Plum Sesame is a loose leaf black tea infused with the flavors of plums and roasted sesame seed. Roasted rice doubles down on its 'roasty' character while cornflower blossoms provide a smooth feel. 

All about Plum Sesame, Loose Leaf Black Tea

What it’s like, and how to make it

CaffeineMedium caffeine
TypeBlack
FlavourPlum, sesame
CharacterSmooth
What’s in itBlack tea, plum bits, roasted seasme, roasted rice, cornflower blossoms, pink cornflower blossoms.

Perfect for

  • High tea
How to brew it
  • 212°F / 100°C
  • Steep 3–5 minutes
  • Use 1 tsp per 8oz
  • Past five minutes it turns bitter
  • Takes milk better than any other leaf
  • Illustration: Plum Sesame NEW with Kairakuen garden in Mito, Japan, in late February
  • Illustration: a cup of Plum Sesame tea with plum cake
  • Illustration of Plum Sesame NEW in The Tea & Spice Shoppe pouch, with Kairakuen garden in Mito, Japan, in late February
  • Earl Grey Blue Flower - Organic - The Tea & Spice Shoppe
  • Earl Grey Blue Flower - Organic - The Tea & Spice Shoppe

What’s in it

Every herb in the blend, and where to read about it on its own.

  • Tea · Contains caffeine

    Black Tea

    Camellia sinensis

    The leaf of one evergreen shrub, fully oxidised. Black, green, white and oolong tea are all Camellia sinensis; what separates them is what is done to the leaf in the hours after it is picked. Black tea is withered, rolled to break the cells open,...

    Malt, honey, dark amber; brisk and full, with tannin enough to take milk

    Learn more

  • Flower · Caffeine-free

    Cornflower

    Centaurea cyanus

    The blue in your tea. Cornflower petals are in eighteen products here and they are there to be looked at: the pigment, protocyanin, is one of the few真 blues in the botanical world, and it survives drying where almost nothing else blue does. They contribute...

    Almost nothing — a faint clove-like sweetness at most. It is in the blend for the blue

    Learn more

  • Other · Caffeine-free

    Toasted Rice

    Oryza sativa

    Roasted brown rice — the other half of genmaicha, and the reason that tea smells like popcorn. Three products carry it. It brings a nutty, toasted warmth and a savoury body that softens green tea's edge, which is exactly what it was originally for: rice...

    Nutty and toasted with a savoury warmth; it rounds off green tea's grassiness

    Learn more

  • Fruit · Caffeine-free

    Plum

    Prunus spp.

    Deep, winey and dark, with a tartness in the skin that a peach does not have. Three products carry it, as pieces or petals. Plums are likely to have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans, which puts them alongside the fig and...

    Deep and winey with a tart skin; dried, it turns caramel and raisin-like

    Learn more

  • Nut & seed · Caffeine-free

    Sesame

    Sesamum indicum

    One of the oldest oilseed crops there is, and one of the most drought-tolerant plants in any kitchen — it grows where other crops fail, on the moisture left in the soil after the monsoon has gone. Four products carry it, whole or toasted. Toasting...

    Mild and grassy raw; nutty, rich and deeply aromatic toasted

    Learn more

Every ingredient in the shop →

Reviews

What the time-travelers say

5.0 from 1 review of this one, and 206 of the shop’s 213 are five stars

Write a review

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Tea perfection

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delive…

I adore this tea! Diana was a gem to bring it in so quickly when I requested it. I think it was only a week from request to delivery. The tea is sublime. I will definitely repurchase. A brilliant composition of sweet-tart plum and mellow sesame… I’ve just talked myself into another cup!

— Dorothy T. Verified

Great products and great service

I had a slight mix up on my order, they were quick to reply and correct my order with no issues. Amazing service and great…

I had a slight mix up on my order, they were quick to reply and correct my order with no issues. Amazing service and great products.

— Nick C. Verified

Great tea

A lovely, delicate tea. The peach is strong without being overwhelming or cloying, and the calendula is a nice addition. Very…

A lovely, delicate tea. The peach is strong without being overwhelming or cloying, and the calendula is a nice addition. Very tasty!

— Zoe R. Verified

Maple Peach

The maple peach is delicious. What a beautiful combination. I will most definitely order it again, and a higher quantity of it.

— Gerda S. Verified

Always handy

I use dillweed often. This dill is fresh and has a nice aroma. I use it in marinades, salad dressings, and on fish. Good stuff.

— Jennifer D. Verified

Great stuff

This has helped my household a lot with circulation and alertness when we had it everyday. Will be ordering again soon. Thanks

— Dave G. Verified

Love this tea. Hands down my fav rooibos. This store is our one-stop-shop for tea and spice. Great service, top notch product.…

Love this tea. Hands down my fav rooibos. This store is our one-stop-shop for tea and spice. Great service, top notch product. 10/10!!

— Erin Poeta P. Verified

Delicious

I love this black tea, it has a really nice smooth flavour and love how it’s Swiss water method decaf. Will be buying again!

— Jessica A. Verified

Great flavorful tea

Toffee Ole is one of our favorite teas to share with friends in the evening, when we want something non-caffeinated but quite…

Toffee Ole is one of our favorite teas to share with friends in the evening, when we want something non-caffeinated but quite flavorful.

— Joel R. Verified

Another full bodied ‘real tea’ . ie It is not a flavoured tea. However, we do very much enjoy the Cafe Latte tea which is a…

Another full bodied ‘real tea’ . ie It is not a flavoured tea. However, we do very much enjoy the Cafe Latte tea which is a flavoured tea!!!

— Ted H. Verified

teas

love , love, love and they shipping is very fast. the headache tea works great, the throat coat tea works great as well

— Miranda A. Verified

4 stars

It worked beautifully; perhaps if I add a little more honey, it would make it better… It is a wellness tea, after all!

— Merrilee B. Verified

Bancha with a splash of lemon

A wonderful Green Tea. Smooth in taste. Also suitable as a summer tea with a splash of lemon. A second infusion makes an…

A wonderful Green Tea. Smooth in taste. Also suitable as a summer tea with a splash of lemon. A second infusion makes an enjoyable second cup!

— Monika F. Verified

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