Black Sesame

Before you ever steep a cup, Black Sesame tells you what it is. The aroma is nutty and warm, with a depth that takes a second to fully land — like something toasted just past golden, just before it goes too far. It smells like a cup worth sitting down for.

How It All Came Together

We knew we wanted black sesame. Finding the right balance took time.

We saw black sesame gaining popularity in food and drink, and were curious what it could become in a loose leaf tea. Knowing what you want and actually making it work are two very different things. Sesame's rich, distinctive character means you need the perfect tea base, or it either overwhelms the cup or disappears entirely.

We tried single-origin black teas first and found them too malty and covered the sesame completely, or were too delicate and faded into the background. Our breakthrough came when we stopped searching for one exact tea base and started testing combinations — what if we used two teas, each adding their unique attributes to the cup?

After months of R&D, the answer revealed itself in an unexpected partnership: a Nepalese tea and a lightly smoked Chinese black tea.

Finding the Perfect Balance

The challenge wasn't adding the black sesame. It was ensuring the sesame knew its place — present enough to define the cup, restrained enough to let the teas breathe. Our Nepalese tea brings smooth, high-elevation sweetness and body, while the Chinese tea adds soft, molasses notes with a lingering whisper of smoke. Together, they create the exact foundation the black sesame needs — balanced, layered, and quietly complex.

How To Drink It. Two ways, both worth knowing.

Our Black Sesame is a perfect mid-morning tea — caffeinated enough to carry you to the afternoon, complex enough to reward attention. It's not a background cup. It's one you'll actually taste. The first way: drink it straight, no additions. Steep it once, drink it. Then steep it again. Black Sesame changes between infusions — the smoke softens, the sesame opens up, the natural sweetness from the Nepalese tea comes forward. Noticing those shifts is a small, quiet thing. Worth the five minutes. The second way: cream and honey. The buttery sesame and smoke meet the sweetness in exactly the right place. If you've ever had a sesame-swirled pastry or ice cream, you understand that feeling in a cup — grounded, not cloying, with the tea keeping everything honest. It also earns its place next to dessert. The toasty nuttiness cuts through sweetness rather than adding to it — a perfect pairing with an after dinner treat. How to brew: Use 1½ tsp of loose leaf tea per 8oz of water heated to 200-205°F. Steep for 3-4 minutes.

New. Small Batch. Here now.

Available online and at our tea bar at 136 E Broadway, Missoula, Montana. As with all our blends, made in small batches in our certified organic facility.

If you like Black Sesame, you might also enjoy Tiramisu, Royal Grey, or Earl Grey Blue.