A subtle aroma of rose presents itself to the nose. A delicate sweetness caresses the taste buds and a warm finish provides a broad satisfaction.
Sound like a fine wine tasting? Try again.
It's the latest offering to hit local tea lovers' palates, a made-in-B.C. blend labelled Royal B.C. Museum Tea. The loose-leaf blend of India, China and Ceylon teas is infused with such native species as Nootka rosehips, black raspberry, salmonberry and salal berry.
Erica Wheeler, botany collections manager at the museum, said the Nootka rose (Rosa nutkana) was known as used by the WSÁNEC (Saanich) people and was first collected on the B.C. coast by a Bohemian botanist in the 1790s. According to the museum's research, it wasn't named or described until the mid-1800s.
The Royal B.C. Museum's herbarium, home to various plant specimens and part of the natural history collection, was the site this week for the official launch of the blend, to be sold as a fundraiser for the museum's foundation.
The tea is available for purchase at at the Royal Museum Shop and both Silk Road stores. For more information, visit rbcm.bc.ca or silkroadstore.com.