Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
Inspired by the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, this is a traditional blend of Darjeeling with a hint of Ceylon. The blend is then lightly scented with oil of Bergamot and a hint of genuine Bourbon vanilla. The result is a floral Darjeeling surrounded by soft, fruity, citrus notes. A new formula which we find especially pleasing.
Ingredients: black tea, natural & artificial flavor
Origin: USA
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Sacher Blend from Upton Tea Imports, which can also be found on their website by item number TE22S, has a surprisingly mild flavor considering all the flavoring components listed in the description.
The bergamot is extremely light, barely noticeable, but the vanilla is what shines in this cup.
This is a black tea with a very smooth heavy mouthfeel, rich and robust, and I could see where a coffee drinker would very much enjoy this tea.
I tasted absolutely no bitterness nor astringency even after a rather long steep.
This is a remarkably smooth tea.
It may lack some of the promise the description eludes to especially if you are expecting much from the Bergamot notes, but if you have a sensitive palate you will taste it.
I think it is rather nice, and I personally love it because I prefer my Earl Grey to be light on the bergamot. I like bergamot but I too often find that bergamot is all I can taste in most Earl Grey. I think this blend is unique for those of us who only want a light EG flavor, and let us remember, this is not being sold as an EG.
I do wish that it did not contain artificial flavors, as I see no need for them. I would think that bourbon vanilla and bergamot should easily be able to obtain without artificial flavoring, I know it can be, so this is my only complaint about this blend.
Outside of that, unless you are expecting an EG flavor from this tea with a splash of vanilla, you should like it, just keep in mind this is far more a bourbon vanilla flavored tea with a splash of bergamot!
The flavors pop more as the tea cools. Would be excellent iced.
Rouge d’Automne from Mariage Freres
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Rooibos (Red)
Where to Buy: Mariage Freres
Tea Description:
Autumn, which turns maple leaves fiery red, is a good time to indulge in a delicious treat that erases the bitterness of rainy days. That is why Mariage Frères has employed an almost forbidden fruit – marrons glacés, a famous French indulgence ever since the days of Louis XIV – to create its new “Autumnal Red” tea.
A red rooibos from South Africa, mild in taste with very little tannin, has been combined with the flavour of fine candied chestnuts and Bourbon vanilla, yielding a most striking yet smooth cup, warm and festive, with fruity and slightly spicy harmonies that precede a final note of honey and dried fruit.
PREPARATION ADVICE FOR 1 CUP :
Amount of tea leaves: 2.5g
Best water temperature: 95 °C
Infusion time: 3-5 min
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The aroma of this tea in dry form is delicious! It has a roast-y, nutty, and vanilla scent that made me instantly think of amaretto yet there was this cinnamon essence in there as well. It didn’t take me long to decide to steep this up for a review.
Now most of you know I do not care for red rooibos, however there is little of it in here, and in addition, I feel the rooibos flavor truly does add to this blend.
This tea is quite sweet. Honey like sweetness. I could see how for some it may be a little too sweet.
The lingering after taste of vanilla, honey, and spiced, candied, nuts is quite nice and I notice absolutely no astringency.
There is also a lighter note within this tea which seems to peek out every now and then, although I do not detect it on each sip, and that is of a plum-like flavor. This note reminds me of the poem “Twas The Night Before Christmas” for some reason, the line about sugarplums dancing in people’s heads. Anyway when this note presents, its much brighter, which is a nice change from the heavier sweeter taste I was getting most of the time. The more the tea cooled the more I noticed the fruity lift.
I loved both the depth of this tea, the sweet heavier notes and the light fruity note that came out now and then. It seems to me to be perfect for this time of the year but certainly one I would enjoy year round!