Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
This tippy broken selection is suitable as a staple in any tea lover’s cupboard. The liquor carries a nice malty aroma with fruity notes. The smooth cup is strong enough to support the addition of a spot of milk.
Learn more about this Assam here.
Taster’s Review:
What a lovely Assam! This is just the type of flavor I expect when I sample an Assam tea – rich, malty, sweet notes of caramel and fruit … robust and sturdy! This Moditea Estate Assam TGFBOP from Upton Tea Imports is an Assam lover’s Assam!
The dry leaf is a broken leaf, dark chocolate in color with some golden tips (although not quite as many as the photo might lead one to believe!) After steeping 2 1/2 minutes in boiling water, the brew is quite dark, looking almost like black coffee rather than a cup of tea! But the aroma is TEA! It smells rich and lightly sweet.
The flavor – ahh! Malt! I love the malty tones of Assam. It is the malty note that keep me coming back to Assam. Otherwise, Assam tends to be a somewhat temperamental tea (you don’t want to over-steep an Assam or the chances are that you’ll be left with a bitter and very astringent cuppa!), and I probably would be less enthusiastic to try an Assam if it weren’t for those delicious, sweet, malty notes!
There is an undercurrent of caramel-like flavor that melds nicely with the malty flavors. More sweetness comes from the fruit notes in the background. There is a freshly baked taste (and texture!) to this tea as well – reminiscent of a freshly baked loaf of bread. That chewy crust that I love so much in a fresh loaf of bread – I get that essence here with this tea. It’s a little earthy, rich and flavorful, and bold! Just the kind of tea you want to drink first thing in the morning to get that blood pumping!
A really nice cuppa from Upton Tea Imports!
Budlabeta Estate Assam GBOP SPL from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
A quality broken-leaf selection, with a pleasant and complex aroma in both the dry leaf and cup. The liquor has a medium body, with notes of dried fruit and a pleasant finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I had to wake up early today, and I am still feeling a little sluggish as it nears the afternoon, so, I am in need of a good, hearty Assam. I chose to try this Budlabeta Estate Assam GBOP SPL from Upton Tea Imports … and I’m hoping it will do the trick and shake me out of this nagging, dragging feeling!
The first thing I noticed, right off the bat, is how smooth this Assam is. The delivery is smooth from start to finish … tasting sweet – like the somewhat sugary sweetness you’d experience from dried fruit. The fruit notes remind me a bit of raisin and dried currant. There is a touch of malt to the flavor as well as a hint of wine-like flavor that is especially noticeable at the finish and in to the aftertaste.
I chose to brew this Assam for just 2 minutes, and I based this decision on the fact that the leaves were on the small side. When it comes to Assam teas, my general rule of thumb is that when brewing smaller cut Assam tea leaves, it is wise to cut back on the brew time just a bit to avoid bitterness. I think I made the right decision with this tea because I’m not experiencing bitterness with this tea.
It is mildly astringent and a bold tasting tea. It has a certain rigor to it – this would be a good “wake me up” kind of tea to enjoy first thing in the morning … or if you’re like me and one who doesn’t typically enjoy mornings (I think I’d like them a lot better if they started later), this also makes a good first thing in the afternoon tea! It has an edge to it, so if you want to soften that edge, a dollop of honey will do that and this tea takes the addition of honey well – and milk too, if you want a latte! As for me, I took a few sips of it straight up, and decided I wanted a slightly softer edge, and I added about a quarter teaspoon of turbinado sugar. This was enough to curb that sharpness without making it too sweet, because I really do enjoy the natural sweetness of this tea.
Another fine selection from Upton Tea Imports!
Beesakopie Estate Assam Black Tea from Simpson & Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
The Beesakopie Estate is located in the eastern most region of Assam, closest to the Burmese border, in the Tinsukia district.
If you’re looking for a very malty, well balanced tea with a rapid infusion, then look no further. This tea is a CTC style (cut, twisted, curled) and unlike leafed tea, it doesn’t expand. The tea brews to a deep amber cup that stands up to the addition of milk. A real morning “wake-me-up” beverage!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yay! I love a good, rich, malty Assam and this Beesakopie Estate Assam Black Tea from Simpson & Vail is exactly that! It is remarkably rich and malty and oh-so-good! It’s got that first thing in the morning kind of GUSTO that you want from an Assam too!
The dry leaf is a remarkably fine cut (or chopped?) CTC – resembling what many might think is dust or fannings. Yes this DOES indeed look like something that you got from an inferior tea bag, but, it doesn’t TASTE like it! Don’t let a finely cut CTC fool you into thinking that the tea lacks quality, this is not always the case, especially in Assam teas like this one.
However, with a fine cut tea like this one, you do need to be careful on how you brew the tea, because it can become bitter faster than a larger leaf Assam can simply because there is more surface area exposed in the brewing process. If you normally would brew a larger leaf Assam for three minutes, go just 2 1/2 with this tea. I normally brew an Assam at 2 1/2 minutes, and this one, I went with 2 minutes and I have a tea that’s been brewed perfectly to my taste sitting in front of me.
The flavor is very rich and full-bodied. It has a strong, vigorous flavor – it’s one of those teas that will help you get those eyes OPEN and your blood pumping on days when you’d rather be snuggled up in bed sleeping than up and at ’em. There is a sweet, caramel-y undertone to the tea that melds well with the strong, malty overtones. There is also that delicious “freshly baked” quality to this tea – reminiscent of a fresh loaf of french bread with the chewy crust. Nice!
I prefer my Assam teas served hot, because I find that the rich, malty flavor expresses itself best when the tea is warm. As it cools, the malty notes seem to lose something. It is still good …just not as good, you know? And because it’s a robust, hearty brew, it takes the additions of milk and/or honey well, if you care to add them. I personally like this with a half teaspoon of turbinado sugar – just enough to soften that sharp edge of the Assam without overwhelming it. On more relaxed days, I might add a splash of milk and go latte, and on the days when I really need an extra boost, I drink it straight.
However you choose to drink your Assam, this is one that you should definitely try!
Orange Peppercorn Breakfast from Handmade Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Handmade Tea
Tea Description:
Orange Peppercorn Breakfast starts with a base of Assam and Ceylon black tea. Next the blend contains a peppercorn blend (black, white, green, and red) to spice things up a touch. Lastly burnt orange peel is added to the blend. The caramelization adds a deep sweetness.
Learn more about the subscription plan here.
Taster’s Review:
Orange Peppercorn Breakfast from Handmade Tea has everything I love in a breakfast blend! Its deep and robust, perfectly sweetened naturally and lightly by the citrus, with a wake me up spark from the peppercorns. It tastes a little like a mimosa with a kick and trust me I need a kick in the morning!
I have to be out the door soon for some appointments and had made another tea in my travel mug to take with me, but now I wish I had made this instead, except that it only arrived about an hour ago!
Handmade tea is a monthly subscription plan with two plan options. The one I subscribe to includes a big tin of tea and three tiny tins of the three elements used to make the blend with. Its really cool if you are a foodie or interested in blending teas yourself as it allows you to smell, taste, touch, and feel each individual ingredient on its own.
I love Caleb’s Handmade Tea! I have only received two months thus far but both have been beyond expectation and somehow I feel as though he has been stalking my tasting notes to figure out exactly what I want in a tea! I realize that is not possible as he has so many people who subscribe to his membership plan, there is no way he could stalk us and appease us all, but I tell you what, somehow he has managed to please my taste buds perfectly!
I adore peppercorn in tea blends, when done right of course, and even though I will admit I am not always that fond of citrus in teas, he really did this tea blend right by caramelizing the orange peel with a creme’ brulee torch to get that sweet sensation without making the tea too sweet!
I really suggest you check out this monthly subscription plan and you can check out more of the past blends here.
White Leaf and Bud Single Estate White Tea from Teajo Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Teajo Teas
Tea Description:
Our most delicate and subtle tea contains very little caffeine and delivers a light, smooth and nutty flavor. Harvested before the leaves fully open, this tea is one of the rarest in the world.
Taster’s Review:
I couldn’t find this White Leaf and Bud Single Estate White Tea on Teajo Teas’ website, so I don’t know if it’s still available (or perhaps, it’s just temporarily sold out) but I did want to review it because this is the first tea that I’ve tried from this company and I’m absolutely in love with the quality and flavor of this tea!
The leaves are soft and tender and whole. Lots of tea buds in this too. And each leaf and bud is covered with fuzzy, fluffy down. The color of each leaf variegates from a silvery white color to a pale green, to twinges of tan. The leaves infuse a pale golden hued liquid.
The flavor stunning! It is sweet and gentle and yet amazingly full-flavored with notes of hay and a sweet nutty flavor. It’s a slightly toasted nut flavor … as though perhaps someone had slivered some raw almonds and then put them in a warm pan to toast for a minute. Not a strong roasty flavor, but just a hint of sweet, toasty flavor. There is a freshness to this … not really “vegetative” exactly … but more like the taste of the fresh air in spring.
I’m really liking this white tea a great deal … I think what I am liking so much about it is that it is SO different from the typical Bai Mu Dan or Silver Needle. Not that I dislike those – you know I love ’em! But, sometimes, it’s nice to taste something that’s just a little different.
And what makes this tea different is that these leaves aren’t Chinese tea leaves, but Indian (from Assam!) This is a difference that is immediately noticeable in the taste from the very first sip. This has a fuller flavor than a typical Silver Needle, and even a Bai Mu Dan. The flavor is less delicate than those teas, but it still has a certain lovely delicateness to it.
A really delightful white tea … I hope that Teajo will be restocking this one!