As most of us might already know, most of the tea cultivated on planet earth are sold by wholesale distributors to retailers of every shape and sort. As a consumer, I feel like sometimes I have to go on a 007 recon mission to find the origin of a tea I like. What happens if the retailer of my favorite tea goes belly up, and I think I’ll never be able to buy my favorite tea again? Unbeknownst to me, that retailer repackaged my same favorite tea and resold it under a creative name making it seem like it was distinctly their own? If I can find out the wholesale distributor, I feel like I’ve lengthened the buying life of a dearly loved tea blend as a consumer. I still have to buy from a retailer, but if they go out of business, I can just search for another retailer instead of falsely mourning the death of my favorite tea. So here it is. English Breakfast tea, an unknown blend of teas in tea bags distributed by St. James Teas and repackaged in a pretty tin by the London Transport Museum and titled, “London Underground” English Breakfast tea. Is this tea out of this world? Nope, but let me tell you, for as much as I push for loose leaf tea, this pre-bagged one is currently doing the job while I am caring for my mom in the hospital during Thanksgiving week. I still boil the water, and take an oversized mug and gauge about 2 cups worth of water over two tea bags. It makes a nice strong breakfast tea with a very dark coppery color, with no bitter taste. For me whole milk and sugar are required. The taste is what I would expect of a “right in the pocket” authentic english breakfast tea. No surprises, no fancy updates. A blended taste that has been standardized and has withstood the test of time in tea years.
English Breakfast
English Breakfast in tea bags – straight up.
St. James Teas is a British wholesale distributor. This particular tin is designed and retailed by the London Transport Museum. However the tea inside is from St. James Teas, even though it is not listed on the tin.
www.stjamesteas.co.uk
