Winey Keemun English Breakfast

Okay Steepsterites, I’ll come clean. I really wanted a glass of wine. Yes, at 8:45am. But since: 1 – That is a bit crazy and 2 – I have a ton of homework to get through today, I decided to compromise and go with this tea. Which seems like a much more realistic choice at 8:45 in the morning.

This tea really is unlike anything I’ve had. It seems that every English Breakfast blend tends to be just really plain and sometimes bland but this one is intriguing. I think you would have to enjoy a bit of red wine to really love this tea but I think non-wine drinkers would like it as well. Just not as much. Like I’ve said previously, it can get a bit astringent when taken plain but just the smallest amount of milk and sugar mutes that enough for it to be quite enjoyable.

This is a classic, a very nice tea from a company that says they only do a few teas, but they only sell the very best they can find. This Keemun lives up to its name, not smoky like many are but rather richly flavored with a hint of deep red wine. Very nice with sweets.

This tea reminds me of when…

…you really want to meet someone because you HEARD they were nice and when you actually meet them they are everything you HEARD they would be but at the same time they aren’t over-the-top eccentric but they are far from boring.

I’m going to be reviewing in more length TOMORROW…here…
http://sororitea.wordpress.com

Backlog from this morning: My first tea tasting from this month’s Steepster Select box. This is really good. Full-bodied and robust, with notes of fermented fruit and a lovely sweetness. Earthy and a slight smoky note. Even a hint of leather. Very pleasant, a very nice, well-rounded cup of tea.

There’s definitely more interest here than your standard breakfast blend. To my surprise, the Keemun is neither cocoa-y or smoky, but it does have a dry red wine kind of mouthfeel and a slightly oaky and fermented fruit flavor (which was also evocative of a rich red wine). I wasn’t necessarily blown away by the cup, but it’s very nice.

Another morning, another breakfast tea. In an odd way I have been craving Keemun, I think it’s because of my love for black tea at the moment (last month it was jasmine tea).

The colour once brewed is earthy browny red and it smells slightly sweet and woody.

This tastes malty, slightly woody and earthy with a hint of sweetness. It’s rather rich and well bodied, great for a morning/breakfast tea. There is also a hint of fermented fruit (which brings forward the sweetness) and dryness which is possibly the winey element.

Overall it’s a nice cup but not extraordinary. My mouth was left bone dry after each sip which I am not a fan of and I was hoping that it was a little stronger and more full bodied. It was nice however to have a change and this tea is still rather nice.

A nice enough black tea. Nothing that made me praise the tea gods but an alright black breakfast tea. I think I kind of understand where the “winey” part of the title is coming from but its almost as if the winey flavor is part of the slight astringency itself. Still, its not what I had in mind and was looking forward to with a name like Winey Keemun. Sure the tea is a deep red color but oh well thats not enough to make me jump up and down.
Yet there is a calming morning salute here and somehow this tea becomes quite relaxing for a wake up tea, quite enjoyable almost as if it is whispering in the back of your mind “don’t worry, don’t rush, everything will go smooth today, relax…” and as you become more and more alert you do so without cramming your crumpet in your face while grabbing your items and jaunting out the door – this is the laid back take er easy tea for morning people who want to savor the moments in life. But again, like I said … nothing to write home about. :P

Many many thanks to ashmanra for this tea!!

We were feeling peckish this afternoon, so I put together some toast with butter and strawberry jam, and made a pot of this tea for my husband and I. Oh! We’re in love! It kind of reminds me of Dawn lite – subtle cocoa notes and good tea. Very rich. Earthy. A splash of of milk and scant teaspoon of sugar make it a real treat. I don’t taste anything wine-like, but then again maybe you need to take it plain to get that from it. I would purchase this in a heartbeat, especially now that Dawn is no longer available.

When I need something that goes with anything I reach for this tea, just as I did this morning. The deep amber-red liquor has a medium-full body that tastes of tea. No, really. It tastes like regular, comforting, no strings attached, black TEA. No bells or whistles, no apologies. It is what it is and sometimes you just need a cup of something that won’t tease or hide behind itself.

I work as head nurse in very hectic advanced dementia care unit. It is a very rewarding job, but very stressful. The past six weeks at work have been especially busy. My own mother has Alzheimer’s too. I’m exhausted.

On a brighter note, I have the weekend off. It is time for the nurse to take care of himself. Yesterday I sauntered over to Southern Seasons and purchased this tea. I tend to favor Keemun based English Breakfast teas, and I’ve been yearning to try this one for some time. I have never been disappointed by any of Grace Tea Company’s blends, and this one has proven to be no exception.

The lovely dry leaf smells of sweet earth and autumn leaves. A three and a half minute steep yields an orangey red, sweet fragranced liquor. The taste is very rich, and was quite reminiscent of sweet pipe tobacco and warm nuts. True to it’s name, there is a definite note of fine red wine with a pleasant, mild astringency that comes in on the end of the sip. This tea takes milk and sugar very well, though it is not necessary. I think that honey would work marvelously as well.

Winey Keemun English Breakfast is a tea that wakes you gently. This is a luxurious, delicious tea for a long, lazy Sunday. I believe that it would also be superb for an impromptu afternoon tea party. This is a time out tea. A tea to linger over and savor. A tea to relax, unwind, and forget your cares. I feel better already.