RED LOTUS
RED TEA SCENTED WITH LOTUS
RED (BLACK) TEA
★ PESTICIDE-FREE GARDENING
Vietnam
RED LOTUS is a traditional Vietnamese scented tea that combines high-quality red tea with the delicate fragrance of natural lotus stamens. Produced using a time-honored scenting method, the tea gradually absorbs the elegant floral aroma of lotus flowers, creating a harmonious balance between the richness of red tea and the purity of one of Asia's most revered flowers. The infusion is smooth, aromatic, and refined, offering notes of honey, dried fruits, warm malt, and delicate lotus blossoms that create a deeply elegant and memorable tea experience. MORE
50g
AROMA
Floral
TASTE
Fruity, woody
PRODUCTION: Spring, 2024
RED (BLACK) TEA
★ PESTICIDE-FREE GARDENING
Vietnam
RED LOTUS is a traditional Vietnamese scented tea that combines high-quality red tea with the delicate fragrance of natural lotus stamens. Produced using a time-honored scenting method, the tea gradually absorbs the elegant floral aroma of lotus flowers, creating a harmonious balance between the richness of red tea and the purity of one of Asia's most revered flowers. The infusion is smooth, aromatic, and refined, offering notes of honey, dried fruits, warm malt, and delicate lotus blossoms that create a deeply elegant and memorable tea experience. MORE
50g
AROMA
Floral
TASTE
Fruity, woody
PRODUCTION: Spring, 2024
According to studies, red/black teas can absorb heavy metals and toxins, as well as break them down. Medical experiments show that red tea alkaloids excite the central nervous system, increase concentration, and improve mental abilities, which strengthens memory. Alkaloids also stimulate the cardiovascular system and increase heartbeat, thereby accelerating blood circulation. It has a revitalising effect and helps in digestion processes.
Learn more about the BIOCHEMISTRY OF A TEA LEAF
EASTERN (PIN CHA) ★
Temperature: 95-95 °C
Amount: 5-7 grams per 120 ml of water
Steeping: 10-30 sec x 5
WESTERN (INFUSION)
Temperature: 95-99 °C
Amount: 2-3 grams per 250 ml of water
Steeping: 1-2 min x 2
Learn more about TEA BREWING METHODS
Tea absorbs surrounding aromas and moisture and loses its properties, including taste and aroma. Store it in a dry and cool place in airtight packaging. Avoid direct exposure to the sun and high temperatures.
BEST BEFORE: 2 years since production date!
*When properly stored, this tea gets better with time!
BEST BEFORE: 2 years since production date!
*When properly stored, this tea gets better with time!
Learn more ABOUT TEA STORAGE
ABOUT
RED LOTUS is one of the most distinctive teas in our Vietnamese collection, combining high-quality spring red tea with the delicate fragrance of natural lotus stamens through a traditional scenting process. The tea is produced from carefully selected leaves harvested from old tea trees in Northern Vietnam and then scented for several days, allowing the leaves to gradually absorb the subtle floral aroma of fresh lotus flowers. This slow and labor-intensive process creates a tea that balances the richness and depth of red tea with the elegance and purity of lotus.
For the production we use premium red tea sourced from Northern Vietnam and personally carry out the scenting process in very limited quantities. Following traditional methods, layers of tea leaves and freshly collected lotus stamens are carefully arranged one upon another, allowing the tea to naturally absorb the fragrance released by the flower. This process requires patience, experience, and a large quantity of fresh lotus material to achieve the desired result without overwhelming the character of the tea itself.
Lotus tea is among the most respected and culturally significant tea traditions in Vietnam. The production season is extremely short, as lotus flowers bloom for only a limited period each year. Collecting the stamens is entirely manual work, requiring great care and significant effort, as each flower yields only a small amount of the aromatic material necessary for scenting. As a result, authentic lotus-scented tea remains a rare and highly appreciated specialty that is traditionally reserved for important occasions and special guests.
Historically, lotus scenting has most commonly been applied to green tea. Our founder, however, has always been particularly fascinated by the combination of lotus fragrance with high-quality red tea. The natural sweetness, warmth, and depth of red tea create a beautiful foundation for the delicate floral notes of lotus, resulting in a richer and more layered interpretation of this classic Vietnamese tradition.
The lotus flower itself occupies a special place throughout Eastern culture. In Buddhist traditions, it symbolizes purity, wisdom, spiritual development, and the ability to rise above adversity, much like the flower itself emerges clean and beautiful from muddy waters. Throughout Vietnam and many other Asian countries, nearly every part of the lotus plant is used in traditional cuisine, medicine, and everyday life. Seeds, roots, leaves, flowers, and stamens all serve culinary or medicinal purposes and have been appreciated for centuries for their nutritional and cultural value. The short-lived beauty of the lotus blossom has also inspired poets, artists, and philosophers throughout Asia. Its brief flowering season serves as a reminder of the impermanent nature of all things and the importance of appreciating beauty while it is present. This symbolism has contributed to the lotus becoming one of the most beloved cultural and spiritual symbols throughout the region.
RED LOTUS can be enjoyed through multiple brewing approaches. It performs beautifully in traditional Gongfu preparation, where the floral and tea characteristics gradually unfold over many infusions. Equally, it produces an elegant Western-style infusion with remarkable balance and aroma. During warmer months, it also excels as a cold-brewed tea, revealing a refreshing, naturally sweet, and highly aromatic profile that highlights the unique harmony between old tree red tea and fresh lotus fragrance.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves display a beautiful composition of dark brown and golden-red tea leaves interwoven with delicate lotus stamens. Their appearance immediately reflects the traditional scenting process and the care invested in every stage of production. The aroma of the dry leaf is elegant and highly refined, combining warm honeyed notes, dried fruits, sweet malt, and cocoa with the unmistakable fragrance of fresh lotus blossoms. In a preheated teapot or gaiwan, the aroma becomes remarkably expressive, revealing layers of floral nectar, wild honey, ripe apricots, baked fruits, vanilla, warm pastry notes, and the delicate sweetness characteristic of freshly opened lotus flowers. As the leaves awaken, the floral and tea components become beautifully integrated, creating an aroma that feels both luxurious and natural.
The liquor is bright, clear, and luminous, displaying a rich amber-red color with golden reflections. The aroma of the infusion is soft, elegant, and deeply aromatic, combining notes of lotus petals, floral nectar, wild honey, dried apricots, raisins, warm malt, sweet spices, and delicate cocoa undertones. The texture is exceptionally smooth and silky, coating the palate with softness while maintaining excellent structure and clarity. The taste opens with natural sweetness and floral elegance before gradually revealing layers of honey, dried fruits, baked apples, caramelized sugar, gentle malt, and fresh lotus fragrance. Unlike artificially scented teas, the lotus remains delicate and refined, complementing rather than dominating the tea itself. Throughout multiple infusions, the tea continues to evolve, revealing increasing depth and complexity while preserving remarkable harmony between floral and tea characteristics.
The aftertaste is long, clean, and highly aromatic, leaving lingering impressions of lotus blossoms, honey sweetness, ripe fruits, and delicate floral nectar in the mouth and throat. As the session progresses, the floral notes become increasingly integrated with the rich character of the red tea, creating a refined and meditative experience. In the empty cup, the aroma remains intensely fragrant, revealing lingering notes of fresh lotus flowers, honey, vanilla, dried fruits, warm pastries, and subtle cocoa nuances. This final fragrance is often considered one of the most beautiful aspects of traditional lotus-scented tea, offering a lasting reminder of the flower's elegance long after the tea has been enjoyed.
GASTRONOMY
RED LOTUS is an exceptionally versatile gastronomic tea whose elegant floral fragrance and naturally sweet red tea foundation allow it to pair beautifully with both Eastern and Western cuisine. Its delicate lotus aroma complements light desserts such as fruit tarts, honey cakes, sponge cakes, rice-based sweets, almond pastries, panna cotta, and desserts featuring stone fruits or vanilla. The floral notes add refinement and freshness while the rich body of the red tea provides enough structure to support more complex flavors.
The tea also performs remarkably well alongside savory dishes. Fresh cheeses, mild goat cheese, poultry dishes, steamed fish, rice dishes, spring rolls, and light vegetarian cuisine pair naturally with its balanced character. The floral elegance of the lotus helps cleanse the palate while the sweetness and body of the tea create harmony with delicate savory ingredients without overwhelming them.
Within Vietnamese cuisine, RED LOTUS finds a particularly natural place at the table. Its aromatic profile complements traditional sweets made from lotus seeds, mung beans, sticky rice, coconut, and seasonal fruits, while also pairing beautifully with light afternoon snacks and festive dishes. The tea's cultural connection to the lotus flower further enhances its role as a beverage traditionally associated with hospitality, celebration, and moments of quiet appreciation.
Beyond food pairing, RED LOTUS is equally enjoyable as a standalone tea. Its balance between floral elegance and red tea richness makes it suitable for traditional Gongfu sessions, relaxed Western-style brewing, and refreshing cold-brew preparation. Whether served during a formal tea gathering, alongside fine cuisine, or simply enjoyed in a moment of reflection, RED LOTUS offers a refined and memorable experience that beautifully expresses one of Vietnam's most treasured tea traditions.
RED LOTUS is one of the most distinctive teas in our Vietnamese collection, combining high-quality spring red tea with the delicate fragrance of natural lotus stamens through a traditional scenting process. The tea is produced from carefully selected leaves harvested from old tea trees in Northern Vietnam and then scented for several days, allowing the leaves to gradually absorb the subtle floral aroma of fresh lotus flowers. This slow and labor-intensive process creates a tea that balances the richness and depth of red tea with the elegance and purity of lotus.
For the production we use premium red tea sourced from Northern Vietnam and personally carry out the scenting process in very limited quantities. Following traditional methods, layers of tea leaves and freshly collected lotus stamens are carefully arranged one upon another, allowing the tea to naturally absorb the fragrance released by the flower. This process requires patience, experience, and a large quantity of fresh lotus material to achieve the desired result without overwhelming the character of the tea itself.
Lotus tea is among the most respected and culturally significant tea traditions in Vietnam. The production season is extremely short, as lotus flowers bloom for only a limited period each year. Collecting the stamens is entirely manual work, requiring great care and significant effort, as each flower yields only a small amount of the aromatic material necessary for scenting. As a result, authentic lotus-scented tea remains a rare and highly appreciated specialty that is traditionally reserved for important occasions and special guests.
Historically, lotus scenting has most commonly been applied to green tea. Our founder, however, has always been particularly fascinated by the combination of lotus fragrance with high-quality red tea. The natural sweetness, warmth, and depth of red tea create a beautiful foundation for the delicate floral notes of lotus, resulting in a richer and more layered interpretation of this classic Vietnamese tradition.
The lotus flower itself occupies a special place throughout Eastern culture. In Buddhist traditions, it symbolizes purity, wisdom, spiritual development, and the ability to rise above adversity, much like the flower itself emerges clean and beautiful from muddy waters. Throughout Vietnam and many other Asian countries, nearly every part of the lotus plant is used in traditional cuisine, medicine, and everyday life. Seeds, roots, leaves, flowers, and stamens all serve culinary or medicinal purposes and have been appreciated for centuries for their nutritional and cultural value. The short-lived beauty of the lotus blossom has also inspired poets, artists, and philosophers throughout Asia. Its brief flowering season serves as a reminder of the impermanent nature of all things and the importance of appreciating beauty while it is present. This symbolism has contributed to the lotus becoming one of the most beloved cultural and spiritual symbols throughout the region.
RED LOTUS can be enjoyed through multiple brewing approaches. It performs beautifully in traditional Gongfu preparation, where the floral and tea characteristics gradually unfold over many infusions. Equally, it produces an elegant Western-style infusion with remarkable balance and aroma. During warmer months, it also excels as a cold-brewed tea, revealing a refreshing, naturally sweet, and highly aromatic profile that highlights the unique harmony between old tree red tea and fresh lotus fragrance.
ORGANOLEPTICS
The dry leaves display a beautiful composition of dark brown and golden-red tea leaves interwoven with delicate lotus stamens. Their appearance immediately reflects the traditional scenting process and the care invested in every stage of production. The aroma of the dry leaf is elegant and highly refined, combining warm honeyed notes, dried fruits, sweet malt, and cocoa with the unmistakable fragrance of fresh lotus blossoms. In a preheated teapot or gaiwan, the aroma becomes remarkably expressive, revealing layers of floral nectar, wild honey, ripe apricots, baked fruits, vanilla, warm pastry notes, and the delicate sweetness characteristic of freshly opened lotus flowers. As the leaves awaken, the floral and tea components become beautifully integrated, creating an aroma that feels both luxurious and natural.
The liquor is bright, clear, and luminous, displaying a rich amber-red color with golden reflections. The aroma of the infusion is soft, elegant, and deeply aromatic, combining notes of lotus petals, floral nectar, wild honey, dried apricots, raisins, warm malt, sweet spices, and delicate cocoa undertones. The texture is exceptionally smooth and silky, coating the palate with softness while maintaining excellent structure and clarity. The taste opens with natural sweetness and floral elegance before gradually revealing layers of honey, dried fruits, baked apples, caramelized sugar, gentle malt, and fresh lotus fragrance. Unlike artificially scented teas, the lotus remains delicate and refined, complementing rather than dominating the tea itself. Throughout multiple infusions, the tea continues to evolve, revealing increasing depth and complexity while preserving remarkable harmony between floral and tea characteristics.
The aftertaste is long, clean, and highly aromatic, leaving lingering impressions of lotus blossoms, honey sweetness, ripe fruits, and delicate floral nectar in the mouth and throat. As the session progresses, the floral notes become increasingly integrated with the rich character of the red tea, creating a refined and meditative experience. In the empty cup, the aroma remains intensely fragrant, revealing lingering notes of fresh lotus flowers, honey, vanilla, dried fruits, warm pastries, and subtle cocoa nuances. This final fragrance is often considered one of the most beautiful aspects of traditional lotus-scented tea, offering a lasting reminder of the flower's elegance long after the tea has been enjoyed.
GASTRONOMY
RED LOTUS is an exceptionally versatile gastronomic tea whose elegant floral fragrance and naturally sweet red tea foundation allow it to pair beautifully with both Eastern and Western cuisine. Its delicate lotus aroma complements light desserts such as fruit tarts, honey cakes, sponge cakes, rice-based sweets, almond pastries, panna cotta, and desserts featuring stone fruits or vanilla. The floral notes add refinement and freshness while the rich body of the red tea provides enough structure to support more complex flavors.
The tea also performs remarkably well alongside savory dishes. Fresh cheeses, mild goat cheese, poultry dishes, steamed fish, rice dishes, spring rolls, and light vegetarian cuisine pair naturally with its balanced character. The floral elegance of the lotus helps cleanse the palate while the sweetness and body of the tea create harmony with delicate savory ingredients without overwhelming them.
Within Vietnamese cuisine, RED LOTUS finds a particularly natural place at the table. Its aromatic profile complements traditional sweets made from lotus seeds, mung beans, sticky rice, coconut, and seasonal fruits, while also pairing beautifully with light afternoon snacks and festive dishes. The tea's cultural connection to the lotus flower further enhances its role as a beverage traditionally associated with hospitality, celebration, and moments of quiet appreciation.
Beyond food pairing, RED LOTUS is equally enjoyable as a standalone tea. Its balance between floral elegance and red tea richness makes it suitable for traditional Gongfu sessions, relaxed Western-style brewing, and refreshing cold-brew preparation. Whether served during a formal tea gathering, alongside fine cuisine, or simply enjoyed in a moment of reflection, RED LOTUS offers a refined and memorable experience that beautifully expresses one of Vietnam's most treasured tea traditions.
RED (BLACK) TEA
Explore more Red (Black) Teas from the AN SHIM TEA Collection.