Category: Today’s Tea

Spring, 2019; var. Yunnan big leaf; Fengqing, Yunnan; bud and 1 leaf; elev. various; #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Jīn Tiān De Chá.

Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 15-20sec.@90deg. C

Dry leaf aroma: sweet, malty, vibrant;
Wet leaf aroma: molasses, malt, black peppercorns;
Liquor: brassy golden colour with mildly spicy, nutty, malty aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: thick, viscous, creamy, mild tingling on the tip of the tongue, salivating finish;
Flavour: malt, honey, mildly bitter and spicy like long pepper and ginger, lingering sweet finish;

Opinion: Most off the leaves are whole, with only a few broken pieces here and there. Quite possibly package damage. The colour is incredibly vibrant and leaves a bright yellow stain on white porcelain. The flavor, taste, and aroma are all very delightful. This is a lovely, enjoyable tea.

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Spring, 2019; var. Yunnan Big Leaf; Fengqing, Yunnan; buds only, fire baked; 1600-1900m.
#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Jīn Tiān De Chá.

Infusion: 3g in 150ml for 20sec.@90deg. C

Dry leaf aroma: apricot and citrus;
Wet leaf aroma: dark, murky, vegetal;
Liquor: golden amber colour with vaguely musty aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: light body, tingling, mouthwatering, sweet finish;
Flavour: orange citrus, ginger, spicy, hint of cinnamon, vague honey finish;

Opinion: Light pleasantly aromatic tea with a spicy character and tiny, dry buds have a delightful, enticing, fruity aroma.

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#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Jīn Tiān De Chá.

Infusion: “One tsp per person and one for the pot!” In 150-200ml for 2+ min.@100deg. C

Liquor: deep red colour with a mild, buttery, peppery, aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: mildly viscous, astringent, prickling, and vaguely oily;
Flavour: stark and robust, tannic, suggestions of grapefruit or bitter orange peel; very late onset of a mild sweetness.

Opinion: This #Tea is sharp, strong, assertive. Perfect as a pick me up for the 4:00 o’clock slump. A couple of quick cups of this and you’ll know what’s what.

It is hard however, to get to understand a Tea when there is a dearth of information about it. Nor does it make it comfortably possible to compare and contrast it with other teas in the company’s stable. I would consider it to be more characteristic of a breakfast tea rather than an afternoon tea.

Yet, contacting the company, this “London Blend” is apparently similar to their English Afternoon Blend ???

This suggests its details are something like this: Summer 2019; var. Assamica; Western Hills, Sri Lanka; Ceylon Broken Pekoe, CTC BP1, black tea process; >1200m.

I wonder what the differences actually are? #EnglishAfternoon and #LondonTea, are vastly different teas, at least in my cups.

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Spring 2019; var. Assamica; single origin, #Assam, India; hand picked, leaves and tips, blended black tea; elev. various. #TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Jīn Tiān De Chá.

Infusion: 2g in 180ml for 3-5min.@90-95deg. C

Liquor: deep amber to red colour with a mild malty aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: mouthwatering, spicy-peppery bite, mild sweet and tannic finish;
Flavour: malty, with hints of cinnamon and ginger, followed by a slightly earthy and vegetal aftertaste;

Opinion: This #Tea is a “Classic” #EnglishBreakfast style tea. It is robust and assertive in the cup, mildly and pleasantly aromatic. An all-round enjoyable tea.

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#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Spring 2019; var. Assamica; single origin, Assam, India; hand picked, blended #blacktea; elev. various.

Infusion: 2g in 180ml for 3-5min.@90-95deg. C

Liquor: deep amber to red colour with a spicy, floral aroma hinting of vanilla and cinnamon;
Mouthfeel/Taste: peppery tingle, vaguely salty, slightly astringent, mildly moderate texture and creaminess, finishing with a late hint of sweetness;
Flavour: spicy, vegetal like canned tomato soup, hints of ginger and cinnamon;

Opinion: This is an assertive #Tea that if brewed strong is aggressively tannic, at lighter strengths it is bold and spicy with a sense of earthiness underneath. It stands on its own all by itself. A good breakfast tea.

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#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Spring 2019; var. Assamica; single origin, #Darjeeling, India; hand picked, blended black tea; elev. various.

Infusion: 2g in 180ml for 3-5min.@90-95deg. C

Liquor: amber-red colour with faint, nutty, malty, aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: mouthwatering, stimulating, mild late lingering sweetness and peppery, minty (camphor?) freshness, thin to moderate texture;
Flavour: hints of malty, ginger, and cinnamon;

Opinion: In comparison to Darjeeling Spring, this tea is more earthy in taste and character. This is a refreshing and comforting tea.

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#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Spring 2019; var. Assamica; single origin, Darjeeling, India; hand picked, blended black tea; elev. various.

Infusion: 2g in 180ml for 3-5min.@90-95deg. C

Liquor: pale brassy gold colour with mild citrus aroma;
Mouthfeel/Taste: prickling, tingling, drying, astringent, vague late sweetness, thin texture;
Flavour: orchid, grapefruit, hint of ginger, not particularly aromatic;

Opinion: a light, fresh, beguiling tea that is easy to drink and not think about. A solid background supporter that would love the company of a petit four.

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#TodaysTea, #今天的茶, Summer 2019; var. Assamica; Western Hills, Sri Lanka; #Ceylon Broken Pekoe, #CTC BP1, black tea process; >1200m.

Infusion: “One tsp per person and one for the pot!” In 150-200ml for 2+ min.@100deg. C

Opinion: When my grandmother died, her #Samovar passed to me, along with a particular way of drinking tea. Black tea, In today’s case, #EnglishAfternoonTea, would be brewed strong and then served in small, dainty, porcelain tea cups. She always has a, “gift” set of tiny jam jars and 1/4 tsp teaspoons for dipping out your jam of choice. You see, the tea was diluted to taste with hot water, and sweetened with jam, thus balancing the strong tannic astringency with any of the jams, conserves, or marmalades that were on hand.

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