Organic Singampatti Oothu Estate Black Tea

Look for this full review TONIGHT at 6pm est at http://sororiteasisters.com
For a teaser…taste: a nice medium-sweet black tea with lovely fruity and sweet woodsy notes

The last of my Indian tea sampler. I had no idea what to expect going in, but it’s a nice, smooth, full-bodied tea. I feel like I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but I kind of neither like nor dislike it. I’ll definitely drink the rest of it and enjoy it, but I can’t see going out of my way to get it. Maybe I’m just in a mood lately.

Sample package label:
“Ingredients: Organic Indian Black Tea, Fair-Trade Certified, USDA Organic
Steep 212*F, 3 – 5 minutes. 1 generous teaspoon”

http://www.arborteas.com/organic-singampatti-oothu-estate-black-tea.html

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 20 ppm, heated to 212*F – verified with DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer
Note: Arbor Teas web site specifies 8-oz (not 6) – more tea to enjoy w/o additional cost! However, the sample package doesn’t list this important point.
1 “generous” Tevanna teaspoon, without sweeteners, milk or cream.

This fragrance of this tea has hints of fresh Spring vegetation. A day after opening, there are also hints of sweet cocoa or fruit.

Clear amber hue

First Infusion: Since Arbor Teas states in their description of this tea “…with light to medium astringency.” I chose a 3-min infusion to minimize any astringency.
3-min:
There is a clean fresh spring vegetation hint in both the aroma and the flavor – Perhaps a faint hint of fresh Spring onion? “In fact, Oothu translates to “spring of water.”” There is also a gentle cocoa sweetness. This is a very smooth, medium-bodied tea with a clean finish. There was zero hint of bitterness or astringency.

2nd Infusion:
4-min: Too light
5-min: Enjoyable, but lighter than the first cup. The flavor of the re-steep was primarily the gentle cocoa sweetness.

Impression: This is a unique unflavored very smooth organic Indian black tea without any bitterness or astringency that is worth experiencing.

Thanks to Arbor Teas and Aubrey for providing this generous overstuffed free sample.

This subtle brew may not be for Everyone, esp those who like English Breakfast. (Should I presume they also do tea English, w/ milk and sugar?) This tea with wonderful name (i promise myself to practice saying it before talking it up) has subtlified me back to Darjeeling days and a tea from local Persian restaurant that made tastebuds drunk on hints of fruit. Oh that I could chew stems these’d be they! Steep time: 3.5 min, next cup’ll be 4.0. Temp 195-ish.