The African Sunrise tea they had us try before was the simple brewed tea — no sugar, no milk. This time, we were able to try the Brewed, Iced and the Latte version of the African Sunrise. First, the brewed. As soon as the cups was set down on the table, the tantilizing aroma of the tea wafted up to our noses. Right then and there, we knew it was a definite winner, even without tasting. The African Sunrise Brewed Tea is a heady mix of African honeybush, orange peel, and mallow flowers — each with its own unique flavor and scent that blends perfectly together.

Next came the Iced Tea variant. Unlike the hot brewed tea, the Iced Tea had added sugar, to cater to the Filipino taste. One sip and I’ve forgotten all the other Iced Teas I’ve tried before. The African Sunrise Iced tea was refreshing, and would be the beverage of choice, after a long walk out in the sun. The hot nor the iced tea prepared me for the African Sunrise Tea Latte, though. I’m not much of a latte drinker, but this variant made me a convert. Mixed with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s signature Vanilla powder, the African Sunrise is transformed once again into a great coffee alternative. The vanilla further enhances the tea’s natural flavor, while infusing its own distinct taste.

 
Each beverage was paired with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s yummy food offerings. The brewed tea was paired with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s Chicago Cheesecake, the iced tea with the Chef’s Tuna Sandwich, and the tea latte with the Honey Bran Muffin. Each pairing was a perfect match, and further affirms my belief that CBTL has the best coffee shop food.

Mark your calendars: the African Sunrise will hit the stores on Monday, July 28th. Which variant will you order?

What the other bloggers are saying about African Sunrise:
Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf’s African Sunrise Tea
Coffee Bean’s African Sunrise tea offering and the Wisdom of Crowds
African Sunrise Tea from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf on July 28
July 28. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf African Sunrise. MMMMM.
African Sunrise soon in Manila
Travel and Tourism News

Unless you count iced tea, tea drinking hasn’t caught on the same way coffee did with the influx of coffee shops all over the Philippines. Tea, however, is starting to get its following. Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Marketing Director Paolo del Rosario seized this opportunity to introduce Filipinos to the different range of flavors that tea has to offer.

Teaching bloggers how to properly slurp the tea, Mr. DeCandia proceeded to introduce five different teas for tasting: the Genmaicha Green, a toasty brew with a sweetness provided by rice; the Fancy Formosa Dragon Oolong with a subtle floral aroma and a hint of peach; the Apricot Ceylon, a light tea with the fruity flavor of apricot; the Chai, the full bodied spicy tea, which has long been the favorite of many tea drinkers, and; the African Sunrise, a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf exclusive, which will be available in the Philippine starting June 2008.

Some photos from the Tea Appreciation Seminar:

Can you spot and identify the bloggers?

David DeCandia teaching the finer points of slurping tea

Lining up the get the first taste of the Genmaicha Green

AJ and Phoebe

Noemi and Ajay

Eric, Arpee and Khusten

Nina and Fritz

Khursten and Kaoko with their Pinkies

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