Afternoon blend
The lighter counterpart to a breakfast blend, conventionally Darjeeling-led or high-grown Ceylon-led and intended to be drunk without milk or with very little. It is a category defined entirely by intended occasion, which is unusual even among blends.
Character
Lighter and more aromatic than a breakfast blend, built so that a second and third cup do not become a chore. Composition varies completely between packers.
- Flavour
- Fruity, Citrus
- Aroma
- Malty, Fresh
- Mouthfeel
- Light, Smooth
- Complexity
- Straightforward
- Notes
- muscat, citrus, light malt
- Aftertaste
- Light and briskly clean.
Moderate intensity: noticeable weight or grip, but neither dominates the cup.
Provenance and production
- Origin
- Not recorded — blends have components rather than a place.
- Oxidation
- Fully oxidised
- Processing
- Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 88–93 °C · 1 authored infusion
Mug infuser brewing
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 95–101 °C · 1 authored infusion
Tea bag brewing
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 95–100 °C · 1 authored infusion
No caffeine estimate is authored for this tea. TeaHQ does not infer one from its category, because category predicts caffeine poorly — matcha and gyokuro carry more than many black teas.
If you like this
Grouped by why they were suggested, strongest reason first. Nothing here is a blended score — a suggestion appears under the best reason that exists for it, and never under a weaker one as well.
Editorially linked
Someone wrote down why these two belong together. The note below is theirs.
- Lady Grey
Both lighter, more delicate blends sold for later in the day. Lady Grey adds citrus peel and cornflower to an Earl Grey base; afternoon blends usually have no flavouring at all.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Bai Hao Yin Zhen (Silver Needle)
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: fruity, light, smooth and fresh.
- Fuding Silver Needle
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: fruity, light, smooth and fresh.
- Georgian black tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: citrus, smooth, fresh and malty.
- Goishicha
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: fruity, light, smooth and fresh.
- Kenyan orthodox black tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: citrus, fruity, fresh and malty.
- Tamaryokucha
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: fruity, citrus, smooth and fresh.
- Wakoucha
Shares 4 descriptors with Afternoon blend: fruity, light, smooth and malty.