85

I eyed these when they first came out, but resisted because my tea cupboard was overflowing. Now it’s not, and the Mermaid and her Captain were on sale! I’ve really come to enjoy plain Assams over the last few months, and had been wanting a new one. This is a great example of the type, too. Malty and rich, easy to oversteep, some sweet honey flavors if you get it just right. I like the first steep with milk, to give it some more body, and spread out the flavor a little. A second steep, plain, is mellow with lots of honey notes.

I wish I could get my water hotter, but I’m making this at my desk and don’t have a sink handy for rinsing with hot water :( Oh well, still has plenty of flavor even with sub-boiling water.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 30 sec
Jim Marks

Best. Tea. Name. Ever.

teabird

It is a great name, but the Captain might have to fight Thomas Sampson for the “Best” title :)

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Jim Marks

Best. Tea. Name. Ever.

teabird

It is a great name, but the Captain might have to fight Thomas Sampson for the “Best” title :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

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Some notes on ratings:

I’d have separate rating scales for tea types if that were possible (probably Black, Flavored Black, Darjeeling/Dark Oolong, White/Green/Light Oolong, and Herbal) because the flavors and quality markers are just too different. A flavored black rated 100 isn’t better than every oolong I’ve ever drunk, just delicious for a flavored black.

Ratings are a combination of my enjoyment and the perceived quality – I do often demote teas a few points for artificial flavorings, small quantity of steeps supported, or weakness of flavor (requiring extra leaf).

I pay less attention to the number than the order of my ratings; I don’t necessarily keep a stock of everything rated 80+, but if two breakfast blends are rated 82 and 84 I consistently enjoy the 84 more.

And in case it’s not obvious? I am not an expert. I don’t even know what I like until I taste it sometimes, but I’m ok with that :) I like learning to like new teas, as well as enjoying the comfort of familiar ones.

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