Talking Tea

Today we welcome back Kevin Gascoyne of Montreal's famed Camellia Sinensis Tea House to explore tea pairings, and specifically pairing tea with scotch. We begin our chat by looking at some current developments in tea innovation and sophistication, and then begin to look directly at pairing and explore how two different flavor profiles can play against each other. Kevin gives us the how and why of "sandwich" pairing - tasting a scotch sandwiched between two tastings of tea - and we discuss the importance of focusing on sensory experience in pairing, as well as the fusions, contrasts, clashes and harmonies that can result. We get to explore first hand the amazing complexity of taste and aroma that emerges as Kevin takes us through a sandwich pairing of a single malt scotch with a rock tea.  Kevin encourages everyone to experiment with pairing on your own. If you can (legally) drink alcohol and want to try the pairing we did with Kevin, the tea is Bai Rui Xiang, a Wuyi mountain rock tea, and the scotch is Aberlo