2nd Flush Assam

I started my day with steeping not one, but two pots of this tea today.

The first pot that I steeped was slightly oversteeped, I think, because I tasted bitterness but not much else. It was that “oops, I oversteeped the Assam” kind of bitterness, so I drank about half a cup of that before I decided I’d start over.

And this second pot is MARVELOUS! Sweet with caramel-y tones, and rich and malty. So very comforting and cozy. Even though it is still summer, this tea makes me feel like it’s autumn outside. It’s got that kind of coziness to it, it’s the kind of tea you want to curl up with on a cold day. And even though it is warm outside (not too hot, thankfully) because the heat hasn’t managed to make it’s way inside I can still sort of imagine it IS fall (my favorite time of year) and it is cool and it makes this kind of comfort the more enjoyable.

So, the lesson for today is: don’t oversteep this Assam. The first time, I steeped it for 2 minutes, boiling water, in my Breville. The Breville is key with this, because it does stay hotter than other brewing vessels do (at least, that has been my experience). The second time I steeped it for 1 1/2 minutes, boiling water, in my Breville. And it is perfection.

LOVE this Assam.

Full Review on SororiteaSisters.com on the 24th but here are the snippits:

2nd Flush Assam from Tea Horse may be the first tea I have ever had from this company. I cannot recall another before it. This 2nd Flush is a good morning cup. I find the flavors evolve more if you let it cool just slightly before sipping.

What I find most pleasing with this tea is that the berry notes turn to something like a wine flavor as the cup breathes a little – cooling slightly more.

Personally I think this would make a far better tea iced or cold steeped because the longer I sip on this cup, the more flavors evolve with the caramel and malt waking up even more.

It is relatively bright in the mouthfeel however, its not heavy, or creamy, or even all that robust. It may not be the morning tea for everyone depending on how strong you like your morning tea to be.

From the EU TTB – Round 3

So the EU Travelling Tea Box was waiting for me when I got home from work yesterday. It certainly cheered up an otherwise gloomy day! I opened it to have a peek straight away, and then found that I couldn’t actually fit all of the teas back in. I’m not sure how they ever fitted to start with, but there you go. A box of wonders!

This was the first one I pulled out to try. I wanted something a little familiar, but also something new. I didn’t get the chance to try Tea Horse before they closed, and I absolutely adore Assam, so this one fit the bill perfectly. I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it 4 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor was quite dark, so I added a splash of milk.

This is exactly the kind of Assam that I enjoy. It’s strong, bold, and sweetly malty, with a wonderfully smooth caramel flavour underlying. It’s not as distinctive as some Assams I’ve tried, but it makes a lovely straightforward tea for drinking after a difficult day. It’s flavoursome without being complex, good for times when what I want is a tea I can relax with and not have to think too much about. I imagine it would also make a good “wake-up” morning cup.

I’m really glad to have had the chance to try this one. It might be a keeper.

I made Indian food for dinner and I thought it was only fair to finish that off with an Indian tea, my particular craving being Assam. I have a few samples of Assam to go through but I finally settled on this one.

This Assam is dark brown and rather finely chopped with some golden tips present, as well as some sticks. It smells wooden and dry with some malt tones.

Once steeped it has high malt scent with sweet wood. Flavour is strong with rich malt tones, mild sweetness and astringency and wood tones. It re steeps well and actually I prefer the re-steep, it’s lighter and sweeter, less rich than previously.

A nice Assam, nothing special but perfect for my needs tonight. :)