Liquorice Tea

Sweet, full-bodied and unmistakably liquorice: this herbal tea doesn't pretend to be anything else. Liquorice root takes the lead, with aniseed, fennel and a touch of chilli stepping in to deepen its flavour rather than mask it. Orange peel and cinnamon round things off with a little nuance and gentle sweetness. The result is an infusion that warms and lingers long after the last sip.

What liquorice tea tastes like

The first thing you notice is the liquorice itself: intense, dense and naturally sweet. It isn't the sweetness of sugar but the distinctive, slightly herbal sweetness of liquorice root. Just behind it come aniseed and fennel, lending the infusion a fresh, faintly spicy backdrop. The chilli doesn't burn; it works more like a seasoning, drawing out depth of flavour and leaving a subtle warmth at the back of the throat.

Orange peel adds a delicate citrus lift that brightens the whole cup, while cinnamon rounds off the blend and brings a hint of winter cosiness. Altogether it is full, aromatic and clear in character, a tea for anyone who likes their brew to have a personality.

If you know liquorice mainly from sweets, the infusion may surprise you: it is cleaner and more herbal, yet clearly sweet. That sweetness comes from the root itself, which is why the tea tastes full without ever being cloying, and every sip reveals another layer: liquorice first, then aniseed and fennel, finally the warmth of chilli and cinnamon.

How to brew liquorice tea

Because this is a herbal tea, you can let it steep for as long as you like without any bitter aftertaste creeping in. The longer it brews, the sweeter and more intense it becomes.

Brewing guide

• Water: freshly boiled, around 100 °C.
• Dose: 10 to 20 g of tea per litre of water, depending on how strong you like it.
• Time: at least 8 minutes; we recommend 8 to 10 minutes so the liquorice root can release its full sweetness.

A few practical tips

If you brew in a pot, keep the lid on while it steeps so the aromas of aniseed and fennel stay in your cup rather than drifting around the kitchen. A shorter steep gives a milder infusion with a clearer orange note; a longer one gives a sweeter, more liquorice-forward tea. It is just as good hot as it is cooled down, when the liquorice sweetness comes through even more clearly.

When to drink it

Liquorice tea is lovely in the evening when you fancy something sweet without reaching for dessert, and on chilly days when aniseed, cinnamon and chilli bring a pleasant warmth from within. Thanks to the natural sweetness of liquorice root, it needs no sugar at all.

Please note: this tea contains liquorice. People with high blood pressure should avoid consuming it in large quantities.

If you fall for the flavour, the same blend is also available from us as loose tea in a tin and in tins of pyramid tea bags, handy for everyday use and for travelling. Here you get the liquorice tea as a loose herbal tea, so you decide the strength of every cup yourself.