'If its meat, its pork; if its fruit, its mango; if its leaves, its tea'. Although awkwardly translated, this Burmese saying demonstrates the importance of tea in Burmese culture, where it is not only drunk, but also pickled and eaten on its own and in salads.
Myanmar tea culture is not something I know much about, but a bit of research shows that it has a long and interesting tea history! Tea is believed to have been around in Myanmar since at least 1AD, with locals growing, eating and drinking their own tea for as long as anyone can remember! However, modern tea drinking culture, can be traced back to colonial times when the British brought with them the custom of drinking tea in tea shops. Now, these shops can be found in every town and even on every block - and they are an important place for people to gather and socialise, and enjoy a cup of tea, sweetened with condensed milk.
Most of the tea grown in Myanmar comes from along the Ayerwaddy river - in the Shan, Chin and Kachin states which have a high altitude primed for tea growth.
I have actually visited Myanmar, but it was before my tea addiction entered full swing, and I definitely missed out on trying the local teas - so I was super excited to try this Burmese Ruby Black tea from Temple Lion Tea, which was grow at 3,800ft in Pindaya, Shan state.
The first thing to say is the color of this tea which is just gorgeous! Deep, with a red color, it is immediately clear how this tea got its name!
This tea has same beautiful, big leaves so I decided to brew it Gongfu style, as it is my favorite way to make tea, and its a great opportunity to do a few infusions and see how the taste changes over multiple brewing's!
Black teas can sometimes have a bitterness to them, but I didn't get that with this tea. The aroma had some malty, and almost smoky notes, underlined with a herbal smell, which are really inviting to drink, and the flavor is very enjoyable. It has a deep, heavy flavor with a slight sweetness and the flavor lasts in your mouth.
BUT, what I haven't done yet is had it the proper Burmese way - with condensed milk - so that is next on my list!
Tea Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
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