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Vitabase
- A delicious fresh and piquant white grape flavor with hints of exotic fruit that pleasantly lingers on the tongue.
- Luxury black tea with natural flavors.
- One 50 gram bag is enough for about 22 cups.
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Ice wine is the nectar of winter. Ice wine is produced when the grape is frozen solid on the vine and harvested at a maximum temperature of -10 deg Celsius.
The frozen grapes that make up ice wine are then pressed and the resultant nectar exudes aromas of apricot and honey with a fine overall balance between fruit flavors, sweetness and acidity.
Ice wine ends up a golden color, or deep rich amber and has a very sweet taste. The flavor is a combination of apricot, peach, mango, melon or other sweet fruits.
We only use high grown teas from the top 3 tea growing areas of Sri Lanka - Nuwara Eliya, Dimbula and Uva. These districts produce some of the most flavorful teas available and have the classic “Ceylon” tea character, touches of mild astringency and bright copper color. It also serves as the perfect base tea for our flavored teas.
Dimbula and the western estates of Nuwara Eliya have a major quality peak during Jan/Feb, while Uva and the eastern estates of Nuwara Eliya have their peak in July/Aug. All our flavored teas are bought during these peak quality periods, and the ‘dual peak period’ allow us to source for our flavored tea blends several times during the year, ensuring top quality and freshness.
We use flavoring oils not crystals to give the tea drinker an olfactory holiday before indulging in a liquid tea treat.
We also only 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 resistant pitcher. 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 with cold 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!