Tea Type:
Black Tea
Where To Buy:
Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
One of Mr. Vail’s 15 original tea blends.
Traditional English and Irish Breakfast teas are generally quite robust blends. This version, for standard American tastes, is comprised of teas from India, Sri Lanka, China and Formosa. It is full-bodied and malty with a bright amber cup, but unlike our English and Irish teas, it has a delightful flowery bouquet. It can be enjoyed as is or is excellent with milk, lemon or sweetener. American Breakfast is a blend that is a perfect choice for your first cup of the day.
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
Tasters Review:
I was so excited I was able to drink one of Mr. Vail’s original blends (one of the first 15, even!) I’m also really excited they made mention of both English and Irish Breakfasts in the product description as well as mentioning the black tea blended base is made up of teas from India, China, Sri Lanka, and Formosa. With all this in mind I can’t help but think of what America is made of…immigrants – we all are! People from all over the world make up America so it puts a smile on my face that all of this also goes into this American Breakfast Blend of a tea.
My Father’s Mom’s Family was 100% Irish! Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, by the way! I nice day for everyone to be a little Irish, eh!?
I can taste the English and Irish Breakfast comparisons, here, but I can pick up on the floral notes, sweet-woodsy notes, a bit of smoke, and even hints of citrus – naturally speaking.
This is super tasty! Much of what I look for in a Breakfast/Black Tea with a little extra something! I really like this blend of teas from S&V!
Mao Feng Green Tea from TeaVert
Tea Type: Green Tea
Where To Buy: TeaVert
Product Description:
A lot of famous teas come from the region in China called The Golden Triangle, which was the source of many Imperial Tribute Teas or in modern days called “famous teas”.
Tribute Teas were chosen by the Emperor of the last four dynasties for remarkable taste and qualities. The teas were exclusively available only for royal tastes and sometimes even were used as tax payment. If any of the Tribute teas that did not satisfy the royal taste, they would be given to court officials, who could drink the tea or sell it illegally for profit.
In Chinese, “Mao” means fluffy, and “Feng” means mountain peaks. Our organic Mao Feng grows in the mountains of central Zhejiang province and is harvested only in early spring from leaves picked at the right moment and carefully processed. The highest grades use only one bud and the first leaf. Each day the leaves will be different, and they produce a slightly different batch of tea.
The leaf has a pleasantly sweet, mildly fragrant aroma, with a hint of apricot.
The brew in the cup usually infuses to a very pale yellow with a hint of green.
The taste is mellow and sweet with a nice hint of subtle grassiness.
Mao Feng Tea drinkers say that the first brewing is fragrant, the second brewing is sweet, and the third brewing is strong. The tea tastes clean and refreshing, and lasts a long time on the tongue.
Like a great wine, it also has to be a good year.
PreparationHeat water to 185-195 F, steep 3 minutes
Tasters Review:
First I want to say HAPPY ST PATRICK’S DAY from the SororiTEA Sisters! You know SororiTEA Sisters find ANY reason to drink…TEA, that is…so St. Patrick’s Day is yet ANOTHER reason to “drink up”!
My posts today will feature GREEN Teas. My first post for today is Mao Feng Green Tea from TeaVert!
I really enjoyed this tea! It’s a mellow-sweet, slightly buttery yet vegetable-esque and subtle grassiness type taste all wrapped-up into one with a grassy/dried apricot aftertaste.
In short, it’s a darn good Green! I’m VERY impressed with TeaVert’s Selection and am looking forward to sampling and reviewing more of their teas!