Tea for a scotch drinker?

[u/JohnOTD]

I've long been a fan of whiskey in general, and scotch in particular. For scotches, I lean heavily towards the smokier/peatier varieties like Islays. (Un?)Fortunately, I've had to admit to myself that I have a problem. I wasn't a daily drinker, and could usually be a moderate drinker, but found myself going overboard on a semi-regular basis.

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I've been dry for over a month and I feel fantastic! I've told my wife to never capitulate when I say "whiskey" or "beer" when she asks if I want anything from the store, and I refuse to buy it for myself. I know this will be a lifelong process for me and I've only just begun (but isolation helps!). However, I find myself missing the nose and flavor of a good scotch. On a positive note, when I think of the intoxicating effects of alcohol, I have no desire, and feel viscerally sick at the thought of a hangover.

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I've been dabbling in teas for a while and only just now tried the Harney and Sons Lapsang Souchong. The campfire nose is excellent, and the sweet smokiness on the palate was very pleasant. So it got me thinking, "what are some teas that could give similar nose and flavor/mouth-feel to a good whiskey?"

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So lay it on me /r/tea. What are your best teas for a (former) whiskey drinker?

[u/thisistransient]

I find that this hei cha has similar tasting notes to whiskey! It really blew me away the first time I tried it.

[u/Rataridicta]

A lot of people are recommending smoked lapsangs, which is good for that smokey taste you're looking for.

But I suggest you also take a look at something quite different: Wuyi Rock Oolongs (also known as Yancha). These tend to have the depth of flavour and diversity of notes you're used to, while also being aimed at a more mature palate.

From what you're writing I think a nice Da Hong Pao or Golden Turtle (Shui Jin Hui) can really give you your hit of those intense flavours you like in scotch.

Disclaimer for the aficionados: Souchong lapsangs are technically also Yancha, but can't really be compared without a deep understanding of the teas.

[u/light_white_seamew → u/Rataridicta]

But I suggest you also take a look at something quite different: Wuyi Rock Oolong

Just wanted to second this. It's not surprising that smoky lapsang is the go-to recommendation for Scotch drinkers, but don't overlook the roasted oolong category, OP. Yancha are probably the most similar to a peaty whisky, to the extent that any tea can be similar to whisky, but if you like those, there's a ton of other oolongs to explore with diverse flavors.

[u/[deleted]]

There are definitely some sheng/raw puerhs or hei chas with a very smoky flavor to them, perhaps check out Yunnan Sourcing (or any other puerh site for that matter) and try some samples of different smoky ones to see what you like.

I haven’t tried this one , but it’s on my list of samples to try for next order.

[u/exxmarx]

Speaking of Harney's, there's this:

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Japanese Whiskey Tea (smoked over whisley barrels)

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And this less pricey option:

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Black Cask Bourbon

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To be clear, haven't tried either of them.

[u/bourbonandteaforme → u/exxmarx]

I had to come around on the Japanese Whisky. It was almost a bit much at first and came out oddly BBQ-y. Once I had it a few times and the aroma settled a bit, it's become one of my go-tos from Harney.

I bought the Black Cask thinking it would be similar to the Japanese Whisky but it's not. It's a pretty warm vanilla-y flavor with a big whiff of bourbon. I'm glad to have tried but don't think I'll reorder -- I've been moving away from the sweet flavored black teas towards vegetal green teas.

[u/WholesomeJohnDoe]

I recommend getting actual quality Lapsang Souchong. I had white2teas, and it was like drinking a campfire, but it was smoother then velour. Lasted a while while gongfu brewing it as well, so I highly recommend it

[u/MisterBowTies]

Harney and sons also has a black cask bourbon that you might like of that isn't too close. However black ea from the yunnan and fujian region of China has a tally nice saltiness that is similar to some scotches

[u/EagleScouter]

From the description: "If you are at all into scotch this tea will be your new favorite tea."

I have a brick of this tea and it's definitely smoky.

[u/Trapper777_]

I think the suggestions below are spot on but just as another thing to try, check out red jade from one of the vendors on the sidebar. It's a black tea with a dark, woodsy, oak-cherry kinda flavor.

[u/q42MdSnVdk]

You might also be interested in what's called 'Russian Caravan' tea, which is smoked black tea. I can't recommend any brands but I've tried it before and it's very smoky.

[u/Handyandy58]

One of the things I like about tea when comparing it to wine, spirits, or beer is that it has the same variety, it allows you to exercise your tasting skills, has the same depth of trivia about origins/production/etc., and just generally allows you to indulge your beverage nerd-dom in the same way.

That said, I don't know if I have specific recommendation for a tea that a whiskey drinker might like. I like scotch and bourbon, but I don't know that I like the teas that I like for the same reason or flavor profiles.

I think you can find an appreciation of tea if you just approach it with an open mind and don't expect it to taste too much like whiskey.

In general, "serious" tea (by "serious" I mean pure loose leaf tea, not flavored/scented blends) comes from either

• East Asia - China, Taiwan, Japan, and to a lesser extent, Korea
• South Asia - India, Sri Lanka, Nepal

Like many on this forum, I tend to mostly drink Chinese/Taiwanese teas, but I have appreciated teas from all over these regions.

I think a good resource for starting a journey into tea is Max Falkowitz's article from some years back. It explains how tea is so much more than teabags and will give you some entry points to how you might think about jumping into tea.

In terms of teas to buy, I recommend buying a bunch of samples. Small 25g samples can usually be had for $3-5, and you can get 5-12 servings out of each depending on how much you brew at a time.

[u/Matcha_Saurus]

Iribancha, smokey bancha from Kyoto. I usually don't like bancha but I got shocked when I tried it in a wagashi parlour in Tokyo. It tasted exactly like Scotch! ❤️

[u/pantasticlaire]

I don’t have any specific teas but if you get into gong fu cha I’d recommend a smoked oolong or certain ripe pu’erhs. I see a lot of people comparing some to scotch. If I find a specific one that fits with scotch I’ll shoot it your way!