By Huang Tzu-ti
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Agricultural authorities in Taiwan on Monday, May 30 unveiled four new types of liquor-scented tea leaves touted as having preserved the flavor of the spirits minus the alcohol.
The four pairings of flavors are sorghum liquor with baozhong tea, whiskey with baozhong tea, whiskey with black tea, and red yeast rice wine with black tea. The innovations marked the 119th anniversary of the Tea Research and Extension Station (TRES), the research and development center of Taiwan-cultivated tea under the Council of Agriculture.
The products are unique in that the tea leaves are placed along with “vehicles” scented with liquor materials that allow the leaves to absorb the aroma. This method gives the tea leaves an alcohol-free refreshing flavor, according to the TRES.
The sorghum liquor aromatic tea has a taste of sugar apples while the whiskey tea is tinged with fragrances of honey, dried grapes, and wood. The teas can be consumed alone or used as an ingredient for making other beverages, boasting great commercial potential and added value, the experiment center said.
Going forward, TRES will work to advance Taiwan’s eight tea manufacturing techniques, including the multi-element analysis of tea and a classification mechanism for Taiwanese tea. An effort will also be made to boost the use of tea for healthcare and agri-food education purposes, wrote Agriharvest.