Ambessa (by Harney & Sons)

I was disappointed with this one, as it sounded like it would be such a hit. It tasted slightly smokey, with a hint of peanut…and then a SUPER weak chocolate note. The base tea was oily, which helped the peanut note, but it was just “meh” overall.

Tried sweetening with sugar – ehn. Didn’t improve it.
Tried with milk – brought out the nut note a bit more.

I have a couple Harney teas in my cupboard that involve chocolate that I like, so was a bit mystified at this blend. Maybe my sample was old? Who knows.

I tried this again today and it is definitely better with a LONGER steeping time of around 5 minutes, that helps to bring out the flavor. Raised the rating a few points this afternoon.

I liked it so much I made two cups… :)

sipdown! heh thanks to fiddling for this one. I wanted to try this one in the event that i loved it and needed to pick up a tin of it since it is available locally at chapters. I love the choco-nut ambessa, but as this one is green, i wasn’t to sure how i’d feel about it. Also, i’ve never had a lingonberry before so yay for new things!

As it turns out, this is a little too “green” for me. It might be interesting as a cold brew but hot, it’s very much a green grassy tea with a hint of a fruity taste that i can’t place, which i assume is the lingonberry. Not a bad tea but nothing i’d kill to have in my cupboard. Thanks again fiddling! appreciate the share!

I’ve been trying not to buy a lot of tea lately to focus on finishing off my stash but I did get a small order of mostly black teas and this was in it – the tagalong small tin with 5 teabags.

My first impression upon smelling this was it reminded me a bit of “Florence”, their chocolate hazelnut tea.

The tea brews up to be a light reddish brown cup and I suspect it is a ceylon of some sort. I’m finding the flavor to be a bit thin and only vaguely reminiscent of chocolate. I do detect a brazil nut type of flavor especially in the finish of this blend. I was not blown away by it but will certainly finish off what I have at some point. It benefited from the addition of some soymilk and sugar.

If anyone wants to try this I would certainly consider swapping…

Totally forgot i had this one today until i was taking the last sip out of my travel mug. This one tastes a lot like H&S’s valentine’s blend to me. It’s likely slightly different, though not so much that I can recall what about the other blend is different lol.

Which means that suits me just fine. I’m not getting the nut flavour out of this one but that might be how i steeped it. I got distracted at work and steeped it forever. I also put in twice the normal water, assuming it was like H&S sachets even though the directions are crappy and say nothing about water volume lol

Straightforward, uncomplicated breakfast tea. Some body, no bitterness, and good with milk and sugar. A little earthy, toasty, but no smoke or flavors or nuttiness. As far as I know, this comes only in sachets, but those are handy for travel and for a day spent in long meetings. This is one of my go-to teas for when I’m not in the mood for deliberations about tea, analysis of tea, tea that comes with demands.

I couldn’t resist picking up this smokey version of Earl Grey.

The dry tea sachet smells very strongly of Earl Gray/Bergamot. Very similar to Harney and Sons Earl Grey Supreme.

Brewed the tea smells of a very blunted Earl Grey, only slightly citrousy. The taste of the tea is slight Earl Grey with a smokey finish. This is a good tea, not too strong, but also not too weak. The smokey flavour works well with the citrous bergamot.

Well that’s sad that nobody’s gotten to this one yet. I’ve been lusting after it since the Ambessa teas came out. Good lord I love me some Marcus Samuelsson. I once almost attended some Buick event here to get to just watch him cook. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avuddQQwKaY/T3310OgSOAI/AAAAAAAACNE/AR8yGdd6tRI/s1600/edun-pioneers-marcus-samuelsson.jpg You’re welcome.

I love lingonberry flavored things. Especially that drink at IKEA. But I hate the IKEA here so I am now missing out on it. When I got my big H&S order yesterday, I couldn’t help but open this (I’m trying to hold off on everything else though), and oh it just smells sooooo good. And the smell is the same in the cup too, it’s killing me to not be able to drink it because it’s still too hot!

It’s really rather light. I even steeped it for three minutes. The lingonberry flavor is there, but the green tea isn’t. At least hot. Eventually I let it cool off and it’s a lot better cold. Definitely tastes like green tea, and the lingonberry REALLY pops. Nice and tart. Will definitely have to give this a shot cold brewed.

Out of curiosity I checked the menus for Samuelsson’s restaurant in Harlem, a pot of this is $6. I wonder how they make it there! Because if I was given a $6 pot of tea that tasted how this did hot, I would not be very pleased.

Oh also the tin is so nice. I love that it’s matte.

Used one of the sachets with about 16 oz of water. The dry tea smelled like a strong Earl Grey. However after I steeped it the smokiness overpowered the bergamot. I added some sugar and as the tea cooled I could taste a hint of bergamot. Next time I might try this mixed with another Earl Grey to help fight the smoke.

Not a bad tea but not one I would buy. Glad I got to sample it.

So since my first review, I’ve sipped this and found the smoke heavy from opening the tin to sipping it hot. Delicious.

Seems silly that I couldn’t find it earlier. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for smokey greys.

When I opened the tin, I got fresh, crips bergamot. Brewed this up, and the bergamot is warmer now, mixed with tea and jasmine. Not getting much smoke in the scent.

First sip is bergamot first followed by jasmine. Not particularly smoky, though the base seems solid. I thought I smelt smoke when I walked into the kitchen to pick this up, but it was just my toast popping.

I think I’m getting a nuance of smoke in the aftertaste, though it might be a bite from the other flavours in the tea. It is a bit disappointing, I was hoping for a smokier blend (hmm, if not a lapsang or caravan base, why not keemun and bergamot…?). But it’s still a solid earl grey (even if I’m not a huge fan of jasmine in my earl).

I broke my promise not to buy any new teas until I’d slimmed down my cupboard. I picked up this after I’d crashed a new teashop that opened nearby (about 4-5 months ago) but which I hadn’t heard about until now (makes me feel out of the loop). It’s actually a very incredible little teashop (a lot of teashops have been popping up after Davids came to town—I like to refer to it as the “DavidsTEA Boom”—but this was a very modern-with-traditional-values shop. Gaiwans and yixings as far as the eye can see (which isn’t far because it’s a rather small space, but).

Both myself and the guy working the counter at the time were excited for this encounter. I guess more on that once I get around to reviewing the teas I picked up there.

As for this one. Harney and Sons likes to be deliciously subtle, they’re good at balance, and this is balanced, and definitely fills the craving for earl grey that I’ve been having recently. Fills that void in my earl greyless cupboard.

But I do wish it were a tad smokier. Maybe it’s there and the jasmine’s covering it. Hm.

Also’d like to try more earls with China bases.

Edit: As it’s cooled, I’ve been picking up a more prominent smoke in the base. Once it reached room temperature it was considerably more smoky; wish I could have enjoyed it more, but I had to rush out the door to class.

I steeped the sachet a second time – not much chocolate flavor, but there is still an intense brazil nut and apricot flavor. I can also taste the tea more now that the chocolate has faded. It seems to have the fruity-floral taste of darjeeling, though the brazil nut and apricot may be leading me astray here.

Wonderful aroma and rich dark chocolate and brazil nut flavor, with a fruity apricot undertone. The brazil nut flavor reminds me of Green Mountain’s Rain Forest Coffee. I added half and half and orange blossom honey, and it was a delicious lunchtime dessert! I wouldn’t drink this all the time, but on special occasions when I want to indulge my desire for good chocolaty tea.

No notes yet.

1000? How’d that happen? Somebody’s spending too much time flitting online, huh?

This was my treat to myself after nearly breaking my back loading up building plans and blueprints for Fed Ex. It was like wrestling a flat, contentious moose.

And a treat it is, thank you, ashmanra. The chocolate-peanutty against apricotty-marigoldy is unusual, but mighty tasty!

Not bad for a breakfast blend. I didn’t get the toasted grain or citrusy notes mentioned in the H&S description.

Unlike Choco-Nut, I probably won’t buy this again but only because it isn’t a standout.

I had a Matcha Fruit Smoothie this morning to get me going.
Then made some nice hot black tea to take with me on my super crazy morning.
Of course, I left it on the counter by the door.
I promptly grabbed a glass and filled it with ice and poured in my poor forgotten room temp. tea and drank it mere minutes after I got back home.
But, this is my first hot cup of tea today.
And a huge thank you goes out to Ashmanra for sharing this tea with me!
When I opened the envelope she sent it in, I could smell BERGAMOT!
Yummmmmmm….
But, after I opened the little baggy and grabbed out a sachet and schmushed it up to my nose (ahem, I promise if any of you ever come to my house, this IS NOT how I prepare tea for guests, Just wanted to clarify:) I could smell something else…spicy and a little hint of smoke.
A Spicy Exotic Earl…well, hell-O!
It sort of calms down, scent wise, when brewing.
Taste is not overly strong, a small citrus bergamot bite and a small amount of the smoke, but it is very faint.
I might not even notice it if I had not read the description before I tasted it.
Personally, I could handle a bit more bergamot and smoke in the tea, but overall a very nice cuppa for the afternoon.
Very happy you shared, Ashmanra!
Next time I do order from H&S, I just might have to pick me up a tin of this.

I must admit, before you read the rest of my review, that I am currently at work enjoying this tea. However, in the process of brewing, I could not acquire boiling water, so I am not sure how this has affected the outcome. If I have an addendum to this note when I try it at home, I will certainly add it.

First, I was elated to see Chef Samuelsson’s name on a tea blend. Having just had my first experience of brunch at Red Rooster (highly, highly recommend!), and having followed his work on TV for some time now, I was encouraged that I would enjoy this tea. If you have read my previous note, you will know that I really don’t like smokey flavors added to my food, but the concept and sensation is growing on me. In the end, my appreciation for Samuelsson’s work and taste palate won the best of my curiosity and I plopped this tin in my basket. Figuring my love of Earl Grey and my boyfriend’s love of smokey flavors, someone would enjoy this tea (even if it wasn’t me).

So I cracked this bad boy open at home and was greeted with a bizarre, yet enjoyable combination of aromas. Familiarly, bergamot citrus was very obvious, but the camp fire back notes were quick to catch up. Not as intense as a Lapsang, nor as obvious as a pure Keemun, yet a definitive addition to this blend.

This morning, when I was packing up my lunch, I decided to throw a tea bag in with my cookies to be enjoyed in the afternoon. When 3pm came around, the post lunch coma was setting in so I decided to make myself a cup. I used the hot water from the water cooler, while being hot, was not boiling; I guesstimated about 185F, but it conceivably could be a bit less. I like the tea a bit strong so I left it for a full 5 minutes (despite my fear of tasting like someone lit a fire in my cup).

The smell you get from this brewed tea is nearly pure Earl Grey, but it has more foundation and body that any other I have had. The smokey that comes with simply the first whiff is much relaxed from the dry leaves, and that same idea translates to the liquor as well. While I get the obvious notes of citrus and body in this tea, the smoke quality lends a great balance. Its a very ‘dry’ undertone balanced by the sweet orange notes on both the nose and tongue. The tea itself is very balanced, with a very typical mix of body and acidity one experiences with Earl Grey proper.

I don’t know if its my tastes maturing or if it is just properly balanced, but this smoke flavor added to tea is really starting to grow on me. It adds a great, and in this case subtle, nuance to an already established taste palate. It counters the sometimes cloying citrus and floral tastes of Earl Grey with a woodsy, earthy feel. I really recommend this to someone who drinks Earl Grey, has every been scared away from the style, or simply wants to try an interesting combination of two styles. Samuelsson has done it again, and I really appreciate him venturing into a realm of taste creation rarely explored by seasoned chefs.

Thanks to ashmanra for the sample! I now have a 20-sachet tin of this stuff on order, along with two of the other varieties offered by Harney’s Ambessa Tea. (The Lingonberry Green is out of stock, boo-hoo.) If you go to the Harney’s website, search for the keyword Ambessa to see all 4.

I guess I am a sucker for chocolate teas. This reminds me very much of Florence, which I love. Maybe after I get my tin of this I’ll have a chocolate tasting day between ChocoNut, Florence, and Love Tea #7.

I drank this without any additives like sweetener or milk or cream, and it’s so smooth and rich that it doesn’t need any. It is best before cooling, but I’ll bet it would make an excellent iced tea latte with a bit of agave and some half-and-half.

I left the sachet in the cup and it never got bitter on me. Of course, I drank it pretty quickly…

And the dry tea smells lovely, too.

I had the pleasure of trying this out yesterday at the shop in Millerton. It was indeed a smokey take on the classic. I loved the hint of smoke and the light flavor of the bergamot, def. different and really nice to sip on while the rain came down in buckets outside! While I enjoyed it I didn’t pick any up to take home. No real reason for it, ok maybe the other 3 tins and lunch I bought was the reason…

Tea of the morning….

Thank you to Russel of Harney & Sons Millerton shop for the chance to sample this one! Oh my, it is like a candy bar in a cup. Notes of chocolate, peanut, caramel for sure. I do catch a little something fruity sweet in there, too. Must be the apricot. One thing that really stands out is the tea base is a little more hefty than most dessert tea blends. A little malt, a slight briskness. The mouthfeel is quite notable….it is heavy for sure, and this adds to the rich desserty feel of the tea. Yum. Very well done, Mr. Samulesson and Mr. Harney!

Usual mug method.

I need another Harney Logo mug when I order a few of these tins. The mugs stand up so well to the temperature extremes of brewing tea. Unfortunately, most of my regular mugs have become a safety hazard from making tea in them all the time….the bottoms were cracking out of them and I had to get rid of 5 of them as a consequence of my tea habit (and of course they are discontinued, too). So, this is a PSA! Check the bottoms of your mugs for cracking if you make tea in a mug very often! The cracks weaken the structure of the mug and it will eventually break. Plus, it probably harbors bacteria, which is not good, either.

This was the second tea I shared with my friend today. She loved the aroma – it is very rich.

The chocolate aspect of this tea is not milk chocolate but rather unsweetened cocoa or one of the really dark chocolates. The peanut flavor isn’t peanut butter-y, but roasted peanut. The tea has a double personality. It is rich and dark and deep, and then something happens… the apricot adds a lingering taste that is sweet and sunshine-y.

We had a moment like the pie scene in the movie “Never Been Kissed.” We were going to try to make some additional notes on the tea and when I opened the lid to sniff the aroma again and peered in the pot it was empty. WHERE DID OUR TEA GO??? I was shocked that it was all gone! My friend burst out laughing. Apparently, we were really throwing this one back!

This was her favorite tea today. Apparently, that sweet and lingering aftertaste really won her over! As a former coffee-only drinker, the dark notes also held a lot of attraction for her.

Tea of the afternoon…..

I am a lucky girl. Russel at the Harney Tea shop graciously sent me some teas to try….a couple of the new Ambessa teas and some iced tea sachets. It is funny on the iced tea sachets…I have always given them as gifts and never kept any for myself to try. Reviews of those will be up within the next week, as what else is there better to drink in this abnormally hot Summer we are having?

I have to admit, I was most excited about this tea, though. I love the subtlety in Harney’s Earl Grey blends….the perfect level of bergamot with the particular tea base of choice. I was very much drawn in by the mention of this being a smokey version of Earl Grey. Can we just say it is love at first sip? I wish I had tried more smokey Earls to compare this one, but then again, this will probably be the standard to which I compare all others. For comparing to other more standard Earls, the tea base is just heftier and more dark. I would even call it more mysterious and, of course, very lightly smokey. For some reason, I think this tea would be the perfect complement to a period mystery….. I definitely need some, but I think the tea base will lend itself better to cooler temps. Who am I kidding?….I bet I can’t hold off for more than a month.

Thank you, again, Russel for your generosity!

Usual mug method.

Have I mentioned how perfectly the Harney logo mugs go with my Forlife Curve teaware? They are the same mug as the tall infuser mugs! And it is a good way for me to have a few more cups to go with my infusers. Life is good.

This was the final tea served at tea party today. I didn’t want food interfering with tasting this one so I held it in reserve.

This is a free sample provided by Russel Allyn and Harney and Sons. Many thanks!

The aroma is definitely predominantly chocolate, but the taste is much more. I didn’t remember exactly what I read about this blend other than chocolate, caramel, and peanut. I tasted all those things but there was something more. That something was keeping the dark chocolate from being a cloying taste and lending a bright flavor that made this rich dessert tea really dance for the palate. I wondered if it could be an extra lemon-y Ceylon base but that wasn’t it. The tea base was so smooth and wasn’t quite the same as that sort of Ceylon, which can be a little astringent. Besides, this was sunny-bright, not citrus-bright.

I looked at the official description. Apricots! That was the bright, sunny flavor! There are also marigold petals, but I don’t know how much flavor they add or exactly what the flavor they add would taste like. They may have imparted some brightness to the dark chocolate as well.

Another winner for the new Ambessa line of teas by H&S!