Usually when I encounter a mint tea, it has either a green tea base, or it’s an all herbal tea.  So, when I read the ingredients for this tea, I was quite surprised to find that it is a mint with a black tea base – more specifically, a Dimbula and Assam tea blend base – making this a deliciously different mint tea that I’m growing more captivated by with each sip.

The fragrance of the dried tea is very mysterious, you can detect just a hint of the mint; the black teas tend to masque the scent of the mint a bit, so it is not a strong minty bouquet.

The flavor is outstanding!  The tea is very brisk and full-bodied, with a nice, cleansing astringency to it.  The tea is strong with malty tones, while the peppermint washes over the palate with a fresh, herbal note.  The balance is perfect between the two very bold and prominent flavors, providing a very rich, satisfying cup.

Culinary Teas describes this tea as:

Moroccan Madness is peppermint fresh with full body and flavor.  Sit in Bogey’s favorite haunt in Casablanca and you can hear him say to the tea waiter, ‘hit me again Sam’.

Traditionally Moroccans consume a harsh beverage prepared with fresh or dried mint leaves. The English were thought to have introduced Moroccans to tea, which was delightfully welcomed as a pleasant way to blend out the harshness of mint. The introduction came about on account of the proximity of the British at their garrison in Gibraltar. The trade links between Gibraltar and Morocco made the blending of cultures and the adoption of black tea a natural extension of their geographic position.

We have taken some liberties with this blend as Moroccans originally used green tea in their mix and we have substituted fine black teas for their strength. If you can picture yourself sitting on a long fringe carpet in a colourful tiled room decorated in bright Islamic design, sipping from a small handpainted glass -you may discover one of the many pleasures of this ancient kingdom. Moroccans say that tea should be bitter as death, sweet as life, and as mellow as love. We’ve tried to capture that in this cup.

It is important to exercise caution when brewing this tea, as it can become quite bitter if left to brew too long.  This is typical of most Assam teas that I’ve tried – there is a very fine line between perfectly brewed and over-brewed.   I did add a little sweetener (agave nectar) to this tea, which brought out some of the natural sweetness of the mint as well as some of the more subtle qualities of the tea, and also curbed some of the sharper, more astringent characteristics of the tea.  However, it is also quite good without sweetener, should you prefer it that way.

I think I would prefer to drink this tea hot.  Assam tea possesses such a lovely malty characteristic that tends to fade as it cools, and I really think that what sets this tea apart from other mint teas that I’ve tried is the way that the mint and malt contrast each other in this delightful beverage.

This would make a very nice early morning tea – the blend of Assam and Dimbula creates a hearty flavor with enough vigor to get you going, and the mint provides a very vibrant, rewarding flavor that will make waking up to it the most pleasurable part of your day.