Acala Tea Co.
"Palilula" Japanese Whisky Barrel Smoked Black
"Palilula" Japanese Whisky Barrel Smoked Black
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There is a neighborhood in Belgrade called Palilula whose name has interesting origins. When the Ottoman Empire stretched over Europe, one of the cities it engulfed was Belgrade. The Ottomans banned smoking inside of the city, but did allow smoking just outside the city limits. The area where citizens would gather to smoke became known as Palilula, Turkish for "light a pipe."
This black tea is made with leaves harvested during the First and Second Flush from the Yabukita tea bush and then smoked using wood chips from old Japanese whisky barrels. Upon opening the tea wrapper, the provocative scent of whisky and smoke fill the nose and evoke a feeling of cozying up to the fireplace with a whisky glass in hand.
This tea is an instant favorite among those who try it. Play around with brewing time lengths for a smoky level that is suitable to your pallet. For a lighter taste, flash brew only 30 seconds at a time. This will allow you to steep the tea 5-6 times. For a stronger taste, we suggest brewing for 2 minutes, allowing you to steep again about 3-4 times.
This tea from the Shizuoka Prefecture and is sustainably grown and certified from Chagusaba Garden, an area near Mount Fuji, Japan.
Tea Specifics
Tea Specifics
Origin: Shizuoka Prefecture, sustainably grown and certified from Chagusaba Garden, an area near Mount Fuji, Japan
Tree: Bush
Cultivar: Yabukita bush, most common variety among all Japanese sub-varietals of Camellia sinensis
Loose leaf
Red (black) tea contains 40-60mg of caffeine per 8 oz cup. As the tea ages, the caffeine levels decline over time because light and leaf oxidation reduce caffeine. Thus, an aged red tea that is decades old may not contain much caffeine at all. If you have the willpower to resist drinking this tea and to instead store and age the tea, the taste profile will only deepen.
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
Smoky, whisky, vanilla, full-bodied, sweet, amber liquor
Brewing Recommendations
Brewing Recommendations
Serving Size: 4-6g of tea per 100ml purified water
Ideal brewing vessel: Porcelain teapot or gaiwan; glass infuser pot; or high profile clay teapot reserved for your red smoked teas only.
Flash-Brewing: Boil water to 212F and then wait for the water to stop bubbling before pouring the water into the gaiwan or tea pot. Brew for a few seconds, then replace the lid and pour the liquor into a gong dao bei (fairness pitcher) before apportioning into tea cups. Remove lid between steepings to prevent the leaves from overheating. Flash brewing in this manner ensures this tea can be brewed up to 6+ times and brewed again the following morning if left overnight.
For Western Style brewing, steep for 2 minutes before pouring into cup. The tea can be steeped again 3-4 times this way.
