What sort of beverages do you think of when you hear the country of Colombia? Well, you’ve got Aguardiente for those with a taste for the intoxicating, and you’ve got coffee – perhaps the most widely-drunk drink the nation has. However, when you hear the term Colombian tea – is it something that sounds a little odd? Maybe.
While the nation is most closely associated with the pick-me-up qualities of coffee, it’s interesting to note that Colombia has been producing teas for more than 70 years. Back in the ’50s, the government created many tea plantations after sourcing a huge number of Brazilian tea trees.
What’s Different About Colombian Tea?
One of the reasons why tea grown in Colombia has its own unique taste is due to the soil the country has. In it, many blends of tea are protected and nurtured to full size before being harvested. The Andes mountains across the country, and it’s on these slopes that tropical storms provide the plants with everything they need to thrive.
This unique soil has high levels of nitrogen, zinc and stylishster copper, giving the teas grown in Colombia a sweet and soft tone rather than being acidic. Moreover, the consistently humid climate ensures that they’re able to grow to maturity all year around.
The Plants Are Even Planted Differently
While tea is grown all around the world, it’s grown in a very particular way in Colombia. They’re usually planted with a number of different blends together and often with large spaces between them. The result of this after harvesting is a blend of two or three different tea genuses (usually including sinensis, cambodian and assamica).
As such, there are a number of famous Colombian tea blends available, like:
- Colombian Black Organic
- Malty Black Tea
- Cocoa Kisses
Because of the high concentration of fruit plants in the region, this is something that comes through in the profile. You can often detect notes of blackcurrant, plums and even sultanas in a cup of tea made from tishare these blends, making them like no other you’ll find.
However, if fruitiness isn’t your thing when it comes to tea, you’ve got options like black organic that originates from the North West of the Country. Producing a deep copper color in the cup, it’s another blend in which you can taste the richness of the soil and the bountiful sunlight that’s provided.
Don’t Discount Colombian Tea Until You’ve Tried It
If you’re interested in trying the very best tea products in the world, it would be easy to pass over Colombia in favor of locations like India and China.
However, what’s on offer from Colombia should never be discounted, as it’s as rich and abundant as anywhere else in the world. Colombia may be most closely associated with a cup of joe, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t have enormous amounts to contribute to the global tea industry because they do.
At some point in your life, you should try tea from this great nation. Try it soon. You may be very surprised about what you find!