The Tale of Earl Grey (an infusion of black Earl Grey tea with gin and botanicals) and The Tale of Tangier (an infusion of Moroccan green mint tea with spearmint, dried lemongrass, dried apple, blackberry leaves and Caribbean white rum).
Lukas Passia and Vincent Efferoth. Picture: NOVELTEA
After water, tea is the most consumed beverage in the UK, and founders Efferoth and Passia say that due to being bored by ‘incremental innovations in established product categories such as new flavoured gins and new craft beers’, they wanted to create an all new category in the drinks market – tea with spirit.
Described as the first brand in the world to develop the concept of a boozy cold-brewed tea in a ready-to-drink format, the pair behind NOVELTEA say they are inspired by the "cultures and heritage associated with the origins of the tea", which along with their ingredients, have been sourced from around the world.
