Golden Moon’s Sinharaja (review)

(FYI, Golden Moon Tea is offering free shipping with the use of promo code “Sampler”.)

Name: Sinharaja

Brand: Golden Moon Tea

Type: Black tea

Form: Loose leaf

Cost: .99 for a sample, $12.99 for a 3 oz tin

Review: When I first tried this tea, I remarked on Steepster that this was “not your grandma’s Ceylon”. I’ve come to regard Ceylon as a “neutral” tea, good for pairing with food and making iced tea, but not as having a whole lot of distinctive character.

This opinion changed when I tried Golden Moon’s Sinharaja.

My first indication that something was afoot came with a sniff of the dry leaf: Blackstrap molasses and a distinct anise note that verges on licorice. The tea infuses to a deep burnt-orange liquor,  and while the anise note disappears, a toasty burnt caramel remains.This is a strong and aggressive tea, but it is neither overly astringent nor too bitter.

Incidentally, Golden Moon recommends adding a touch of cream and raw sugar to this tea. I tried both, and didn’t much care for their suggestion. I agree that the tea can certainly stand up to both additives, but I also think it doesn’t need them, and that dairy/sugar unnecessarily blunts the distinctive character of this delicious tea.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

I also tried this tea on ice, and found it to be very good. It did, however, scream for a slice of fresh lemon, which proved a marvellous addition. The bit of fresh citrus complimented the robust tea beautifully. In fact, if someone was looking for a good “winter iced tea”, I’d suggest this one.

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Sample Provided by Manufacturer/Retailer: Yes.

Tagged as: Black Tea, ceylon, golden moon tea, Sinharaja, tea