Winter Morning 2025

Winter Morning is our seasonal blend of nuanced, rare black teas. We offer it as a way to celebrate the changing seasons, close out the year, and welcome the new one. And just like each year is different from the last, Winter Morning is too.    Profile: Malty, cocoa, warming spice.    While the profile is consistent from year to year, the way we get there and the specific sensory experiences change.   This year’s blend is approachable and smooth, with a rounded mouthfeel. The flavor is malty, with an underlying cocoa character, a subtle cooked fruit sweetness, and lingering woodsy spice.     I built it around a black tea made from Mei Zhan, the large leaf variety typically known for oolong. I got the sample from Aaron at GS Haly and cupped it alongside a handful of other contenders. What immediately struck me was its spicy, cooked fruit aroma. Brewed, Mei Zhan is inviting and layered with oolong-esque fruit. Even made as a black tea, that familiar oolong fruitiness is right there. I