In the world of tea, flavour is more than just a sensory experience; it’s the result of expert craftsmanship, ethical sourcing, and a respect for tradition. At The Tea Centre, we are often asked about the word “flavour” used on our packaging and menus: what it means, where it comes from, and how it fits into our tea philosophy.
The answer, like many things in tea, is nuanced. It involves balancing nature and science, sustainability and taste, all to deliver exceptional blends for our customers.
What Does “Flavour” Mean in Our Teas?
In our fusion blends, especially those featuring fruits, florals, or spices, the term flavour refers to natural or nature-identical flavourings added in small quantities to complement and complete the tea base.
Natural flavours are directly extracted from the plants, fruits, herbs, or spices that we use in our teas.
Nature-identical flavours are compounds created in a lab to be chemically identical to those extracted from nature. These are not artificial flavours, they are designed to match the authentic aroma and taste of natural ingredients. They are most often used when the natural ingredients are too weak, rare, or environmentally unsustainable when used in large amounts.
Why Use Nature-Identical Flavours at All?
When blending the perfect tea, there are times when pure ingredients, like a slice of dried apple or a few rose petals, simply cannot produce a strong enough infusion on their own. Even essential oils, when available, can be impractical due to high prices or limited supply. That’s where we lean on nature-identical flavours.
In practice, the sweet, familiar aroma of apple in a fruit blend may be created using nature-identical flavour that perfectly captures the essence of the fruit more fully than the dried pieces ever could. This is all to make sure our blends have the depth and consistency our customers have come to love.
Whenever possible, we use natural flavours. When nature-identical flavours are required, they are used sparingly, often making up only a fraction of the tea's character.
More Than Taste
Whether it’s natural or nature-identical, flavouring in our teas is not about masking or substituting, but about completing the flavour of our carefully curated blends. It is only ever there to enhance the tea drinking experience. The result is a fusion that feels balanced, vibrant, and thoughtful.
Final Notes
For customers with allergies and sensitivities, it is recommended to avoid nature-identical flavourings of your specific allergies. As always, if you have any questions about what goes into the blending of our tea, the team is here to help. If a tea does happen to contain a nature-identical flavour of a specific allergen, our tea experts in-store or online can recommend a different blend that is sure to impress.