I’m rotating between this and the English and Irish Breakfast blends, but never managing to make the definitive tasting note on any. I think this might be my favourite, though I feel I should be loyal to the Darjeeling-less blends (which the Irish definitely is, and I’m guessing the English too). I make them all with two teaspoons for a cup about 300 ml, and all are nice and strong, round, and astringent enough to know you’re drinking a strong black without taking your mouth off. None is too round either, and someday I’m going to figure out what I mean by too round so it’s remotely comprehensible to others.
My wonderful tea-drinking day yesterday started off with the best cup of this. Good stuff!
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Round is perfectly comprehensible, I know exactly what you mean!
Good! But do you know what I mean by too round? I’m going to have to make a conscious decision to look out for it while drinking strong blacks! Maybe Assams…?
I am admittedly a bit prejudiced against Assams (though I love a couple) and even more shockingly, against Darjeelings. I think I know what you mean about not too round a black a tea though. But Assam, is tricky. I have been curious about Nepal teas, and thanks to Angrboda, got one waiting for me to try it. Ceylon, good ones might be it as well, dunno. And I got to get more of that portuguese tea I used for the chai, it is really quite good!
I’m not sure it’s the Assam in a blend that is making the tea seem too round to me, but I’m going to have a think and see if I can remember which blend I had recently that struck me that way. I’m happy enough to keep my distance from Darjeelings – the one I got from Palais des Thés is quite nice, but I’d hate to find out that the really expensive ones actually are really good. For now, I can just breeze on by the Darjeelings in tea websites and not worry about getting caught by the MUST HAVE bug. :P I’m expanding on your random Ceylon sampling, and will soon have three to compare! And that Portuguese tea was lovely in the chai!
Oh, I think maybe the opposite: Assam is not round to me, or not really. When i think of round teas, I think of chinese teas, no sharpness, all smooth.
LOL about the fear of finding the real expensive ones are really good, that is a problem indeed – otoh if I had never had good silver needle tea (or theodor´s milky oolong) I would never considering buying those but they were so good, my opinion of what tea is has improved by having really good teas..
Round is perfectly comprehensible, I know exactly what you mean!
Good! But do you know what I mean by too round? I’m going to have to make a conscious decision to look out for it while drinking strong blacks! Maybe Assams…?
I am admittedly a bit prejudiced against Assams (though I love a couple) and even more shockingly, against Darjeelings. I think I know what you mean about not too round a black a tea though. But Assam, is tricky. I have been curious about Nepal teas, and thanks to Angrboda, got one waiting for me to try it. Ceylon, good ones might be it as well, dunno. And I got to get more of that portuguese tea I used for the chai, it is really quite good!
I’m not sure it’s the Assam in a blend that is making the tea seem too round to me, but I’m going to have a think and see if I can remember which blend I had recently that struck me that way. I’m happy enough to keep my distance from Darjeelings – the one I got from Palais des Thés is quite nice, but I’d hate to find out that the really expensive ones actually are really good. For now, I can just breeze on by the Darjeelings in tea websites and not worry about getting caught by the MUST HAVE bug. :P I’m expanding on your random Ceylon sampling, and will soon have three to compare! And that Portuguese tea was lovely in the chai!
Oh, I think maybe the opposite: Assam is not round to me, or not really. When i think of round teas, I think of chinese teas, no sharpness, all smooth.
LOL about the fear of finding the real expensive ones are really good, that is a problem indeed – otoh if I had never had good silver needle tea (or theodor´s milky oolong) I would never considering buying those but they were so good, my opinion of what tea is has improved by having really good teas..