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Tea and Whisky

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Bill Spohn

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Tea and Whisky

by Bill Spohn » Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:38 pm

Sitting here snowed in, we are pulling out some of the teas we drink less often - Gunpowder and what not.

I just made SWMBO and I a cuppa Lapsang Souchong, a pungent black China tea, and the second I stuck my nose in it, I thought "Laphroaig!". That same seaweed and smoke thing hits you (although in different porportions).

Started thinking about it and there are probably a few other descriptors from teas that would be useful for wine and spirits. Must think about it.
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Frank Deis

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Frank Deis » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:56 am

Hi Bill

I see exactly what you mean, smoke is smoke and Laphroag and Lagavulin and Ardbeg have some significant similarity therefore with Lapsang Souchong.

But I will be surprised if you can go much farther with this. There is no wine that smells like Earl Grey, and the subtleties of the sort of Oolong teas that I like to drink are outside the "Aroma Wheel" of wine. Tell me a wine that smells like Gyokuro?

Good concept but it can only go so far.

F
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Jenise

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Jenise » Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:09 am

Frank Deis wrote:But I will be surprised if you can go much farther with this. There is no wine that smells like Earl Grey


Actually, I find similar associations between the teas I like best and pinot noirs, and you've named one of the better examples. I may not get bergamot in a wine, but lavendar yes, and more broadly floral and citrus characters are not uncommon at all.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Frank Deis » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:03 am

Jenise, on the one hand I think I see what you mean.

On the other hand if bergamot is "similar" to lavendar because they both have sweet smells then isn't the concept of similarity stretched to the point of meaninglessness? I mean you might as well point out that tea, Scotch and wine are transparent liquids meant for human ingestion...

F
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Bill Spohn

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Bill Spohn » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:09 am

Clarets, well along in life, often bring tea to mind in the nose.
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Steve Guattery

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Steve Guattery » Sat Dec 27, 2008 10:52 am

Frank Deis wrote:Tell me a wine that smells like Gyokuro?


Interesting question. Not Gyokuro, but most Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blancs I've tried have had a grassy note that is strongly reminiscent of Long Jing (or Lung Ching under a slightly different transliteration scheme). I once got a similar note in a Vatan Sancerre, though not quite as distinct.
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Robin Garr

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Robin Garr » Sat Dec 27, 2008 11:06 am

What a great concept! I've always argued that tea has considerable similarity to wine: A subtle, complex beverage made from an agricultural product that arguably shows varietal differences and characteristics dependent on the climate and soil (dare we say terroir?), that may or may not be extensively manipulated by a human producer, and that goes very well with food and may be (although rarely is) used in cooking. Tea typically shows floral and vegetal fragrances and may add nuances of earth and (as noted) smoke. No alcohol, but the parallels seem to me far too close to ignore. I've often recommended tea as the No. 1 choice beverage when one wishes wine but prefers to avoid alcohol at the moment.

To cite one examle that hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread, the kinship between Pu Erh tea and Burgundy is quite apparent; here, just for fun, let's pull a few tea descriptors out of a recent Upton Tea catalog:

"Zesty brightness with some interesting complexity, finishes with fruity nuances." (Organic Green Chun Mee Dao Ming)

"Vegetal, with notes of wild honey and dried fruit." (Ancient Green Pu Erh Tuo Cha)

"The aroma is clean and fresh, with notes of orange and other citrus." (Chamraj Estate FOP Nilgiri District)

"Round body, complex character and fruity muscatel (!) nuances. (Thurbo Estate FTGFOP1 TIPPY/CI Second Flush)

Get the idea? ;)
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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Hoke » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:24 pm

Robin, you might add to your list that tea has (or can have, rather) significant levels of tannin.

In some of my elementary wine seminars over the years I've used tea quite often to represent tannin, and astringency as opposed to bitterness.

And I quite frequently pick up bergamot/Earl Gray in chardonnay.

In addition, mixologists/bartenders use tea in different cocktails.
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Jenise

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Jenise » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:26 pm

Frank Deis wrote:On the other hand if bergamot is "similar" to lavendar because they both have sweet smells then isn't the concept of similarity stretched to the point of meaninglessness? I mean you might as well point out that tea, Scotch and wine are transparent liquids meant for human ingestion...

F


Actually, bergamot is a type of orange and is what gives Earl Gray it's citrussy character. Blue flower petals are also present, though not always the same flower is used. I've read of cornflower, hyacinth and something called "mallow" that I'm unfamiliar with in nature.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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Robin Garr

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Robin Garr » Sat Dec 27, 2008 1:49 pm

Hoke wrote:Robin, you might add to your list that tea has (or can have, rather) significant levels of tannin.

Dang, I thought I said that. I usually do when I give this sermon. ;)

I can't say that I've ever found bergamot/Earl Grey in a wine, though.
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Paul Winalski

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Paul Winalski » Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:53 pm

My dad always says that lapsang souchong smells like a navy ship's paint locker (which is where they keep the tar).

-Paul W.
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Larry Greenly

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Re: Tea and Whisky

by Larry Greenly » Sat Dec 27, 2008 5:09 pm

Actually, more like a burned house because it's smoked over pine. But it's quite mellow once brewed.

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