Georgian black tea
Tea from western Georgia, a major producer in the Soviet period whose industry collapsed in the 1990s and is now being rebuilt on a small scale. Grown at the cold northern limit of cultivation, it gives a light, faintly citrus cup unlike anything from the tropics.
Character
Light and citrus-tinged, with an almost herbal quality that comes from a very short and very cold growing season.
- Flavour
- Citrus, Sweet
- Aroma
- Fresh, Malty
- Mouthfeel
- Medium, Smooth
- Complexity
- Straightforward
- Notes
- citrus zest, hay, light malt
- Aftertaste
- Light and clean with a citrus edge.
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
- Harvest
- Summer
- Processing
- Withering → Rolling and shaping → Oxidation → Drying
History
Georgia was a major tea producer within the Soviet Union, supplying most of the USSR’s domestic tea. The industry collapsed almost completely in the 1990s and is being rebuilt on a small scale, which is why Georgian tea is simultaneously historic and newly available.
Brewing
Western brewing (teapot or mug)
1–1.5 g/100 ml · 95–100 °C · 1 authored infusion
Gongfu brewing (gaiwan)
4–5 g/100 ml · 90–95 °C · 5 authored infusions
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.
- Turkish çay
Two Black Sea tea industries at the northern climatic limit, both producing light citrus-edged tea. Georgian production collapsed and is reviving; Turkey’s grew into the world’s highest per-head consumption.
- Kangra tea
Two teas at the cold northern limits of cultivation, both light and citrus-edged for the same climatic reason.
Similar sensory profile
Shares controlled flavour, aroma and mouthfeel descriptors. A looser match — two teas can share descriptors and still taste nothing alike.
- Afternoon blend
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: citrus, smooth, malty and fresh.
- Anamalai tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: sweet, medium, smooth and malty.
- Bai Mudan
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: sweet, medium, smooth and fresh.
- Bai Mudan Wang
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: sweet, medium, smooth and fresh.
- Beigang Mao Jian
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: sweet, medium, smooth and fresh.
- Ceylon black tea
Shares 4 descriptors with Georgian black tea: citrus, medium, fresh and malty.