Black Cherry Sky Black Tea Blend

"The road to Manderley lay ahead. There was no moon. The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It was shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt wind from the sea."

-Daphne Du Maurier, Rebecca

This fall tea, inspired by Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, is a mysterious and moody blend that reflects the dark, gothic atmosphere of the novel. The rich, deep flavors of black cherry and plum lend a brooding sweetness, reminiscent of the untamed, shadowy beauty of Manderley. These dark fruits evoke the secrets hidden within its walls, a nod to the novel's suspense and tension. 

The bold chai spices—cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and ginger—infuse the tea with warmth and intensity, echoing the story’s simmering passions and dark undercurrents. Together, the fruits and spices create a layered, complex profile, much like the narrative itself: sweet, spicy, mysterious, and haunting.

When brewed, the tea releases an aroma that’s slightly sweet, with a hint of smokiness, mirroring the way the past lingers and envelopes the present in Rebecca. It’s a perfect tea for a foggy autumn afternoon, to be sipped while lost in thought, or perhaps while reading a gothic novel, steeped in intrigue.

1-2 teaspoons in 8oz of water

Steep at 212° F for 3-5 minutes 

Ingredients: black tea, rooibos tea, cream-caramel pieces (sweetened condensed skimmed milk, sugar, glucose syrup, butter fat, wetting agent: sorbitol, emulsifying agent: mono- and diglyceride of edible fatty acids), cardamom, coriander, whole star aniseed, caramel flavoring, apple pieces, sour cherries, freeze-dried plum pieces, freeze-dried sour cherry pieces, mallow blossoms, cherry flavoring, cinnamon, allspice whole, cloves, orange pieces, ginger pieces, red cornflowers.

Want to read the book that inspired the tea?

Want to read the book that inspired the tea? Find Daphne Du Marier's Rebecca on Bookshop.org! How does it work? When you select your local bookstore on the map provided on their site, they will place a cookie in your browser that identifies you as that store's customer, and your local store will get the full profit from all your Bookshop.org purchases (30% of the book's list price). What a great way to shop local and online at the same time!