Rize Artisan First Flush Black 2023 No.657

This tea comes from a family-owned tea farm, where the owners typically sell their freshly picked tea leaves to produce traditionally processed fine-leaf strong Turkish tea consumed nationwide. Our friends, however, decided to take it a step further and acquired everything needed to produce high-quality loose-leaf tea, thus giving the family business a new direction. This is how we got to taste our first Turkish tea, which was entirely handmade with the help of a grandmother and her granddaughter.

The aroma of this brew is dominated by subtle potato-like notes, followed by a delicate floral and mandarin aftertaste. The sweet potato character blends with the caramel-cocoa notes, leading to a pleasant sweetness. While the aftertaste reveals hints of roasted pumpkin. 

This is a perfect way to start your morning. The tea’s rustic, sweet character resembles Georgian teas, though its flavor profile is perhaps softer and more floral. It is a cheerful tea that doesn’t jolt you awake, but rather puts you in a cheerful mood.

Amount: 5–6 grams per 180 ml of water
Water temperature: 85–90°C. Preferably fresh spring water, mineral water, or filtered water
Steeping time: 20–30 seconds
Number of infusions: 3–4 gentle pours