If you have the same black or green tea that’s your go-to every day, then I’ve got some unique and delicious tea suggestions to help you spice things up. Tea seems more popular than ever, especially loose tea in particular. But the standard bagged black tea or standard green can get boring very quickly. I’ve made a list of five unique teas, and maybe a little unusual but absolutely delicious teas you’ll want to brew up immediately. Whenever I travel, I make sure to sample the local teas. Every time I find something new and special. Each of these teas I’ve stumbled upon during my travels. Don’t forget: tea makes a great souvenir!
Ito En’s Brooklyn Breakfast
In my household, not everyone is a strict tea drinker. My husband bounces back and forth between tea and coffee. (Not that I judge him for it. OK, maybe just a little.) But when he saw Ito En’s Brooklyn Breakfast at the Matcha Love shop in Mitsuwa Market, he was instantly intrigued. With an unabashedly hipster vibe, Brooklyn Breakfast is tea and coffee. It blends the two popular brews with additional flavors like orange peel and dried cranberry. What’s more, it isn’t a finely chopped up tea-bag like mix. The brew contains large identifiable chunks of ingredients. Plus it’s hand-blended in small batches, further making it feel like a special drink to enjoy at home.
Sweet Sakura Tea
Nowhere is the cherry blossom quite so revered as in Japan. So it’s of no surprise that a company in the island nation offers a cherry blossom tea. It’s hard to think of a tea more suited for celebrating and reveling in spring. Japan GreenTea Company offers these unique teas in several styles. One is an herbal tea, that is, it’s strictly cherry blossoms and leaves. Another brew blends black tea leaves with the cherry blossoms for a stronger version. If you’re looking for something a little more calming and soothing, there is also a blend of green tea with the cherry blossoms and leaves.
Pu-erh
Only adventurous foodies need apply for this, one of the most unique teas. Pu-erh is a fermented Chinese tea that, in addition to being sold loose, you can sometimes also find packed in discs, bricks or balls of varying sizes. During brewtime, the tea has a very…distinct aroma due to the fermentation process. But once you get past the scent, it’s a smooth flavor that can vary depending on the specific tea’s fermentation length and process.
Genmaicha
Is that popcorn in my tea? Nope, that’s puffed brown rice that’s been roasted! Genmaicha is a Japanese tea that combines green tea with the brown rice. the rice was originally included in this tea blend as filler. Genmaicha will win you over for its nutty, roasted flavor. If you’re a regular green tea drinker, this will spice up your drinking routine.
Kukicha
I first came across kukicha tea at the Coffee and Tea Festival NYC in Brooklyn, New York. What seems like a normal cup of green tea upon initial inspection is actually anything but normal. Kukicha is a brew that uses the otherwise discarded steams of the same plant that produces green tea. This makes for a richer, earthier flavor than your standard cup of green tea. You’ll even notice a different aroma upon brewing that is stronger and nuttier.
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