Tea and tobacco pairings

[sosakan]

Unfortunately “tea” is not searchable and spurred to expand a thread about earl grey I thought id ask what other tea heads pair with their other favorite leaf.

me:

Earl Grey: PSLNF, Abingdon
Constant Comment: most aros
Oolong: PSLNF, OGS (YUM)
Puerh: most Balkans imho, the mustiness matches well
Green: 1Q
White: straight virginias

Im looking to expand the list, but I tend to drink hot tea only in the winter/cooler months and my tobacco tends to go hard lat/Balkan at the same time.

a little off topic, could some of you tea snobs recommend a good iced tea? I can’t stand Lipton and their ilk. I’ve made iced tea of some of my loose leaf tea (red robe is awesome) but it gets expensive real quick when I drink a gallon a day in the summer months.

 

[Flatfish]

I love tea. But I live in the UK.
Prob drink about 5 cups a day.

I am no expert but Lapsang Souchon and Russian Caravan are both smokey. Probably go well with anything with Latakia I'm guessing.

Can't help you with iced tea sorry.

 

[Peter Turbo]

a little off topic, could some of you tea snobs recommend a good iced tea? I can’t stand Lipton and their ilk. I’ve made iced tea of some of my loose leaf tea (red robe is awesome) but it gets expensive real quick when I drink a gallon a day in the summer months.

I got 500 grams of Jingmai Mountain Black Tea from Spring 2018. Its pretty much my go to tea, drank a lot of it iced this summer. Very nice hot or iced. This is pretty much the only tea I drink with tobacco as I feel my other teas are too delicate and I want to taste the flavor of the tea not the tobacco smoke when I drink.

 

[jaytex1969]

I discovered the other day that a strong chai pairs well with a latakia blend.

For iced tea, I've used PG Tips for the last few years.

Boil a half gallon of water. Shut off heat, toss 5 or 6 bags in for 10 minutes covered. Remove bags and allow to reach room temp before putting in the fridge.

I also enjoy PG Tips hot, steeped 3-4 minutes for a cup.

A bit of searching and you can find the 240 count box, which helps keep the budget in check.

 

[AcesAndEights]

+1 for chai tea. My go-to regardless of which blend I’m smoking. Also like a good ol’ Arnie Palmer with my pipe in the summer.

 

[Hillcrest]

Unfortunately “tea” is not searchable and spurred to expand a thread about earl grey I thought id ask what other tea heads pair with their other favorite leaf.

me:

Earl Grey: PSLNF, Abingdon
Constant Comment: most aros
Oolong: PSLNF, OGS (YUM)
Puerh: most Balkans imho, the mustiness matches well
Green: 1Q
White: straight virginias

Im looking to expand the list, but I tend to drink hot tea only in the winter/cooler months and my tobacco tends to go hard lat/Balkan at the same time.

a little off topic, could some of you tea snobs recommend a good iced tea? I can’t stand Lipton and their ilk. I’ve made iced tea of some of my loose leaf tea (red robe is awesome) but it gets expensive real quick when I drink a gallon a day in the summer months.

In the summer I drink about a liter of 4C Sugar Free 50/50 Ice Tea and Lemonade mix a day (very diluted). I drink Bromley Estate Tea (English Black Tea) hot - its very strong - one bag could make 3 - 12 oz cups. Other family members drink Lady gray decaf (hot or iced) or Earl Grey decaf (hot or iced). Bromley can be used to make ice tea as well but you might choose to add lemon or sugar. Bromley runs about a $1.99 on sale for 100 tea bags in Ct. Its a good strong English with above average caffeine content....a bit addictive actually.

 

[orlandofurioso]

A fresh Earl Grey, or East Frisian are my absolute favourites regardless what blend I'm smoking.
Prefer my teas with a dash of milk.
Ice tea is not in order . It's for pussies. as is a dash of milk in your tea LOL.

 

[Egg Shen]

I will have to try your pairing suggestions. I have all of those styles in the tea cupboard but I pretty much stick to a simple gold/red/black tea no matter the blend. Like Typhoo or Barry’s. These also make good iced tea IMO. 4 pouches in a 64 oz mason jar. Let sit in sun un desired color is reached. Discard bags and refrigerate

 

[sosakan]

Thank you all for your suggestions! I have shopping to do it seems! I tried to edit my post to update the list as more pairings are suggested, but cannot, so I will update here.

Earl Grey: PSLNF, Abingdon, Anything
Constant Comment: most aros
Oolong: PSLNF, OGS (YUM)
Puerh: most Balkans imho, the mustiness matches well
Green: 1Q
White: straight virginias
Chai: Latakia, Anything
Black: Anything
50/50 A.P.: Anything

iced is for pussies like me, as is cream, sugar and lemon

keep them coming and if you find a particular pairing is incredible or just crudable, let us know and share the knowledge.

 

[Grangerous]

Black tea sweetened with milk and honey makes Granger sing. I don’t know why, but it does.

I drink unsweetened coffee with Pegasus or coffee with just cream. Tea doesn’t have that affect on Pegasus.

Lapsang or Russian Caravan is outstanding smoky tea, whether straight or sweetened with milk and sugar. Also good with a bowl anytime.

Green tea I enjoy alone. Never paired with a pipe.

 

[dino]

I enjoy Upton Tea's Baker Street Afternoon Blend, which is Lapsang, Keemun and Darjeeling. I find it goes well with my English tobacco blends.
As for an "iced tea" I like Crystal Light Peach/Mango Green Tea. Yeah, I know it's not a real brewed tea, but it goes well with any tobacco, and if you add a splash of Honey Jack Daniel's, it's a great warm day refresher.

 

[Architeuthis]

I discovered the other day that a strong chai pairs well with a latakia blend.

For iced tea, I've used PG Tips for the last few years.

Boil a half gallon of water. Shut off heat, toss 5 or 6 bags in for 10 minutes covered. Remove bags and allow to reach room temp before putting in the fridge.

I also enjoy PG Tips hot, steeped 3-4 minutes for a cup.

A bit of searching and you can find the 240 count box, which helps keep the budget in check.



View attachment 178852

I second this. PG tips are a solid choice hot or iced

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Yorkshire Red, Pg Tips and Brook Bond Red are all in my rotation, but I do prefer Loose leaf over the bags,
also German East Frisian Tea blends are mighty good

 

[Flatfish]

I like Yorkshire. That's my go to for teabags. A decent strong brew.
I am currently down to a little bit of Russian Caravan, and a little bit of Whittards 1886 blend (similar to Yorkshire).
Haven't dared to look how much the prices might have risen.
Might be sticking to Yorkshire for a while yet.

 

[n_irwin]

I like iced tea with WCC Rhythm and Blues

 

[sosakan]

Here’s a bump and an update. If you guys have anything more, specific or general, I’m all ears!

Earl Grey: PSLNF, Abingdon, Anything
Constant Comment: most aros
Oolong: PSLNF, OGS (YUM)
Puerh: most Balkans imho, the mustiness matches well
Green: 1Q
White: straight virginias
Chai: Latakia, Anything
Black: Anything
Lapsang Souchon: Anything?
Russian Caravan: Anything?
Upton Tea's Baker Street Afternoon Blend: Englishes
50/50 A.P.: Anything
Iced: WCC Rhythm & Blues


Tobacco
Granger: Black tea with milk and honey
Pegasus: Coffee & Cream

Misc.
peach/mango crystal light + Tennessee honey = southern refresher

 

[sosakan]

Btw, I hate you guys for all the solid recommendations! I am already reeling from buying one leaf…off to the next. Thanks guys!

 

[coys]

This is an interesting idea! I love the Yorkshire Tea you can buy here stateside, it’s a black tea. I drink a lot of Green tea as well, but silver needle white tea is my favorite.

Well, coffee is my favorite but I do love my tea.

I would instinctively think to pair a black with an English, and a green and white with a Balkan or Virginia.

 

[ThermionicScott]

Not being one for subtlety, I used to love drinking some lapsang souchong while smoking English blends.

 

[ClenchedBilliard]

I dunno what it is, but chai and any heavy Latakia blend is a magical combination.