Dynastea

The requirement of good taste

Former dean of a very exclusive club in South Kensington,Lady Edith Ashfordis the eldest of the Ashford family, loyal to our House for generations. Always in an impeccably tailored suit, cigarette holder in hand, she embodies elegant discipline and eloquent silences. Her sharp gaze has seen many a crease fall… and many a suitor. Dynastea is her mirror: full-bodied, smoky, with bergamot as sharp as her wit. Unforgettable, and a little intimidating.

The Etiquette of a Flawless Mug

Lady Edith Ashford does not compromise on any point of etiquette, especially not when it comes to tea drinking. For her, her Dynastea is drunk black, without milk, sugar, or lemon. Too many faux pas have been made, she says, through ignorance or weakness. Smoky, complex teas, like this China-Ceylon blend with its assertive bergamot, require clarity, not sweetening. Adding milk here would be to cloud a brilliant speech; sugar to flatter a character that has no need of it; a slice of lemon to drown the bergamot in superfluous redundancy.

Tea and food pairings
This smoky tea pairs beautifully with aged cheddar or blue-veined stilton, served with dark bread, a fresh herb omelet for aristocratic brunches, cumin or pepper shortbread for discerning palates, or simply a square of 85% dark chocolate to accompany the voluntary solitude of an afternoon of reading.

Recipes and cocktails using Dynastea black tea
With its smoky depth and citrusy zest, Dynastea inspires creations with refined accents. Iced, it lends itself to a slow, cold infusion, enhanced with a simple twist of candied lemon zest and a dash of orgeat syrup to reveal its woody minerality. For a cocktail interpretation, pair it with a peaty whisky or a dry vermouth, using a base of Dynastea tea syrup reduced over low heat, with a dash of Angostura bitters. Served over a large ice cube in a low glass, it evokes hushed salons where conversation flows more than words are spoken. A drink of character, for lovers of shadows, leather, and silence.