Silver Swallow: A sweet rose for the holidays

Luxury kombucha is a luxe bubbly alternative for holiday entertaining

Everyone is already in holiday planning mode, despite the fact it’s only mid-November. That’s why the arrival of a box of these delicious bottles was perfect timing to kick-off our holiday content.

In the ever-evolving world of non-alcoholic drinks, kombucha is really the unsung hero. It’s found on shelves in every grocery and convenience store, and there are flavours covering a rainbow of tastes and experiences. Silver Swallow Luxury Kombucha is a champagne-inspired kombucha line brewed in Ottawa, and we think it’s one of the best festive options out there for holiday entertaining. It’s bubbly and elegant, completely alcohol-free (never in contact with alcohol) and tastes amazing!

Crafted from the rarest of teas, the silver swallow tea, this bubbly comes in a champagne bottle and has a delicate elegance that your ordinary kombucha doesn’t have, pushing the envelope and taking the ancient art of kombucha brewing to a whole new level.

Silver Swallow Luxury Kombucha has two styles - a classic, which we reviewed in 2021, and now a new style of Rose kombucha which is even finer, and more delicate than the classic. The exquisite liquid is a blend of silver swallow tea and kamairicha green tea, from Kyushu, Japan which gives this kombucha a truly luxurious taste, so unique from any other non-alcoholic drink on the market.

What is silver swallow tea and why is it so special?

Silver swallow tea, originating from Fujian's high-altitude mountains in China, is a rare and prized variety known for its delicate flavor and unique silver appearance. Grown in mist-shrouded landscapes, the tea undergoes meticulous harvesting during early spring, with skilled hands selecting tender leaves and buds. The silver hue, attributed to fine trichomes, is a hallmark of this exclusive tea. Its rarity stems from the specific growing conditions, labor-intensive harvesting, and traditional processing methods involved. The sought-after silver swallow tea stands out for its exceptional quality, making it a prized choice among tea enthusiasts.

Do we even know what kombucha is???

We always have to look it up, because kombucha is still a mystery. Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage, crafted through the fermentation of sweetened tea using a culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). It doesn’t have alcohol in it, even though there’s not only one, but two fermentation processes to yield the kombucha taste and texture you’re familiar with. In a nutshell, making kombucha is a delicate process and even more so when you’re using a rare tea.

All About Silver Swallow Rose

Silver Swallow Luxury Rose Kombucha is one of a kind. Although the colour of the liquid is rose and the bottle looks like champagne, don’t expect the ‘rose’ wine taste. The rose colour is from the addition of strawberry and passion fruit to the base kombucha.

What you’ll experience on the palette is gentle notes of strawberry and stone fruit - specifically Niagara peaches - balanced with the typical tartness of kombucha. There’s a teeny hint of matcha which is to be expected from something with green tea in it, but it doesn’t overwhelm the delicate balance of fruit and tart.

The bubbles are light and gentle in comparison to non-alcoholic sparkling wine bubbles, which can sometimes be too fizzy or too flabby. Because it doesn’t hit you over the head with fizz, it makes this liquid an almost perfect option for early meals - easy on the palette and stomach.

For anyone watching their sugar, each glass contains 5g, which is technically low in sugar in comparison to a lot of other kombucha options or non-alcoholic sparkling wines.

You may see some sediment in the bottle, but don’t worry, this is just another good thing about Silver Swallow. Those floaties are like the “mother” in apple cider vinegar - an indication that the product is raw and has bacteria that is good for you in it.

Silver Swallow rose is a really a fun and celebratory experience to drink - easy to guzzle a whole bottle on your own (not us!). You can pour it into a coupe glass or pour it into a champagne glass, and it looks and feels festive. If you’re hosting a get-together for the holidays this year, seek out Silver Swallow either online at silverswallow.co (nationwide shipping) or at select Whole Foods and Sobey’s locations.