Organic Fairtrade English Breakfast

I’m having one last cuppa before sending the rest to DaisyChubb!

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for this morning tea!

Mike asked me for a good morning tea, so today was definitely an English Breakfast day. Bliss sent me enough for at least 3 little pots – thank you thank you! It’s always good to have some EB on hand.

This EB definitely has some darjeeling notes to it – there’s something fruity in the smell and kind of harsh in the taste that is different from my usual EBs (the ones I have on hand are pretty smooth with no kick) – but the kick meant it would hold up to some cream and sugar! Yes indeed – a great way to start the day!

Ancient tea from a LiberTEAS sampler box! Unfortunately, didn’t pay much attention. I’d intended to milk + sugar this up, but didn’t leave enough room in the cup, and just drank it plain… while working. And it wasn’t remarkable enough for me to say anything but that it tasted like a black tea.

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this. I had tried this in teabag form, but, I am very happy to be trying it loose leaf. Thanks!

A lovely English Breakfast blend – I still stand by what I said about this being one of the best that I’ve tried. It has a full-bodied, robust flavor and a lot of gusto. Here is my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2011/06/02/english-breakfast-from-hampstead-tea/

Tea bag one:
First sip: dirt, was that dirt I tasted? second sip, no not dirt, mint? Really?
As I empty my cup, definitely mint of some sort. Not what I expected from an EB tea.
Tea bag two:
My second cup of this tea was better than my first. I still taste the mint, but I do see what others are saying about this tasting like a Darjeeling.
Drinkable, just not my cuppa.

I am a tea snob: I usually buy varietals, not blends, and buy it loose, never tea bags. But I found myself in Rome and looked everywhere for a good Ceylon-type or Darjeeling tea that would be a good robust, bright brew that I could drink with milk, or in a weaker proparation, without. To my great surprise and delight I found Hampstead’s Organic Fairtrade (already two pluses for it in my book) English Breakfast blend. It’s now my favorite of this type. I hope I can find it back in the USA. Great aroma in Rome’s very hard water, or Carolina’s clayey soft water.