Rare Afternoon Tea

5 reviews
£7.49
(19p per cup)
-763 in stock

A luxurious blend of black teas, designed specifically to be enjoyed in the afternoon when a delicious pick-me-up is required.

Exquisite on its own; or as the perfect accompaniment to the great British tradition of sandwiches, scones and cakes.

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Customer Reviews
5.0 Based on 5 Reviews
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VF
09 March 2021
Valerie F.
United States United States
Wonderful

Delicious and refreshing - perfect with a biscuit in the afternoon.

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VC
03 March 2021
Vikki C.
United Kingdom United Kingdom
Fantastic afternoon cuppa

I love this tea, it’s perfect as a pick me up or moment of calm. Best with a biscuit or piece of cake - yum!

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AB
03 March 2021
Andrew B.
United Kingdom United Kingdom
A great change from the usual breakfast blend

A really nice refreshing change from the usual breakfast tea, speedy, being a favourite. I’ll ensure that I have both ready to go at all times.

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JM
02 March 2021
James M.
United Kingdom United Kingdom
Early Grey

Best Earl Grey I have ever had.

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JP
01 January 2021
Jo P.
United States United States
It's an honor to be able to sip Rare Tea ...

Rare Afternoon Tea is bright and rich - just perfect as is, with sugar, or milk.If you're not in London. If you can't be in London just now - at the Ritz or Savoy - a cup of Rare Afternoon Tea at home will cheer you up.

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Rare Afternoon Tea

Tasting Notes

There are notes of chocolate and a malty richness. With a short infusion you can find a silky subtlety with intense cacao aromas.

With a longer extraction (and milk), the tea becomes creamier and the malty, milk chocolate flavours develop even further.

Jun Chiyibari Tea Garden & Satemwa Estate

This blend comes from the highest tea garden we work with – Jun Chiyabari right up in the foothills of the Nepali Himalayas; combined with rich leaves from Satemwa in the Shire Highlands of Malawi. These mountain teas combine ethereal elegance with great profundity and depth.

AFTERNOON TEA

A thoroughly British invention

Tea in the afternoon has been enjoyed for millennia. It would be almost inhuman not to long for a cup as the day ebbs. But what we now think of as the ritual of Afternoon Tea is a thoroughly British invention that arose in the middle of the 1800’s around wealthy aristocrats and their need of a boost, and to demonstrate their wealth and good taste.

AFTERNOON TEA

Showing off...

Tea was expensive and they had the good fortune to not need to work. So the afternoon became a time to show off; not just their wealth and good taste in being able to purchase tea, but having the leisure to enjoy it in the afternoon.

(For the working classes tea was taken in the evening, often with the evening meal- which is why in some parts of the UK, dinner is still called “tea”.)

Serving Suggestions

We recommend drinking this tea without milk if you are eating something sweet and creamy or buttery alongside it. The tradition has always been that the cream or butter and jam (on bread, crumpet, scone or a slice of Victoria Sponge) was there to have with your black tea to balance the bitter tannins. It’s the perfect flavour pairing. You only really need to put the milk in your Afternoon Tea if you don’t have something sweet and creamy to eat with it.
A piece of shortbread is also wonderful. A simple piece of good bread and butter is sublime.

Quantity

Use 2.5g of tea per 150ml of water.

Temperature

For the optimum infusion (without milk) use 85°C (185°F) water.

If you prefer milk, use 100°C (212°F) water.

Time

Infuse for 1 minute at 85°C, and 2 minutes at 100°C.

Taste regularly to find your optimum time.

Infusions

You can infuse this tea at least twice.  With each careful infusion, different subtleties of flavour are revealed.

Cost Per Cup

19p per cup based on 2.5g of tea per 150ml of water and 2 infusions.

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