At a glance
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Fifteen tea bags of an easy, everyday black tea
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Single-origin organic Yunnan from Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, China
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Tasting notes: malty, golden, caramel and shortbread
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Rounder and less tannic than a standard breakfast blend — forgiving if you over-steep it
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Ingredients: organic Yunnan black tea
- Also sold as loose leaf, in 15-cup and 70-cup bags
How to use it
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Near-boiling water — around 205°F / 96°C.
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Three minutes. Yunnan is forgiving; it will not turn punishing if you forget it for an extra minute, which is part of what makes it an everyday tea.
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Try it plain first. The caramel note is the thing milk would cover.
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Steep it twice — the second cup is lighter and often sweeter.
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It takes milk without collapsing if you want it, though it does not ask for it.
How the Essentials range compares
| Tea |
Character |
Leaf |
Water |
| Bright Green |
Sweet lemon, honeysuckle, mild |
Japanese kukicha green |
~175°F / 80°C |
| English Breakfast |
Bracing tannin, bittersweet cocoa |
South Indian black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Black Gold |
Malty, caramel, shortbread |
Yunnan black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Earl Grey |
Silky bergamot, note of orange |
South Indian & Ceylon black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Decaf Black |
Tannic, strong body, nutty pecan |
South Indian black, CO2 decaf |
~205°F / 96°C |
✨ Temple Tip — this is the one to hand a sceptic
If someone tells you they only drink coffee, this is the tea to put in front of them. The malt and caramel read as familiar rather than floral or vegetal, and it is forgiving enough that a distracted brew still tastes good.
Questions we get asked
How is it different from English Breakfast?
Softer.
English Breakfast is tannic and bracing; Black Gold is malty and round. Same everyday job, gentler delivery.
What does ‘single-origin’ mean here?
The leaf comes from one place — Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County in Yunnan — rather than being blended from several estates or countries, as most breakfast teas are.
Will it go bitter if I forget it?
Less readily than most black teas. Yunnan is unusually forgiving, which is why it makes a good default.
Is there a loose leaf version?
How should I store it?
Airtight, away from light and strong smells; it will hold for about a year.
See the whole range in Tea & Teaware, or start with the Rare Leaves sampler if you would rather taste three single origins before committing to a full bag.
The cupboard tea that never lets you down. #TempleOfDesire
