Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Republic
Tea Description:
Made entirely of Phoobsering Estate’s famous cultivar, P312, this flavorful selection is the perfect expression of spring in Darjeeling. A sweet briskness lingers on the palate with notes of Lily of the Valley and sweet lemon. There is a planty quality to the finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I mentioned in my tasting note for this tea on Steepster, if this Darjeeling is any indication of what we might expect from the 2012 harvest, we’re in for a wonderful year of tea!
This is really quite marvelous. The aroma is lovely, with notes of flower. I don’t think I’ve ever really experienced a tea that had such a distinct Lily of the Valley note to it before. I mean, I’ve experienced teas with orchid notes or honeysuckle, and other flowers, but this is the first time where I really recognized Lily of the Valley. Wow!
This is really quite smooth, smoother than I’d normally expect from a Darjeeling. The delivery is smooth from start to finish, with only a slight astringency toward the tail, as if to remind you that this is a Darjeeling.
And as I mentioned with my review of the Wah First Flush from Rare Tea Republic, this tea looks like it could be a green tea when I first opened the package. And the color of the brewed liquid is much lighter than a typical black tea. But, one taste tells me that this is definitely a black Darjeeling.
It has those crisp, light notes and fruity tones that Darjeeling is known for, with a hint of muscatel that presents itself toward the finish. Quite lovely. But even more than the muscatel is the delectable lemony note of this tea. It tastes as if I’d squeezed a thin slice of fresh lemon in the cup. It really brightens the flavor and perks up the flavor in a very nice way.
Truly a memorable Darjeeling, this Phoobsering First Flush from Rare Tea Republic. I find that I can always count on Rare Tea Republic to deliver top-notch tea. This is the kind of company that will impress even the most discerning of tea connoisseurs … I highly recommend them, and this tea!
Jun Chiyabari FTGFOP1 Autumnal Black Tea from Rare Tea Republic
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Republic
Tea Description:
This outstanding selection is rich and flavorful and offers excellent value. Sweet and creamy notes of caramel and Turkish apricot dominate a sweet and smooth liquor. This is a superb example of the quality achievable by skillful cultivation and manufacture and a fantastic every morning tea.
Jun Chiyabari FTGFOP1 Autumnal was an award winning tea at the North American Tea Championship.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is an outstanding tea! But then, I’ve come to expect nothing less from Rare Tea Republic. Every tea that I’ve tried from them thus far has been nothing less than stellar.
I never tried a Turkish apricot, but, this tea does have a certain fruity note to it that is similar to an apricot or a peach. It is sweet and luscious! The above description also suggests notes of caramel, and I’m tasting that too. However, the caramel tones here are different than ones I might experience in another black or even a pu-erh tea. This tea has a lighter body, and the caramel tones are not a heavy, “thick” kind of caramel taste, but instead, it tastes like hints of caramelized fruit: a sweet, light, vibrant taste that delights the palate!
This tea has many similarities to what I’ve come to know as Darjeeling-esque qualities, but, it doesn’t have that muscatel note. This does have the light crispness of a Darjeeling, however, and a similar dry note toward the end of the sip. The aftertaste is sweet and slightly fruit-like.
Overall, I found this to be a remarkably refreshing and delicious tea, one that I think should be on the MUST TRY list of every tea aficionado!
No. 49 Assam FTGFOP1 Black Tea from Steven Smith Teamaker
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steven Smith Teamaker
Tea Description:
The legendary breakfast tea from the upper Assam valley of India. Full-flavored, rich and chewy with notes of caramel and malt, this tea is bright and coppery in the cup and makes a great wake-up any time of day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve consumed many excellent cups of Assam tea over the years, but I can think of none that I have enjoyed more than this one. And that, in no way, is intended to take away from any of the delicious Assam teas that I have tried. Those that I’ve reviewed positively have been just as good as I described, and I enjoyed each of those immensely. But, I do believe that this one is my favorite. This one… is the KING of Assam tea.
It has many of the characteristics that one would expect from an Assam – it is rich, full-bodied and deliciously flavorful. It has a very strong malty tone to it, and a complementing caramel undertone. Sweet, but not too sweet.
This is a remarkably bright Assam – it doesn’t taste muddled or heavy or thick the way some Assam teas can taste. While it is a very full-flavored tea, it maintains a certain purity to it; a cleaner, more vibrant taste that doesn’t inundate the palate with that heavy sensation of “clutter” that can sometimes accompany an Assam tea. Even with a chewy, sweet, caramel-y malty Assam like this, my palate doesn’t feel overpowered by these heavy flavors. It finishes clean with a moderate astringency. The aftertaste is sweet with hints of fruit.
For the purposes of this review, I consumed the cup without additions, and it is delicious this way. It is also marvelous with a splash of milk or cream, which enhances the malty and caramel-y notes and gives it a very decadent, cozy creaminess.
Truly a remarkable Assam.
Glenburn First Flush Darjeeling FTGFOP1 from KTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: KTeas
Product Description:
Picked 20 March 2011!
Fresh from the bush at Glenburn to your cup!Savor Glenburn Estate’s First Flush Darjeeling tea, picked on 20 March 2011. Only the finest tender shoots from Glenburn’s clonal sections, picked during the onset of Spring, will do for this delightfully light liquor, bright and smooth on the palate. Don’t miss the full aroma, the citrus flowers and peach undertones in this personification of the first harvest of the growing season, brought to you from the heights of the Himalayas in Darjeeling, India.
Taster’s Review:
This is FABULOUS! Definitely one of the very best Darjeeling teas I’ve ever tasted. Ever!
The dry tea leaves are varying shades of brown and light green. I even questioned whether this was in fact a black tea or a green tea, not only because of the color of the dry leaf, but, because of the color of the brewed tea and the flavor. The liquor is a beautiful, light amber. It is delightfully fragrant, with notes of fruit and spring blossoms. It reminds me of living in California and walking past the orange groves when they’re in bloom. It smells so wonderful!
The flavor is amazing. So light and crisp! The sip starts with a sweet, fruity tone, and transitions smoothly to a dry astringency, leaving behind a sweet, wine-like note to enjoy in the aftertaste. While it certainly possesses the qualities I’ve come to expect in a black Darjeeling, the lightness of this tea, not just in texture but also in flavor, gave me reason to wonder if this was a green or black tea. A prompt response from the Glenburn estate assured me that this is, indeed, a black tea.
This is truly one of the most amazing Darjeeling black teas I’ve yet to taste. It will take your taste buds on a journey, and really, isn’t that what a good tea should do? I liked that this Darjeeling challenged me. If you’re a Darjeeling devotee, I strongly recommend adding this tea to your MUST TRY list.
Assam Satrupa FTGFOP1 from Element Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Element Tea
Product Description:
Estate-grown Assams grow at a higher altitude, giving them a depth of flavor suitable for drinking anytime of day. Maltier than other types of tea, the Assam’s strong and weighty flavor goes well with the addition of lemon, milk, or sugar. (FTGFOP1 stands for “Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe – Grade 1”)
Taster’s Review:
This is one of the “heftiest” Assam teas I’ve come across! It has a biscuit-y taste to it, like freshly baked bread and a texture to match. This one would definitely make a great breakfast tea … even if you don’t eat breakfast! (Note: I’m not advising anyone to skip breakfast! I am just acknowledging that some of us do!)
There is a remarkable caramel-like sweetness to this tea and it isn’t just an undertone. It is a sweetness that makes its presence known throughout the sip. It is very malty – one of the maltiest Assam teas I’ve tasted.
It also has a mere hint of savory bitterness that hits just at mid-sip and seems to disappear just as quickly as it appears, making this taster question whether its really there or just my imagination! This is a bold, hefty Assam that is just right for that “first cup of the morning.”
While the brewing parameters from Element Tea suggested a four minute brew time, I only steeped it for three minutes. It is almost like an automatic mindset: Assam Tea? Three minutes. I have found that when I venture into the “beyond three minutes” realm with Assam tea there is bitterness to the cup. I sipped it without any addition and found it to be quite lovely: bold and daring, with a sharp edge that is just right for the first cup of the day. I have also tasted this tea with a drizzle of honey, and it’s quite nice with sweetener. I find it softens some of that sharp edge I mentioned previously. Milk would also be a nice addition.
This is one of those “practically perfect” Assam teas that makes a practically perfect breakfast tea! It’s amazing!