Robust, textured, and clearly unique among flower teas, this caffeine-free tea is both light and heavy, both fragrant and earthy.
Notes of pinot noir, honey, and alpine flowers.
The vibrant red and gold flowers of Snow Honey Chrysanthemum are as beautiful as they are delicious. This is a rare treat as a naturally caffeine-free herbal tea because it has many notes, a beautiful scent, and a viscous texture. And it can be steeped across several infusions. It is my favorite herbal tea by far, with a profile that is incredibly bright and pungent.
There are three general types of chrysanthemum flowers used in tea production, and the most common of the three are white and yellow chrysanthemum. Both white and yellow chrysanthemum have a peppery quality to them that is somewhat medicinal, but very unique and pleasant. The third type of chrysanthemum, Snow Honey, has a completely different character.
Snow Honey Chrysanthemum has deeply floral notes similar to high mountain oolongs, and similarly it is only grown in the high altitudes of Kunlun Shan, China. It is the only high mountain chrysanthemum. Robust, textured, and clearly unique among flower teas, this caffeine-free tea is both light and heavy, both fragrant and earthy.
I brew this tea like an non-roasted high mountain oolong with short infusions using 200 degree water. Try 30 second infusions for a lighter body with a lovely fragrance. Increase time to 2 minutes to bring out the pungent, deep texture. This is definitely a tea that deserves exploration, and will do well in many brewing circumstances.
