New gin infused tea launches in John Lewis in Leeds

A tantalising twist on the classic G&T will be showcased at John Lewis today in Leeds, as the retailer swaps tonic for tea with their new gin brand of the month - NOVELTEA - The Tale of Earl Grey.

Created by entrepreneurs, Vincent Efferoth and Lukas Passia, The Tale of Earl Grey is the first cold-brewed alcoholic tea infused with British gin.

While a cup of tea is a firm British favourite, with around 165 million cups consumed each day, specialty gin bars have been popping up in every major city and the spirit has quickly made its claim as the nation's new best-loved tipple.

But rarely has there been a fusion of the two.

A winning combination

Entrepreneurs Lukas Passia and Vincent Efferoth were inspired to create the alcoholic infusion after experiencing the British fascination with afternoon tea

NOVELTEA is a ready-to-drink tea infused with spirit which comes in an array of distinctive flavours, developed by its founders and keen mixologists.

The taste and flavours are matched with a complementary spirit to help bring the tea to life, with The Tale of Earl Grey being a unique infusion of black tea, British gin and botanicals.

Made using an eight hour cold-brewing process which draws out the individual flavours of the tea, the result is a smooth tasting alcoholic drink with a natural sweetness, offering an exciting new flavour profile to be added to cocktails.

Speaking about being featured by John Lewis as their gin of the month for March 2018, in all 48 stores across the UK, NOVELTEA co-founder Vincent Efferoth said: "For John Lewis to recognise the relevance of our brand to their customers is a testament to consumers becoming more open and adventurous with their gin preferences.

"We are delighted to earn this significant listing with the John Lewis Partnership, where The Tale of Earl Grey will feature as their gin brand of the month.

"This marks a big milestone for our brand."

The new gin experience

The Tale of Early Grey and The Tale of Tangier are both available to buy at John Lewis stores (Photo: NOVELTEA)

While the entrepreneurs are both German-born, Passia and Efferoth are based in Newcastle Upon Tyne and have adpoted the city as their home.

Since arriving in the UK the pair have experienced the British fascination for afternoon tea and after delving into the popularity of alcoholic accompaniments, they were surprised to find that no alcoholic tea was offered alongside champagne or prosecco, inspiring them to create a brand new tipple that combined the nation's two most popular drinks.

The unique gin-infused creation has proved to be a hit since its launch in April 2017 and in less than 12 months, the brand has experienced rapid growth following a series of international listings in Greater China and Europe, and its selection as John Lewis' gin brand of the month showcases its growing popularity.

"NOVELTEA presents a versatile and unusual option for customers to enjoy a different tasting exerience," says Rachel Costello, buyer for gift food and alcohol at John Lewis.

"There are many ways to serve NOVELTEA and we are looking forward to offering this brand to our customers during March."

Passia and Efferorth will both appear at John Lewis in Leeds today, between 12pm and 4pm, to showcase their creation.

The pair will also be appearing at John Lewis York on Saturday 10 March, between 11am-3pm, and John Lewis Sheffield on Thursday 22 March, between 12pm and 4pm.

How much does it cost?

The Tale of Early Grey is priced at £9.95 for 25cl and £24.95 for 70cl, and offers a rich taste of Earl Grey tea infused with juniper and British gin.

The Tale of Tangier, an exotic infusion of Moroccan green mint with spearmint, dried lemongrass, dried apple, blackberry leaves and Caribbean rum, will also be availble to buy at John Lewis stores for the same price.

Both Tales are cold-brewed in the UK and are vegan, gluten free and free from any artificial colours.