Cradle of Filth are one of the most enduring British metal bands out there. As the band is toiling away, working on their lucky thirteenth studio album, the scourge of Suffolk have partnered with Satanic tea company Pitch Black North to release two special blends of tea, the traditional English breakfast tea Dark Blood, and the flavored Sweetest Maleficia. As I’ve previously joked, I’m surprised that absinthe (with Faust) wasn’t out first, but perhaps that’s already in the works and I’m jumping the gun.
Plus, you know, “hallucinogenic” isn’t a word that tends to translate into international shipments. And with PBN hailing from Canada, well, you do the math.
Upfront, I have to admit that I am not usually a fan of English breakfast teas. I can’t put my finger on why I’m not, especially when black tea is my go-to type, but so be it. That said, it’d be foolish for an English band to not craft an English tea, so that said, I had to get myself some. Even the Sweetest Maleficia blend, imbued with blueberry and vanilla, still smells and tastes like a breakfast tea, and the added flavors don’t take away from the classic flavors.
The Dark Blood is strong, as a breakfast tea bloody well should be, but it’s not obnoxious. It’s potent without being too much, and so my usual bias against breakfast tea is mitigated as a result. The only criticism I have is that there’s not a steeping time listed on the bag for the tea, but for black teas my standard is around 3-5 minutes. For my tester, I split the difference and went for four minutes, and while I didn’t spring for the sigil-equipped tea balls, I’m sure those will make these devilish brews all the better for your vulgar delectation.
Dark Blood and Sweetest Maleficia are available on the Pitch Black North store.
Comments