I have to say I have being having so much fun going thru the Hope & Glory Shipment that was sent and Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is one of those teas that I am VERY MUCH enjoying thus far!
I LOVE the packaging! It goes along with their brand. It’s colorful and clean. The packaging also explains a lot with very little wordage. It’s eye-catching and easy to comprehend while on-the-go! On the back of the package I am looking at for the Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory offering I noticed the ingredient breakdown and ratio.
The leaf grade of the Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is Orthodox Leaf – FBOP. This blend of ingredients are 70% Organic Ceylon Black Tea, 30% fresh blend of organic spices which are made up of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and black pepper.
I really appreciate the fact that Hope & Glory used 70% for the ratio of black tea base to the 30% chai spices. The chai spices are perfectly done to my own personal liking. The spices are not over powering nor are they too weak – they are JUST RIGHT! Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is quite thrilling and certainly a tea I will be sharing with MANY.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Chai (Black Tea Base)
Where to Buy: Hope & Glory
Description: A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tezpur Estate Assam Black FBOP Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
India Assam region is home to some of the world’s grandest teas. Our Tezpur estate Assam tea is a great, brisk, and malty tea. It’s great for the morning and relaxing in the evening, try it any time.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh … lovely. (Imagine satisfied sigh here.)
This is the kind of Assam that I absolutely adore. It’s bold and malty. It’s smooth. It’s not bitter. (I’m sure it would be bitter if it were brewed too long, it’s always important to watch the brew time with Assam teas, it’s been my experience that they’re not a very forgiving sort of tea.)
It’s mildly sweet yet it has a certain invigorating, bracing flavor that I want as my first cup of the day!
To brew this tea, I used my Kati Tumbler. I tend to like my teas a little on the stronger side, and the amount of tea that was in my sampler from M&K’s appeared to be enough for a weak brewing in my Breville or a strong brewing in my Kati, and I opted for the strong brewing in my Kati.
I poured the contents of the sampler into the basket (save just under 1/2 teaspoon which I added to my “breakfast tea” tin – a tin that I keep with small remnants of black tea that are too much to throw away but not enough to brew a cuppa, so I put the small amount of tea into the tin until there’s enough for a pot of tea). Then I heat the water to 205°F (I tend to go with a slightly lower temperature with Assam – remember, they’re a little finicky) and poured 12 ounces of water into the tumbler and let it steep for 2 1/2 minutes. Perfection!
The rich tasting tea doesn’t need additions – it tastes great served straight! But, if you’re one who likes a little honey or sugar and milk in your breakfast tea, this tea would certainly take those additions well. It would make a marvelously rewarding latte!
To brew a latte, I recommend steeping it a little strong – instead of taking out that aforementioned just under 1/2 teaspoon of tea to add to the breakfast tea tin, keep it in the basket so that you have a strong brewed tea. The key for stronger tea that tastes great isn’t to steep it longer, it’s to add more leaf. Steeping it longer will produce a stronger tea, but it will also produce a more tannic brew: tannic = bitter. Use a little extra leaf and steep for the 2 1/2 minutes. Then add the dollop of honey or other sweetener of your choice and some steamed milk for a yummy morning latte!
The sip starts out strong and I taste the sweet, caramel-y notes immediately. Then I start to taste some of the stronger, more rugged earthy notes, hints of leather and fruit notes. The fruit notes remind me of raisin and dried stone fruit – like the sugary sweetness from a dried plum.
As I continue to sip on this tea, the astringency does build. It started out with barely any astringency, but now I am getting a distinct dryness on my palate at the very tail of the sip and in the aftertaste, my palate feels like it’s been patted dry with a soft cloth. Like it’s preparing me for another sip.
The description above suggests that this would make a good evening tea, but, I don’t know that this is a tea that I could drink very late into the evening. It would keep me awake and alert for a couple of hours. It’s got some gusto!
For a breakfast tea though – this is the stuff! It’s awesome!
Organic Ceylon FBOP Black Tea from Kally Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Kally Tea
Tea Description:
This offering of Organic black tea is from the country of Sri Lanka.
Previously known as “Ceylon” until 1972 when the country’s name was changed officially to Sri Lanka. So in the tea industry most tea from this island country is warmly regarded as a “Ceylon” tea.This excellent organic broken leaf black tea is of the grade FBOP.
The definition of this particular grade (FBOP) stands for “Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe” In the tea industry when this grade is placed on a tea it describes that the tea consists of large leaves, generally picked in the second or third flush, (flowery) and the leaves are courser and broken with some tips.The tea brews a light colored liquor. This is a delightful and refreshing organic black tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve mentioned this before, but when I am given a pure black Ceylon to sample and consider for a review, I’m not always as enthusiastic as I might be with other teas. I attribute this “automatic response” to the fact that I used to blend and flavor my own unique tea blends, and Ceylon was often the tea that I used to flavor tea because it has such an even tone and a mellow demeanor. It is a smooth, delicious tea, but, it’s so “predictable” … making it a good choice to use when flavoring tea because you can count on the results of your flavoring and/or blending efforts. However, this tends to give Ceylon teas a somewhat “boring” reputation.
But, I am not finding this Organic Ceylon FBOP Black Tea from Kally Tea to be boring at all! It has a rich and a surprisingly robust flavor, quite contrary to what I expected to taste when I poured this tea into my teacup. It has a brisk, uplifting flavor and a somewhat earthy aroma (not in an off-putting way, though, more like a warm, comforting fragrance.) It’s a medium-bodied tea that starts out sweet with a somewhat woody flavor, and it gradually transcends into other layers of flavor. I taste hints of flower and there is a citrus-y tone toward the finish. There is some astringency to this, but I wouldn’t say that it is overly so.
The dry leaf is a finer chop than I expected from an FBOP … so, you want to use a little less leaf when you measure it into your brewing device. Also, because of the finer leaf, you’ll want a smaller mesh for straining. But these small details are worth it, because you’ll be rewarded with a tasty cup of tea that tastes great with milk and honey, if you like them in your tea. It’s also good straight up.
Morawaka Ceylon FBOP from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: KTeas
Tea Description:
This Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe consists of semi-leafy pieces with some tips. You may notice a more mellow liquor with a mild, fresh flavor, an inviting bouquet to your cup, and a finish that lingers attractively.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I thought I had completed my series of Morawaka estate Ceylon reviews, but I came across this sampling the other day as I was sorting through my stash (in an effort to get it organized … an effort, I fear, that is futile, and yet, I continue on!) I am happy, though, to have found this Ceylon as it is quite enjoyable.
The flavor is mild and bright, with hints of floral notes in the background. There is a fair amount of astringency that is more tangy than it is dry. That tangy note lingers into the aftertaste, imparting an almost citrus-y taste on the tongue. As I continue to sip on the tea, a sweetness develops that gives the cup more of a smooth, well-rounded character, and helps to soften the astringent finish. This particular grade of the single estate Morawaka Ceylon seems to be a bit more floral in taste than the others … assuming I am remembering correctly.
This has that brisk flavor that one might expect from a Ceylon. It makes for an excellent choice for a lighter breakfast tea, or a mild afternoon tea. It goes wonderfully with chocolate. (Then again, there aren’t many things that don’t go wonderfully with chocolate.) It also makes a wonderful iced tea, and takes additions well – try serving this with a thin slice of citrus for a glass of iced refreshment!
A very nice offering from KTeas!