Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tea Description:
This tea is from the premium tea gardens of Assam. Historically China had a monopoly on the tea trade but the British wanted to be able to control it. China was fiercely protective of her tea, so many adventures and an industrial espionage later, the British were able to finally get some tea to plant in Assam in British India.
Taste the adventure and romance in this smooth and dark Assam. Malty and well rounded enough to go with milk and sugar if desired. It would certainly be the one to wake you up in the mornings! And to make it easier for you, we’ve even had this luxury whole leaf tea packed into special handcrafted pyramid teabags which have been individually foil wrapped at source to maintain its freshness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s a happy moment when I come across a new Assam tea for me to try. I enjoy many different types of black tea, however, Assam is one of my favorites. I love that rich, malty flavor of an Assam. And this Assam from Tea People is called Malty Assam! You know I’m going to love it, right?
This is a wonderful Assam. Rich and malty? Yes! Of course it is. It has a very smooth and well rounded taste. It’s a full-flavored, energizing Assam.
The steeping parameters from Tea People recommend 3 – 4 minutes in near boiling to boiling water. Instead, I brewed this in boiling water for just 2 1/2 minutes. Based on my own personal experience with Assam, I find that longer than 2 1/2 minutes results in a slightly bitter tasting tea. This doesn’t happen with all Assam teas, but, it’s happened enough in the past so I’m cautious with this often temperamental tea. But because Assam tastes so good, it’s worth the little bit of extra work, you know? And I’m not tasting any bitterness to this cup.
This is one of those Assam teas that balances between “malty” and “wine-y” flavors. I get lots of the sweet, malty notes, but I’m also tasting a black currant note toward the finish. There is a dry astringency at the finish which accentuates the “wine-like” quality of this tea.
I enjoyed this served hot, straight with no additions. But, it is one of those teas that turns into a latte really well, so if you like a morning latte, don’t be afraid to add a little bit of milk and honey to this if you like it that way! An excellent choice for your morning cuppa!
Sunny Ceylon Flavored Black Tea from Tea People
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea People
Tea Description:
Ginger and lemon flavours are a match made in heaven. Add to that luxury Ceylon,which by the way, are considered an aphrodisiac. And you have your perfect honeymoon tea! Of course you don’t have to be on your honeymoon to have our Sunny Ceylon. With bits of pineapple,sunflower and calendula petals, it is guaranteed to bring you a taste of warm sunshine in the gloomiest of days.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m always excited to try teas from a new-to-me company, and this Sunny Ceylon Flavored Black Tea is the first that I’m tasting from Tea People! I chose this tea to try first because it’s been so cold and gray over the last week – not that I dislike this kind of weather, I actually prefer it to the sunshine – but, after a week of not seeing the sun, it’s kind of nice to have a bit of sunshine in my teacup.
When I opened the package and smelled the tea, it has a very sunshine-y kind of fragrance: bright and lemony! The brewed tea is not quite as citrus-y as the dry leaf, but I can smell the ginger and hints of lemon along with the distinct aroma of black Ceylon tea.
The flavor is nice! Even though the bouquet of the dry leaf suggested that this might taste very strongly of lemon, it’s not quite as powerful a flavor as I expected. Oh sure, I can taste the lemon in every sip, but, it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in my cup and that’s a really good thing. I can taste the ginger, I can taste the lemon … but mostly, I taste Ceylon tea!
It is a brisk tea with a medium body with an astringency that I’d categorize as fair to moderate. It is a cleansing astringency – after I’ve taken a sip, my mouth feels clean and dry, like it’s ready for another sip! But don’t mistake astringency for bitterness, because this isn’t bitter. (Although, as with any tea, I wouldn’t recommend oversteeping it because that could cause it to become bitter.)
The lemon adds a bright, sunny taste to the cup (hence the name!) The ginger is very mellow here, adding just a hint of warmth to the cup without tasting spicy. When I slurp the tea, I can taste very subtle whispers of pineapple which accentuate the lemon nicely. There isn’t enough pineapple here to offset the two primary flavors: lemon and ginger; there is just a hint of something a little extra that intrigues the palate to explore.
As the tea continues to cool (and I continue to sip) … the lemon becomes more apparent, and now that I’m about halfway through the cup, the lemon almost tastes as though I squeezed a thin slice of fresh lemon in my teacup. it’s very bright and juicy!
A really nice tea, and it turned out to be the perfect choice for this rather gray day! I can taste the sunshine in my teacup even if I can’t see it when I peek out my window! This joyous tea experience makes me look forward to trying some other teas from Tea People!