Cory O'Brien Send Message

This tea redefines what a smooth, semi-sweet black tea should taste like.

The leaves are a beautiful golden color, and the tea actually turns out a lot darker than you’d expect based on the color of the leaves. Once steeped, there are hints of sweetness in the aroma, though the true flavor really comes out in the first few sips. While not a ‘hit you in the face with flavor’ type tea, the sweet tones and hints of honey and caramel create a subtle yet complex flavor that’s hard to disagree with. With a four minute steep, there is no bitterness, which creates a really smooth flavor that can be savored and enjoyed. The finish is equally enjoyable, with a sweetness that lasts from sip to sip. Definitely a winner that’s worthy of the ‘best black tea’ distinction.

I love the look of this tea’s leaves: A nice mix of cocoa, green and gold that just begs to be steeped. The smell of the leaves is on the subtle side, with hints of cocoa and earth. When steeped, it turns a nice caramel color that’s dark enough to imply flavor, but not so dark that it fools you into thinking the taste is going to be stronger than it is. The aroma is equally subtle, with just a bit of spice and a smoky/earthy side to it. I accidentally steeped this one for two minutes too long, so the taste is probably a bit more on the bitter side that it was supposed to be, but even still, it’s very mellow with just a hint of bitterness and spice. Summing it all up: Good tea, but not one that will wow you. Just a solid black tea that’s hard to go wrong with.

Steeped for an extra minute today to see if that would bring out more of the flavor, and while it did make it a bit stronger, it wasn’t much of a difference. However, there’s still just a hint of bitterness in the aftertaste, so I suspect there’s room for an even longer steep if needed to make a really strong, flavorful tea.

I was intrigued by a green tea that steeps for 5 minutes in boiling water (usually reserved for black tea) but was pleasantly surprised by the results: A smooth, strong taste and aroma without a lot of the ‘grassy’ taste usually associated with green tea. The leaves themselves unroll as they steep, so the process is interesting as well. Definitely lives up to the hype that other reviews have given.

Good, but not great. It’s a sweeter black tea with a nice, golden brown color and a smokey aroma, but the taste isn’t as strong as it could be, and the smokey aroma doesn’t last through steeping, so it looses a lot of what could make it unique. Not bad, and I think it could really open up with a longer steeping since there’s still no bitterness at 5 minutes, but not as good as I was hoping for from the “embodiment of this tea’s wonderful potential”.

The soft, airy, golden colored leaves brew a much darker tea than you’d expect. Though the leaves do have a subtle/sweet aroma to them, the full aroma doesn’t unlock until you steep it, when their sweet and savory quality comes out and invites you in for more. Taste wise, there’s a definite sweetness to this tea, which makes it a smooth and easy to drink tea for a cold morning wake-up. Aftertaste is smooth and sweet, with just a little hint of black tea bitterness. I don’t really get ‘meaty’ from it, but it does have a thicker mouthfeel, so I can see how that would make it a little more ‘meaty’. Overall, a definite winner that can easily be enjoyed throughout the day.

This tea brews DARK. The leaves do have a slight fishy smell to them, but it’s not overpowering, and it doesn’t really transfer to the taste. Earthy is a better word for the taste, with mossy hints and a smooth, woodsy finish with just a hint of bitterness. While not my favorite black tea, this does have a unique flavor that works well for when you’re looking for something different, so I give it a thumbs up.

Great black tea, with a subtle, peppery flavor and a nice aroma. Not too strong (as with most teas, I think the flavor could be a bit stronger) but it isn’t bitter or too acidic, so it’s smooth and pleasant. The flavor also lingers for a while, so you can enjoy it slowly. Color is a nice golden/copper orange, and looks like the flavor will be stronger than it is.

I was a little worried that this tea would be too strong since it warns against steeping for longer than 2.5 minutes, but I was pleasantly surprised by a nice cup of green tea with a balanced flavor that isn’t overly grassy and has a hint of minerality.

Smooth taste with just a hint of smokey flavor, wonderful aroma and a dark, golden brown color. What’s not to love?

Ceylon has a great/traditional black tea flavor that just won’t quit. It’s strong, but not overpowering, with hints of smoke, gunpowder and minerals. The aftertaste is smooth, with just enough of a bitter bite to remind you that you’re drinking black tea, but not so much that you need to balance it with milk or sugar. (Unless that’s the way you prefer it.)

The aroma complements the taste nicely, and adds to the smokiness that I love so much in this tea. It’s not super strong, but it’s there when you need it.

Definitely a winner if you’re looking for a mid-afternoon black tea to sip on.