Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
A rich, whole leaf Assam with dark leaves and golden tips produces a bright copper, full-bodied tea. Floral and citrus hints are followed by a malty aftertaste. Lovely with milk and sugar, and a wonderful stand-alone tea.
Ingredients: Assam Fine Tippy Golden Flower Orange Pekoe Black Tea
Learn more about this tea here.
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Taster’s Review:
Mmm! That’s the first sound that came out of me as I took a sip of this tea. There is something that is just so … delectable when it comes to a high quality Assam tea like this one from Simple Loose Leaf. Is it the sweet caramel undertones? The malty notes? The hints of cacao that intermingle with the notes of fruit and flower and earth? Or is it a combination of all these?
For me, it’s how the cup comes together. It’s the sum of the parts. The tea is rich and full-bodied. It has a certain gusto to it that invigorates me, which is why I tend to reach for teas like this as my first cup of the day.
I also love the sweetness of the tea. The creamy caramel low notes meld with the malty notes of the tea to create this decadent sweetness that compliments the cacao notes. Then I taste the notes of flower and fruit in the distance. It’s earthy and warm. And as you’re starting to feel just a little cozy with the sip, those fruit notes come through to add a touch of brightness to the cup.
But how to brew it? I have found that Assam teas tend to be rather finicky. They don’t like to be kept in hot water too long or they’ll become quite bitter on you. Sure, this is true of many teas, but I find it to be particularly true of Assam, and even a matter of 15 – 30 seconds too long can mean a cup that’s more bitter than you want it to be.
For Assam, I go with 205°F rather than the full-on boil, and then I steep the tea for no more than 2 1/2 minutes. If I steep the tea in my Breville One-Touch tea maker (which is what I did today), I steep the tea for only 2 minutes. 500ml of freshly filtered water with 2 bamboo scoops of tea in the basket and I pushed the button to make my magical machine go. Two minutes later, I was treated to a fragrant, delicious cuppa!
This is a really good Assam. I like this tea best served hot, and it takes the additions of milk and honey well if that’s what you like in your tea. I personally like this straight up, it’s edgy and it gives me a good shake awake. When I want an indulgent treat, I sometimes drizzle some pure maple syrup in my cup and yum!
Another awesome tea from Simple Loose Leaf! Have you joined the Selection Club yet?
Organic Sungma FTGFOP-1 Black Tea from Kally Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Kally Tea
Tea Description:
Sungma – This is one of the most respected tea estates in Darjeeling. This black Darjeeling tea offering produces a wonderfully balanced liquor. This is what you come to expect from top tea estates in taste and aroma.
This grade of tea “FTGFOP-1” stands for “Finest Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe #1”. This tea is hand processed, with one quarter of it consisting of tips.
A joke among tea aficionados is that “FTGFOP” stands for “Far Too Good For Ordinary People” so try this tea and welcome to the ranks of the privileged.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Of the information that is provided for this tea, the one thing that is missing is which flush Organic Sungma FTGFOP-1 Black Tea from Kally Tea was harvested. But the flavor suggests to me that this is most likely a first flush. In my experience, the second flush Darjeeling teas tend to possess more of that “muscatel” taste while the first flush tends to be a little more woodsy.
And this tea does have more of that woodsy kind of flavor to it. In the dry leaf aroma, that’s the first thing I picked up on was a woodsy kind of fragrance, reminding me of the scent one might experience while walking through a heavily wooded forest just after it rained, when the scent of the trees is really prolific. The brewed tea has some of this fragrance as well, but it isn’t as pronounced as it is in the dry leaf.
The flavor – as I’ve already mentioned – is also woodsy. It also does have some delightful floral notes in the distance, and some sweet fruity notes that seem to emerge as the tea cools slightly. The first couple of sips that I tasted, I didn’t really notice a lot of fruit or flower to this cup, but now that it’s had a few minutes to cool to a drinkable temperature, I notice more of the fruity tones and floral notes.
But mostly what I notice here is an earthy, woodsy tone. It is crisp and focused. The mouthfeel is pleasant, and the flavor is uplifting. The fruit notes provide more of a sweetness than a real distinct, identifiable fruit flavor, and it isn’t exactly a muscatel-ish note. This has some astringency toward the finish, but it isn’t as dry as some Darjeeling teas that I’ve tasted. It’s really quite enjoyable – a very good afternoon tea.
I don’t know that I’d say it’s Far Too Good For Ordinary People – mostly because I’m not in to arrogance like that – but it is certainly good, and I do appreciate that it’s part of Kally Tea’s organic line of teas, and it’s a good one to try if you’re looking for a good quality Darjeeling.
Jun Chiyabari Nepalese Black Tea from Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Description:
Jun Chiyabari is a luxury black tea (Tippy Golden Flowery Orange Pekoe) with ethereal notes of muscatel that whispers true himalayan beauty. Grown on mountainside elavations reaching 7000 feet above sea level in the Hile Hills Dhankuta district of Nepal. The exceptionally clean air, rich mountain soil and pure sunshine help Jun Chiyabari continually exceed the quality of many darjeeling teas. It is no surprise that Jun Chiyabari black tea ranks so high as a source for powerful antioxidants. With polyphenol levels of 10.7% by dry weight, this is truly a gourmet black tea for the connoisseur and those individuals that desire a healthy black tea alternative.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Having tried a couple of Jun Chiyabari teas, I was only too happy to be in possession of another sampling of this Nepalese black tea. Imperial Tea Garden has the “touch” when it comes to selecting top notch teas, and this offering is an example of what I mean.
This is a delightful “Darjeeling-esque” black tea is very much like a second flush Darjeeling, with notes of muscatel, its compelling fruit notes, hints of earth and wood, and a dry finish that is reminiscent of wine. It has a fair amount of astringency that leaves the palate feeling clean after each sip. The aftertaste is sweet and grape-y!
This tea also has a slightly heavier texture to it than a typical Darjeeling, which I would ordinarily classify as a light or even sparkling sort of texture. This has a texture that is more like a Ceylon.
A really charming cup of hot tea in the afternoon, or if you are looking for iced refreshment, this tea tastes great chilled and served with a sprig of mint!
Jungpana Estate 2nd Flush Golden Tips Darjeeling Tea from Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Darjeeling Tea Lovers
Tea Description:
JUNGPANA GOLDEN TIPS is by far one of the finest available teas. It comes from the prestigious JUNGPANA TEA ESTATE. This tea is special as it has been made with utmost care. The tea is made from the finest clonal plants from the plantations at an altitude of 6000ft. The leaves were handpicked with a trained group of women. The manufacturing process was also done with utmost care.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I adore Darjeeling tea, and some of the finest Darjeeling teas that I’ve ever tasted have come from Darjeeling Tea Lovers! This Jungpana Estate 2nd Flush Golden Tips Darjeeling Tea is a perfect example of the fantastic quality teas that come from this fantastic company.
The dry leaves are beautiful with their golden tips, and they brew up a liquid that is coppery in color and that smells sweet with notes of fruit, earth and wood.
And I like that what I smell is also what I taste. The tea is delightfully sweet without being too sweet. There is a lovely fruit note to this, wine-like, with notes of currant and muscat grape. The finish has a gentle astringency – very slight! For those of you who tend to avoid Darjeeling teas because you aren’t wild about the astringency … I think you’d find this Darjeeling to be more to your liking! The finish is less dry than the typical wine-y Darjeeling.
There are notes of wood, earth and hints of flower to this tea as well. It is quite smooth for a Darjeeling, and I note more body to this … it is not quite as “light” and “sparkling” and in place of the sparkling lightness is a smooth body that is very satisfying.
Another remarkable Darjeeling from Darjeeling Tea Lovers!
Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Tea Description:
Known as “Yunnan Pure Gold”, this tippy black tea from China is easily recognizable and produces a rich liquor with light caramel and honey notes.
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
There really are very few black teas that I enjoy more than a Golden Yunnan tea like this Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea. I love the rich, caramel-esque flavor of this tea! It’s so deliciously satisfying.
Every single leaf (well, actually, these truly are “buds”) is fully golden in color, ranging from a matte gold color to a soft brown. But these aren’t leaves that are “tipped” in gold, they are gold from one edge to the other with only slight variations in color throughout the bud. The aroma of the brewed tea is soft and earthy.
And the flavor! It is oh-so-good! Rich! Robust! It is one of those teas that you just sip and then sit back while your eyes roll back and you emit a satisfied “ahhhh” because it’s just that good. It has enough gusto to serve as that first cup of the day, and it is smooth enough to serve as an afternoon tea if you prefer it. It would take the additions of honey and/or milk well, but, I would recommend trying it without additions first. It has a natural honey-like flavor to it already … you might find it to be plenty sweet and flavorful without the additions.
This is a tea that I prefer hot. It certainly tastes good iced, but, to me, it seems like such a waste to serve this tea iced when it tastes as good as it does hot. It’s kind of like serving a filet mignon cold. Sure, it probably tastes good like that. But, really, why would you do that when it is obviously better when it’s served hot… you know? Do yourself a favor and savor the flavor of this tea hot!