ScottTeaMan

One of the many things I like about Upton Tea besides their high quality teas, is the ability on their site to see ALL of my past online orders. So, once again steepsters, I found this gem I ordered in September 2000! Sadly, it is no longer available- for nearly ten years now. :(( Upton’s often retires or reuses item numbers. Luckily, this item number was not retired, so this is the actual item number, description, and picture of the tea!

I am reviewing this tea because it is very memorable to me. It was my first Kenyan tea. Excuse me while I hit my recall button and dust off those memory cells. This tea had very large black leaves, and some white tips-a beautiful leaf! Very nice leaf aroma. A tea with a nice aroma in the cup, and a unique, smooth, full bodied flavor, that was never overpowering. A very delicious tea that was truly excellent in every respect! If I could just have one more cup {sigh}.

Upon opening the bag, I was greeted with a deep spearmint aroma. I have tried this both hot and iced and while I wanted this to be for iced tea, the flavor just did not come through as well for iced tea (maybe I need to add even more tea?). As a hot tea this spearmint really comes through, full flavored, clean, and very refreshing. A truly good spearmint.

I can’t say it’s great because I haven’t tried another pure spearmint tea, so I have nothing to compare it to. Spearmint has a more subdued flavor, than say, peppermint. My mistake was drinking so much of Upton’s Peppermint tea. So when I started drinking the spearmint, it didn’t pack the punch I expected. That being said, spearmint is not supposed to be as strong as peppermint.

This is a really good spearmint tea offered by Upton Tea, from the dry leaf aroma to the flavor in the cup-on my tongue. A very round, full flavored Spearmint tea.

Any other spearmint teas out there I should try?

This was another sample I purchased ten plus years ago, along with the Baker Street Blend. I am reviewing this tea, based on my memory ten years ago, so please bear with me. OOPS….I almost posted “bare with me”, in which case I would have been asking you to get naked with me (while drinking tea?!). Hehehehehe…..

First let me say that I used to always use sugar in my tea, until around 1998-1999, when I first tasted a FF Darjeeling from the Pussimbing tea garden. Ever since, only on rare occasions, will I add sugar to lesser tea bags, and iced tea. So no sugar or milk was added to this tea as it would spoil the flavor. I really can’t remember enough to comment on the aroma, leaf, or cup color.

Darjeelings are my favorite black tea, so I ordered this thinking the Yunnan would pair well. I love it when my tea expectations are met, and this was the case here. I would say the Darjeeling is somewhat more prominent of the two teas-but not overly so.The Darjeeling lent a bright, crispness to the tea, perhaps slightly flowery as well. The Yunnan tea added a peppery spiciness. Together the two teas shared the stage very well, playing off of one another, neither tea stealing the the show.

Another great blend from Upton Tea Imports, and better than the Baker Street Blend. I may post another review of the Robert Fortune Blend, paying closer attention to aroma, leaf, and cup color. Until then fellow steepsters, this is my review and I am sticking to it!

CHEERS!! :)

Wow, I had to go into my previous orders from Upton, and was surprised to see that the sample I ordered was placed ten years, one month ago!!! I remember being hesitant placing the order for this sample. Why? Well, because I don’t like Lapsang teas. Straight Lapsang teas are very smokey, and to me, overwheming. Maybe, ten years later my appreciation for Lapsang Souchongs would be improved.

Luckily, this blend was mainly a balance between Keemun and Darjeeling teas, with a touch of Lapsang. A really good blend with no tea overpowering the other, but nicely complimenting each other. The touch of Lapsang was noticeable, leaving the tea mildly smokey. I learned a couple things a decade ago. First of all, I like mildly smokey teas, and Lapsang can be enjoyable. Lastly, a well balaced tea such as Baker Street, can be very enjoyable. Much like a well balanced life can make living more enjoyable!

Hey Steepsters!

I’ve always loved Peppermint tea, but surprisingly had only a few different brands. The only peppermint tea I’ve had that rivals this is Stash’s Peppermint which I had quite a few years ago.

The aroma upon opening the bag is AWESOME! I just inhale deeply…yes, I do inhale people. OH WAIT…I’m talking tea here! Anywho, the leaf, and aroma are top notch. The cats are drawn to the smell as well.

This is first quality Peppermint. The flavor is not weak, it is so fresh. Brewed hot I use less tea than for iced tea. I do tend to use more leaf for iced tea, maybe as much as twice the amount of tea. While most of my cups this Summer have been iced; whether you drink this tea hot or iced it is has a smooth, strong peppermint flavor. There is no bitterness, no mudddy (earthy) notes, that some lesser peppermint teas can possess. For example Upton’s Organic Egyptian Peppermint #27, #BH42, while not bitter is more earthy than minty, and nowhere near as good.

This is my favorite peppermint tea, and cannot imagine a peppermint tea any better. However, I have left a little room, for a higher rating should a better peppermint tea dare show its’ taste. 97