Savoy Tea Company

Smooth, with caramel finish. Delicious with a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of soy milk.

This will be my last cup till we get back to Arkansas. Sweet caramel, little bergamot…light and lovely.

(Unless I figure out whose teas Savoy Tea Co. is private labeling …)

I’m glad this double-steeps well because my supply is running low. Caramel, in my opinion, needs to be its own food group and this blend shows it off beautifully. Like a Brach’s Milk Maid caramel from the candy bin that’s still soft. The black tea base is dark and smooth, and the bergamot is barely there—just enough to complement the other flavors.

As I was savoring it this morning, I was also savoring the thought of some people who bless me regularly. You need to meet Miss Kathy. A frumpy, somewhat lumpy, gray-haired pillar of our church in sensible taupe Velcro shoes. She is generosity and humility personified, working with and loving the special needs adults Sunday after Sunday. Her other ministry is sending cards to homebound elders, and she has adopted my mom as one of her pen pals. When the tornado trashed my writing room and reference library, she brought me a box with a full set of J. Vernon McGee commentaries and said, “With your writing, you’ll need these more than I do.” I treasure them.

This cup’s for Kathy. May you cross paths today with someone who makes you feel treasured, too.

I need to go back to Arkansas and get more. This lemon/bergamot/caramel twist has got me by the taste buds. A perfect balance of all three, which for me, is “just barely bergamot.”

Since we’re in for a spell of “one really good morning cup before it’s just too hot to care,” I chose this one. A generous teaspoon provided two nice strong Sunday morning steeps.

Still impressed. Passed the second steep test with flying colors. Was even strong enough to take a little milk. The milk overpowerered what was left of the citrus flavor, but still enough caramel to make you smack your lips.

I think this gives me a good excuse to go back to Arkansas; a one-ounce sample is not going to be nearly enough. This is a really nice black tea with lemon, caramel, and a hint of bergamot. Really, just a hint; it doesn’t assault you. The caramel is first and foremost; nice and thick on the tongue.

It’s been a long time since I had (and liked) Harney & Sons Indian Nimbu, but I’m pretty sure this is its twin sister.

Did the first test cup straight up, but I’m thinking this would be lovely with milk, too.

Our run-away-from-hype day yesterday was in the direction of Northwest Arkansas (Wal-Mart headquarters territory; lots of new shopping venues springing up). And in Rogers, to be exact, we discovered a nice tea shop with prepackaged sample sizes as well as tea by the ounce. With great difficulty, I limited myself to just two take-home treats.

…but I’m glad this one made it into my bag. I’ve often mentioned the desire for an unflavored decaf black tea that actually had some personality. This one’s decent. Steeps reddish amber and has some red-fruit undertones to it, even a hint of cola.

It even kicked out a fair second steep with the (fill-it-yourself) filter bag left in the cup.

After that, we hit the backroads. Two-lane Highway 12 snakes miles to the east of Rogers and leads to War Eagle Mill, a working grist mill in the gorgeous middle of nowhere with a gift shop that smells like fresh bread and a lovely view of War Eagle Creek from the top floor of the mill when sharing a serving of pecan cobbler with somebody you’re fond of. I didn’t want to leave.