The hunt for the perfect black tea base for a boba black milk tea can lead you into uncharted waters. And while I would like to fancy myself the Ginger of Gilligan’s ill-fated crew [cue Gilligan’s Island theme song], I’m more of a blend of the Professor and Gilligan when it comes to tea investigations – an odd mix of deliberateness here and haphazardness there.
My hunt for rich malty flavors have led me to the obscure Indonesian black teas and in particular the Tea at Sea Indonesian black tea. Delicious to sip – the malty and cereal notes linger on the palate and nose long after the first sip. Please note that I’ve chased smokey before and have been all to often confronted with a charcoal, campfire taste – but not here. The smoke is sweet and Malteser-y good BUT it unfortunately lacks the body to hold up the quantity milk needed for a boba milk tea.
But all is not lost!
Because I am having it with THIS…
I wish I could remember the first time I had an Ines Rosales Seville Orange torta…but sadly, I can’t. But it doesn’t matter really as long as I can keep on getting them to pair with my teas…What you taste are Seville oranges and not the in-your-face Florida, bred-for-juicing-success, oranges that you get here. Navel these are NOT.
Think Paddington Bear and marmalade…a slightly bitter twist on citrus…like the burst of orange oils that drift up to your nose when you peel a clementine in winter. The marmalade peel sooo good you actually eat it on toast is captured here in essence on a crisp, flat torta encrusted in sugar.
Paired together – it’s just smokey sweet.
So kicking back to enjoy this cup, do I regret not finding the perfect black tea for my milk tea?
Nope…if only all mistakes tasted so good…
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
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