Prince of Wales tea blend
Encyclopedia
Prince of Wales tea blend is a blend of China black tea
s typically served in the afternoon with scones in Britain
. The blend was originally devised for Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII
. The strong earthy scent of Edward's tea reportedly came from high grade Keemun tea
from Anhui Province blended with other black teas from around China in order to produce a complex cup of tea. Prince of Wales tea is mild, but full-bodied, with a bright liquor and strong aroma.
Edward, Prince of Wales, first granted Twinings
permission to sell his personal blend using his royal title, in 1921. Twinings of London
, however, has largely withdrawn its Prince of Wales tea from the United Kingdom
market although it is still marketed abroad, as witnessed by Twinings's official regional websites. In its American online catalog, Twinings once stated that "Prince of Wales is a pure China black tea sourced from regions including the Yunnan
province and other southern regions of China. This blend is light in color and has a smooth and mild taste, with a well-rounded character. Great in the late morning or in the afternoon, it is perfect with or without milk and can be sweetened to taste." Twinings has advanced the time it is permissible to enjoy this classical afternoon tea to "late morning."
As with many blends of tea, such as Earl Grey tea
and English Breakfast tea
, there is no firmly fixed formula for what teas go into Prince of Wales tea blend. Many varieties of Prince of Wales tea are now produced. One Prince of Wales tea, for example, is a blend of "Assam
black tea, Ceylon
black tea, Gunpowder green tea
, Lucky Dragon Hyson green tea, and natural black currant flavoring."
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
s typically served in the afternoon with scones in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The blend was originally devised for Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII
Edward VIII of the United Kingdom
Edward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
. The strong earthy scent of Edward's tea reportedly came from high grade Keemun tea
Keemun tea
Keemun is a black Chinese tea with a winey and fruity taste, designated as a China Famous Tea.-History:Keemun is produced in the Qimen County of Huangshan City, in Anhui province. Keemun has a relatively short history...
from Anhui Province blended with other black teas from around China in order to produce a complex cup of tea. Prince of Wales tea is mild, but full-bodied, with a bright liquor and strong aroma.
Edward, Prince of Wales, first granted Twinings
Twinings
Twinings is a marketer of tea based in Andover, Hampshire, England.- History :The founder of Twinings, Thomas Twining, opened the first known tea room, at 216 Strand, London, in 1706, which is still operating today. The firm's logo, created in 1787, is one of the world's oldest in continuous use...
permission to sell his personal blend using his royal title, in 1921. Twinings of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, however, has largely withdrawn its Prince of Wales tea from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
market although it is still marketed abroad, as witnessed by Twinings's official regional websites. In its American online catalog, Twinings once stated that "Prince of Wales is a pure China black tea sourced from regions including the Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province and other southern regions of China. This blend is light in color and has a smooth and mild taste, with a well-rounded character. Great in the late morning or in the afternoon, it is perfect with or without milk and can be sweetened to taste." Twinings has advanced the time it is permissible to enjoy this classical afternoon tea to "late morning."
As with many blends of tea, such as Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea
Earl Grey tea is a tea blend with a distinctive flavour and aroma derived from the addition of oil extracted from the rind of the bergamot orange, a fragrant citrus fruit....
and English Breakfast tea
English Breakfast tea
English Breakfast tea is a traditional blend of select teas originating from Assam, Ceylon and Kenya. It is one of the most popular blended teas...
, there is no firmly fixed formula for what teas go into Prince of Wales tea blend. Many varieties of Prince of Wales tea are now produced. One Prince of Wales tea, for example, is a blend of "Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
black tea, Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
black tea, Gunpowder green tea
Green tea
Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...
, Lucky Dragon Hyson green tea, and natural black currant flavoring."