Botanical Infusions

Beyond the leaves of the tea plant Camellia sinensis, there is an almost limitless range of botanicals – the herbs and spices comprising seeds, roots, leaves, berries, petals, fruits and buds. The plant or plant parts that are used for flavour, scent, medicinal use and therapeutic purposes. Here we explore a practical approach to extracting flavour for infusions.

Outline

Buds, fruits, roots and seeds

Explore the world of herbal infusions and blended plant-based drinks. From liquorice root to hibiscus petals, this is about the flavour, function and traditional use of a wide range of botanicals.

You’ll learn how botanicals are sourced, prepared and blended. The course covers key flavour categories (fruity, floral, spicy), practical blending guidance, and brewing principles for infusions that support both flavour expression and wellbeing.

Featured botanicals include chamomile, peppermint, rooibos, hibiscus, elderflower, liquorice, ginger, grouped into accessible flavour categories to help you build your sensory knowledge.

You’ll gain a strong foundation in botanical types and preparation techniques, brewing and blending skills suitable for hospitality, retail and at home and a wider vocabulary for describing, selecting, and presenting botanical drinks.

On completion
At the end of the unit, you’ll complete a multiple-choice quiz.

Qualification
When you have passed the MCQs you’ll receive an OCN London digital badge to demonstrate your understanding of Botanical Infusions.

This is an optional unit in the Tea Sommelier Award

Snapshot

Other units in Tea Sommelier Award

In order to achieve the Tea Sommelier Award you must complete all four core units, one optional unit and a Final Project. Some of these are included below. See Tea Sommelier Award page for details.

Botanical Infusions