Notting Hill

I ordered a sample of this from the American Tea Room because I liked the description. Either because of or in spite of Julia Roberts, Notting Hill remains a nifty neighborhood in London. In my mind, really, Notting Hill is the place where some of Iris Murdoch’s “knottier” and sometimes “naughtier” characters live (in a pre-upscaled world). And yes! We are dressed like Sherlock Holmes with cape and deer-stalker hat.

American Tea Room has provided a perfectly apt description of this tea and I cannot do any better. It seems like a gentleman’s tea brewed in the country estates for those days when you need a really strong brew with your kippers, grilled kidneys, and marmelade.

Delicious!

Until I discovered Steepster I always thought that London was the epicenter for tea. Notting Hill by American Tea Room reminds me of that sense. This is the kind of tea that might be served to the men whilst the women have a lighter blend in a Victorian novel. It tastes of the outdoors. It tastes as if we are marching through somewhat boggy fields on our way to the hunt. Or to fish.

Quintessential breakfast tea. It’s got the Assam malty thing happening with a little bit of the leathery-tobacco thing happening in the background. Mary Russell would drink this at the table with Sherlock, if you’re a fan of the Laurie King mystery series.

I made it a tad bit stronger than recommended to allow for plans to chill the pot later - heat wave is forecast to last several more days, so one good warm cuppa in the morning is about all my constitution will stand at the moment.

Yunnans and Assams are two of my favorite black teas, so I was eagerly looking forward to trying this tea. I’m happy to report, I was not disappointed. This is a full-bodied, yet refined, breakfast tea. Strong and smooth, with very little astringency. Adding a pinch of sweetener enhanced the flavor instead of covering it up. This is what a classic black tea is supposed to taste like. Satisfying and flavorful. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to my next cup.

Many thanks to Doulton for this tea!!!

A classic milk ‘n sugar breakfast blend! I love the fact that it has both Indian and Chinese (Yunnan) teas in it, and I can taste that chewy Yunnan delightfulness quite well! It is really hitting the spot on this sleepy day. I’m trying to find the energy for a hike, and I think it may just be in this cup!

Thanks Doulton for this tea sample.

I too liked the name and simply had to try it and I found it to be very yummy. I would say it is smooth in that the blend was well-balanced but not at all creamy. It feels high-brow and complex, rich and sophisticated as I suppose Notting Hill must be. :-). I am enjoying this cup and am glad for the opportunity to taste it.

Early morning, reaching for a random sample, how about… Notting Hill by American Tea Room. I’ve never been to the neighborhood and I recall being rather bored during the predictable Julia Roberts romantic romp. The name does little for me. Onward to the this yunnan/assam hybrid.

Dry leaf says yunnan. Wet leaf says assam. Liquor scent is a mix. The first half of the sip is all yunnan, nice sweet earthy goodness. Good yunnan, not great. The second half of the sip screams assam with its typical dry, malty taste. Average assam. The after-taste leaves a slightly sweet taste in the front of the mouth (yunnan) and a dry astringency in the back of the mouth toward the throat (assam). Overall, the tea is smooth, which is critical in such a blend. The more I drink this, the more I yearn for the sweet yunnan that’s at the forefront and less for dry assam in the back-half.

This blend does the job as a morning wake-me-up tea, but not too much beyond that. Rather average fare. A few bonus points for being organic. Not something I would run out to buy. Like a Julia Roberts film, this tea is pleasant, yet predictable.

This is a very nice English Breakfast – definitely astringent but smooth and flavorful. Good with milk and sugar.