Brigitte's Blend

Sorry to have been a bit absent lately.
I have something strange going on with my nose. lol
Feels like someone punched me in it.
Started to hurt on the right side then went over the other side effecting my entire nose bridge.
Doctor gave me a script to which I had an allergic reaction to. Not a shock I am allergic to almost every pill one can imagine.
Anyway – between that and trying to get ready for our four day excursion which is like packing for a month long cruise with our health issues between my daughter and myself, I’m beat.
Alas the tea … Thank you ashmanra a nice black tea is what THIS doctor ordered! :)
Slightly malty, with a full mouthfeel which I love.
Roasty, a good coffee replacement especially if one were to make it with extra leaf!
Mmmmm a nice one!

Harney & Sons has such nice black tea blends. I got this as a sample and was looking forward to trying it this morning. I may have used a tiny bit more leaf than usual because I wanted something to wake me up!

What I got was a very dark cup that is smooth and rich. The assam lends a malty and stout note while the ceylon seems to have a fruity, chocolate and sweetish note. Well, I liked it, really works for me! I did try sipping on it plain just to get the mix of flavors. but then added soymilk to it because that’s normally how I would take this type of tea, it’s such a great breakfast blend. I will be tempted to get more the next time I order something from Harney. It would certainly be good to have around for the every day and the BF would like it too…

But then I also like the Palm Court and there’s a few others I haven’t even tried. Such difficult decisions. :)

This is another H&S sample I’d been meaning to try for a while. It smells really delicious in the sample packet. “Heady” is the word that comes to mind. It’s a rich, malty, earthy, slightly sweet smell with some fruity notes as well.

The liquor is brandy colored and the tea’s aroma is mouth wateringly malty. I’m getting some lovely, unexpected notes in the taste. Mostly cocoa, but also a bit of mocha java and berries. It has a substantial mouth feel and an aftertaste that leans toward sweet.

Very nice. I’d definitely drink this one again.

My “Second Breakfast” tea…..

This one is a little more flavorful than I normally drink. Malty, fruity, and very full flavored. The Assam is there and smoothed over with the Ceylon. Definitly one to perk you up.

24 oz teapot, 4 actual tsp tea, freshly boiled water, 4 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Today’s winner in the tea party test! This had the headiness of an assam, a lovely bright tingle in the mouth, and lots of added interest from the silvery Ceylon. Good tea! We drank this one with no additions. I think of it as a very, very refined Irish Breakfast. But I am a novice, so what do I know? We only steeped it for 3 minutes 45 seconds because I fear many assams. I will steep it a little longer next time.

A delicious blend of Ceylon and Assam with a smooth finish, makes this a great tea to start your day!

I just got this in yesterday from Harney. I brewed up a cup this morning, 5 minutes in the steep and drank it with cream and sugar. It’s really a beautiful tea, very mellow but with a decent kick to it. I’ll have to try it tomorrow without the cream, just a little sugar and see how that is. A very nice tea.

Good, rich flavor. Tastes much like Twinings Irish Breakfast, which is also an Assam/Ceylon blend. The leaves are not as broken as the Twinings, and are probably of somewhat higher quality. On the other hand, I am not sure that this is worth the extra expense ($10 for a four oz tin vs. $4.99 for 3.53 oz tin of the Twinings. The second steeping was weaker, but it allowed the Ceylon flavor to come out more.

In an interview, Brigitte Harney told us about this blend -

“Michael blended it. He took two of my favorite teas—at least, they were my favorites at that moment. It’s a full-leaf assam that has a nice roundness to it, and then he added another assam from Sri Lanka–a beautiful estate tea that has a lot of gold and silver tips in it, much more mellow than most Ceylons. So that is blended in Brigitte’s Blend, pretty much 50 50. And that’s very good. (laughs)”

http://womensvoicesforchange.org/tea-talk-a-conversation-with-brigitte-harney.htm

A really pleasant, sort of French seeming tea. Good for breakfast in the shadow of Notre Dame or a pleasant afternoon on the “Boule Miche”

One of my absolute favorites – perfect in the afternoon on a cool Autumn day or actually, I love it anytime.