The Dunedin tea

1000 Day Flower tea

The Chinese say it's better to be deprived of food for three days than tea for one (Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns)
And I say Amen to that. I definitely wouldn't survive a day without my tea. I have my firm favourites which I buy regularly, but I also love discovering new products and brands. The Dunedin tea is one such recent discovery. 
The Dunedin Tea Company first started in 2014 by Abdelaziz Safi, a Scottish Palestinian from Edinburgh. What started as a hobby, has developed into a popular brand. Working with a wide range of tea masters and merchants, The Dunedin tea Co has a great range of teas from around the world.

I have selected three teas from the extensive range: Earl Grey, 1000 Day Flower and Jasmine Silver Balls.
I love a delicate scent and flavour of jasmine tea, and buy it quite often (different brands). I am used to small pea-sized rolled balls of tea. Imagine my amazement, when I opened a sealed pouch to find these humongous Jasmine Silver Balls. I have put the standard jasmine balls next to them for comparison.

This artisan handcrafted tea comes from Fujian province in China. Jasmine silver balls are hand rolled and hand tied. This tea is steamed and dried with fresh jasmine flowers which give them a distinct beautiful taste and aroma.

It is almost a miracle to see the flowering tea unfolding its petals, when you pour hot water over the tea ball. It starts to unfurl its leaves carefully, like a ballet dancer. A beautiful tea, being a delicious treat and a feast for eyes.

While jasmine tea is quite well known, 1000 Day Flower tea is more rare. This is another artisan handcrafted tea from Fujian province in China. It has a slightly dry character with light floral notes and hints of sweet caramel sugar.

Beautiful rolled tea is unlike anything I have seen before. It has a delicate taste and looks absolutely stunning, especially when brewed in a glass teapot.

1000 Day Flower tea

I tried to take photos from every possible angle, but my photo skills fail to give justice to just how beautiful it is. It is as much a visual treat as it is a refreshing brew.

1000 Day Flower tea

1000 Day Flower tea

1000 Day Flower tea

Earl Grey is my all times favourite tea, and I think I have tried most of the major brands and types. The Dunedin tea makes a decent cup of Earl Grey from Orange Pekoe, natural bergamot flavouring and cornflower petals. It has a good balance of flavours and a deep amber colour.

All three teas from The Dunedin Tea co that I tried were delicious. If you're looking for gift ideas for the coming Mother's day (and know that your recipient is a tea lover), this might be just the right place to find your perfect present.

Earl Grey tea

Disclosure: I received a selection of teas for the purposes of testing and reviewing. All opinions are mine.