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“This is a CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea so instead of whole leaves, the tea leaves were ground into nuggets – I was expecting it to be bitter….but lo and behold- no bitterness. in fact, it was...” Read full tasting note
“I had never had a CTC tea before, besides possibly in a bag in my early days, so this is a new experience for me. Rather than recognizable leaves, this tea looks almost exactly like grape-nuts...” Read full tasting note
This classic Assam tea is bold, rich and makes a perfect companion to a hearty breakfast. We were looking for a strong Assam tea that reminded us of Indian street chai, and this gem from the Salkathoni estate in Assam fit the bill. American Breakfast is produced using the CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) method of manufacture, which results in these potent, tightly rolled pellets. You can drink this tea plain (it produces a dark chocolate-amber liquor as shown in the photos), or if you prefer, add a dash of milk and a little sweetener. Enjoy hot or iced.
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This is a CTC (crush, tear, curl) tea so instead of whole leaves, the tea leaves were ground into nuggets – I was expecting it to be bitter….but lo and behold- no bitterness. in fact, it was “meaty”. and perfect for a AM cup….I need to try this one a few more times but after experimenting with a gazillion breakfast blends, this one is defintiely a keeper….
I had never had a CTC tea before, besides possibly in a bag in my early days, so this is a new experience for me. Rather than recognizable leaves, this tea looks almost exactly like grape-nuts would, if for some reason wheat and tea traded places in the universe. The leaves have a slightly brisk but full smell, with a hint of dried apple.
The brew is a deep, dark red. It may be the smoothest black tea I’ve ever had, which is not what I was expecting from a CTC tea. From what little I’d read about them, it seemed that CTC teas would be powerful but harsh.
American Breakfast doesn’t really have much in the way of out-of-the-ordinary flavors, but there’s absolutely nothing not to like about the taste. It is robust and full, but mellow and without any bitterness or astringency, which is something of an accomplishment with a black tea. The mouthfeel is something like a very smooth coffee. This is a quandary for me, score-wise, because how do you compare this with a tea that does something more interesting and unusual but has astringency or some other undesirable characteristic? In any case, it’s a very enjoyable tea and one that I recommend. It would be very hard to dislike.
(taken with milk and a spoon of sugar, as always)
Just learned a new term: CTC :D This one sounds intriguing indeed! ::adds to list::
Yes it is very good….
Is this similar to a Scottish breakfast tea, then? Those are usually l’il nuggets.
Their Mountain Malt was so good that I may have to try this one.
Our London Cuppa tea is like that. I just brew it for two minutes instead of five and it is pretty good!
I’ve eyeing this tea. Meaty sounds good! I’m really loving breakfast blends nowadays.
Dan- I ordered the Mountain Malt based on your tasting notes! I will need to try both the American Blend and Mountain Malt side by side…On a good note, the Simple Leaf sells generous sample sizes for $5 bucks..
And about Scottish blend, I have not tried that before so I do not know…