Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Rich, black tea from a Fairtrade garden in the mountains of Malawi. To compare this to an ordinary tea would be like comparing a line-drawing with a sculpture. This is like drinking normal tea but in 3-D.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!
Since it’s Father’s Day here in the states, I thought I’d start the day with a review of one of the more masculine teas I’ve tasted in quite a while. This Lost Malawi Black Tea from Rare Tea Co. is so rich and malty and DELICIOUS! I’m not at all surprised though, because the teas that I’ve tried from this company have always impressed me. They’re one of those companies that never seem to fail to excite me with their stellar teas!
This tea would make an excellent choice for that vital first cup of the day, because it has some real GUSTO to it. It’s one of those teas that really motivate you to get going, it’s like supercharging your engines!
The flavor is so solid. Even though it is a very hefty, bold cup of tea – it is remarkably well-rounded. It is a little malty and these malty tones bring out the undertones of sweetness that taste faintly of honey caramel. There is no bitterness and not a lot of astringency to speak of either. It’s just … real rugged and very masculine. It has some earthy notes to it, evoking thoughts of leather. It has that really good bake-y, cake-y sort of taste to it, like freshly baked french bread that’s still warm … the kind that’s baked on stone so that the crust is crisp and crackling and chewy! YUM!
I like that this tastes amazing served straight up, but, it also takes the addition of milk and honey well if you want to have a sweet and creamy cuppa at breakfast time. A deliciously rich, flavorful cup of tea, and it’s a perfect tea to serve to your dad or the hubby on his special day!
Lost Malawi Tea from Rare Tea Company
Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
Rare Tea Company
Product Description:
Lost Malawi comes from Thyolo Mountain in the Shire Highlands of Malawi.
You can see a short film about the tea and why its so special here:
http://www.rareteacompany.com/videos.php?id=OsroewAbybAThis is a single estate tea grown and lovingly made on a farm called Satemwa . It’s not a modern industrial blend churned out by vast machines. Lost Malawi is an old fashioned tea crafted in small batches with great care. It has a depth and quality almost forgotten. Like all good crops the leaf is seasonal – picked only when the tea bush is at is best. For this reason there is only a limited supply.
Strong and satisfying, Lost Malawi is the perfect Afternoon Tea . Delicious with milk and sugar, it is also wonderful on its own. To compare this to an ordinary afternoon tea blend would be like comparing a line-drawing with a sculpture. This is like drinking tea in 3-D.
Lost Malawi is 100% Fairtrade tea.
Part of the money you spend goes on providing the local community with fresh water, adult education and solar power as well as scholarships for orphans.
Tasters Review:
My very first thoughts of this teas were…Strong, Burly, and Bold! Darn hefty, even! This is Rich and Awakening! It has masculine and earthy flavors within, too! I thought it was a Fantastically Bold Brew, indeed! I really liked this one right away but after trying it again I liked it even more! It’s a perfect morning cuppa! It’s earthy but bold and dark! A goodie for sure!
Royal Air Force Tea from Rare Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Co.
Tea Description:
A bespoke blend created for the RAF. When only the best will do.
But don’t take our word for it. Here is comedian Alexander Armstrong explaining why RAF Tea is worth it.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I just received my package of tea from Rare Tea Co. today, and before brewing this splendid Royal Air Force blend, I perused the Rare Tea Co. website to learn a little more about the tea. While I was there, I clicked on the link above (this one), watched the video and had a really good laugh thanks to Alexander Armstrong.
And now that I’ve tasted this tea, I have to say that Mr. Armstrong is right. This is delicious. And, yes, it does taste like tea. But, I don’t think you visited this website today to hear me reaffirm the words of Alexander Armstrong.
When I opened the package I noticed that the leaf looked a bit like a Darjeeling, or at least a blend containing Darjeeling. And after reading the website, I found that it is, indeed, a blend that contains a Darjeeling tea as well as an estate tea from Malawi. So, I brewed this with not quite boiling water (200°F) and steeped for 2 minutes.
The results are marvelous. The tea is rich with fruity high notes and I taste a hint of muscatel. The Satemwa estate tea in this blend provides a strong, malty character. The tea is sweet with bright fruit tones and the caramel-y taste of the malt. These two teas meld together so perfectly, creating a very full-bodied, rounded taste. It is bold enough to serve first thing in the morning, and smooth enough to serve as an afternoon tea.
This tea does take to the additions of milk and sugar well, but, I find this to be quite lovely served without additions. It is nice iced, too, although I think the cooling process seems to dull the flavors somewhat. For the best flavor, serve hot.