Cheers to a boozy brew!

For those with a penchant for tea, whisky or both, British brand NOVELTEA has paired the two and created The Tale of Oolong - an infusion of Chinese oolong tea with red rose petals, papaya, mango flakes and Scotch whisky.

The Tale of Oolong is the brand's third infusion of tea with spirit, the ready-to-drink tipple can be served either hot, cold or as a key cocktail ingredient.

Developed by artisan mixologists; Vincent Efferoth and Lukas Passia, NOVELTEA originally launched their concept in 2017 with The Tale of Earl Grey (an infusion of black Earl Grey tea with British gin and botanicals) and The Tale of Tangier(an infusion of Moroccan green mint tea withspearmint, dried lemongrass, dried apple, blackberry leaves and Caribbean white rum). 

Britain is a nation of tea lovers. After water, it's the most consumed beverage and it's not surprising – after all; what problems can't be solved with a cup of tea? Bored by 'incremental innovations in established product categories such as new flavoured gins and new craft beers', founders Efferoth and Passia are on a mission to disrupt the drinks industry and create a new category in the alcohol market – tea with spirit.

NOVELTEA is the first brand in the world to develop the concept of a boozy cold-brewed tea in a ready-to-drink format with an infusion of either whisky, gin or rum. The tastes and flavours of NOVELTEA are inspired by cultures and heritage associated with the origins of the tea, which along with their ingredients, have been sourced from around the world.

The Tale of Oolongis a completely natural product, made with real tea extract and devoid of any artificial colours. To create the blend, NOVELTEA cold-brew the ingredients for10-hours to draw out the distinctive flavours of the tea and then pair with whisky. The cold-brewing process delivers natural sweetness with a smooth finish thanks to the bitter tannins that have been drawn away. The level of tea vs. spirit is 1/3 spirit to 2/3 tea. 

Since its inception, NOVELTEA has been a brand to watch, having successfully raised over £500,000 through crowdfunding, that surged past their original targets. In just over 12 months, NOVELTEA has experienced rapid growth, with revenue growing by 400%, following a series of international listings across Greater China and Europe.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

• NOVELTEA's revenue has grown over 400% in the last twelve months, 62% UK and 38% export.
• NOVELTEA appeared on Dragon's Den in November 2018 and received three investment offers: Tej Lalvani proposed £80,000 for a 40% stake, Jenny Campbell also came in with an £80,000 bid for 40%, while Touker Suleyman undercut the pair with an £80,000 offer for 39%
• Efferoth and Passia's strategy prior to Dragons' Den was to cap the stake in NOVELTEA at 10%. After negotiation, the three Dragons agreed to join forces to offer £80,000 for 30%, which Efferoth and Passia declined, as the maximum they would be willing to accept was 15%
• NOVELTEA is ranked as one of the top new businesses in the UK this year by the Startups 100 2018 index and is also a SIAL Innovation Award Winner 2018
• Winner of Speciality Food Magazine's 'New Producer Award 2018' for crowdfunding
• Featured in Great Taste Awards 2018 list of winners
• Silver medal winner in the Spirits Business Award 2018
• Stocked in over 150 stores across the UK
• NOVELTEA has successfully raised over half a million pounds in crowdfunding over a two-year period
• NOVELTEA currently exports to China, Hong Kong and Germany, with plans to develop further markets in France, Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Singapore, the US and Australia
• The Tale of Earl Grey– A rich taste ofEarl Grey tea infused with juniper and British ginRRP: £9.95 for 25cl and £24.95 for 70cl (11% abv.)
• The Tale of Tangier– An exotic infusion of Moroccan green mint tea with sp­­earmint, dried lemongrass, dried apple, blackberry leaves and Caribbean rumRRP: £9.95 for 25cl and £24.95 for 70cl
• The Tale of Oolong– A floral infusion of oolong tea infused with Scotch whiskyRRP: £9.95 for 25cl and £24.95 for 70cl (11% abv.)
• All three Tales are cold-brewed in the UK and are vegan, gluten-free and free from any artificial colours