Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Whittard of Chelsea
Tea Description:
This small and picturesque garden produces one of the world’s best teas. This tea was named after Hazel, the daughter of state official, Dr Mead. The richness, size and color of its tips make Hazelbank an all-time favorite.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I visited the website for Whittard of Chelsea, I noticed that this tea is currently sold out. Looks like I got a pouch of this just in time! And I’m SO glad that I did; this Assam Hazelbank is exquisite. (And I recommend keeping an eye out for the next harvest of this to become available, this one is worth that effort!)
There are many different Assam teas out there. Each one varies depending upon where it is grown: Whether or not it is a single estate or not, and if it is a single estate, the flavor of the Assam is affected depending upon which estate it comes from, and even how it is processed affects the flavor of the cup. And even though there are many different Assam teas, I tend to consider Assam teas as either bold and malty OR somewhat mellower and wine-y.
However, this Assam from the Hazelbank estate tends to take on all of these characteristics. It is bold and malty… although it is somewhat mellower than a strong, robust Assam … and it does also have the fruity, wine-like character of a mellower Assam. This tea has it all!
The first thing I really noticed about this tea is its sweetness. It is a fruity sweetness, but there is also a caramel-y sweetness that melds quite nicely with the malty tones. It has a solid, full-bodied flavor, but it isn’t an aggressive flavor. I didn’t notice any bitterness to this, but then, I didn’t come close to oversteeping it (I steeped it only 2 minutes), but even with other Assam teas I find that there are hints of bitterness in the background that tell me that oversteeping the tea would lead to more. This doesn’t have that. That’s not to say that if it were oversteeped it would not become bitter, I’m just saying that this cup is remarkably smooth and free of anything resembling bitterness.
This is pleasantly complex, and has one of the most well-rounded flavors that I’ve yet to taste with an Assam. I like it a lot.
Organic China Oolong from Whittard of Chelsea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Whittard of Chelsea
Tea Description:
A truly superb robust Oolong from the Fujian Province with a honeyed sweetness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have loved Oolong teas since my very first encounter with an Oolong tea. I even remember that very first Oolong experience! It was a Formosa style Oolong, with leaves dark and curly like these, and the flavor was sublime! Sweet with peach-y notes and the most amazingly soft mouthfeel. I think it was at that moment that I realized that I truly loved tea.
Since that time, I’ve tried many teas, and many Oolong teas … and some that I enjoy even more than a delicious Formosa Oolong. I’ve tried many Oolongs from many different regions in the world. This Organic China Oolong, while it does look a lot like my beloved Formosa Oolong, it possesses quite a different flavor.
The tea starts out soft, with hints of stone fruit in the front of the sip. But as the sip progresses, the flavor develops. Nutty tones reveal themselves at about mid-sip, and by the end of the sip, I’m noticing a deep, woodsy, almost charcoal-y kind of flavor. Very roasty-toasty, and this complements the nutty tones very nicely, and gives the light fruit tones some depth. There is an undercurrent of honey-like sweetness throughout, and the sip ends with a moderate amount of astringency. The aftertaste is slightly smoky and sweet.
This tea has a very autumnal taste and feel to it – like the early days of autumn, as the weather begins to cool and the dry leaves crackle as you walk along the sidewalk. The air is filled with the smell of wood burning in the fireplaces. That is what I think of as I sip on this deliciously toasty tea … it is very comforting and wonderful.
Spiced Imperial from Whittard of Chelsea 1886
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Whittard of Chelsea 1886
Tea Description:
Set against smooth black tea, this blend is enriched with the exotic taste of cinnamon bark and fragrant citrus peel; scented with spiky cloves and long dark pods of vanilla. From your steaming cup these majestic flavors curl and twist. Let them take you on a journey to lands rich with the fragrance of spice.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This smells so good. It is spicy with strong cinnamon notes and hints of clove. It has a delightful citrus-y undertone and a background note of earthy black tea with just a subtle touch of vanilla in there too.
I expected it to taste super spicy, like the spicy-hot cinnamon hearts. But it doesn’t. It certainly does have a warm level of spice, but I wouldn’t call it spicy.
What I am liking right off the bat with this tea is that the black tea is not hidden beneath all these spices. It is evenly matched with the cinnamon, which is the strongest flavor of the spices. The cloves come through about mid-sip, while the orange notes seem to peek through, brightening up the entire cup. The vanilla is more of a subtle, distant note, and I find myself wanting a little bit more from it. However, as it cools, the vanilla seems to rise to the surface, and gives me what I was hoping for. It doesn’t ever become a strong flavor in the cup, but, it becomes a little less shy about revealing its flavor after the tea has had a couple of minutes to cool. Not cold, it’s still hot … but, it’s not as hot as it was when I first poured the cup.
I am enjoying this, but I do find myself wishing there was a little more … something … from the black tea. From what I am tasting, I would speculate that this is a Ceylon, and it is pleasant enough and tastes good, but, it’s just not quite as solid a tea as I would like. It’s a bit too mild here; I think needs a bit more roundness to it. I think that this could have done well with a touch of Assam, perhaps, or maybe Nilgiri, to give it a slightly denser flavor with a hint of malty flavor. Don’t get me wrong, this is a very enjoyable tea – I just think it could be even better!
Overall, though, I am really enjoying this warmly spiced blend – it evokes thoughts of autumn – my favorite time of year – and reminds me that it is on its way! And this tea would be a delightful one with which to start those days in fall. I can’t wait!