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“Wow. Queen Catherine? I am sorry but you have been struck off my shopping list. This tea will do just fine as an alternative! It’s just the right amount of bold and malty, with a teeny pinch of...” Read full tasting note
“Bought this a few weeks ago when Tao Tea Leaf was having a sale. It is a fairly nice tea. It is probably not as strong as I expect a breakfast tea should be. It has a malty note and I would say a...” Read full tasting note
“Another one of my samples. I like to try breakfast blends, so I was interested in the Chinese one. It smells mostly malt, and a bit earthy. There is a malty earth flavour as well. The tea is on the...” Read full tasting note
“In the birthday package Albertocanfly sent me over a month ago, she included this tea. She mentioned not being able to figure out the best way to make it (though I think she figured something out...” Read full tasting note
This is a unique black tea grown from leaves that usually go on to become large leaf Pu’er teas. The leaves come from ancient Yunnan Da Ye trees. The origin of the leaves is what gives this tea its trademarked flavours. Its robust strength and powerful flavour makes it perfect for a coffee replacement in the morning. Chinese breakfast has a rich and strong flavour. The body is thick and heavy which lends itself perfectly to mixing with milk and sugar. The flavour is malty and earthy with a strong and full bodied aftertaste.
Region: Lincang, Yunnan Province, China.
Steeping Guide:
Teaware: Glass or ceramic Gaiwan
Amount: 3g /1½ teaspoons
Temperature: 100°c (212°F)
Steeping Time: 1 to 2 minutes for the first two steeps and 3 to 5 minutes for the third and fourth.
*These steeping directions are for a traditional Gong Fu style tea, if you are brewing this tea in a regular cup we recommend steeping for 2 – 3 minutes. This tea can also been steeped 4 times.
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Wow. Queen Catherine? I am sorry but you have been struck off my shopping list.
This tea will do just fine as an alternative! It’s just the right amount of bold and malty, with a teeny pinch of smokiness.
I’m not sure of which specific teas are in here, but I can pick out some yunnan, pu-erh, and probably lapsang. A masterful combo!!
There was also a hint of that abrasiveness I find in some Asian black teas but I don’t care! I drank this bare, sans sugar or dairy, though it would do exceptionally well as my morning breakfast tea as well.
When (yes… I said WHEN!) my cupboard is manageable again, this is going on my must have at all times list.
Thank you Tao for the cup!! I really appreciate it!
Bought this a few weeks ago when Tao Tea Leaf was having a sale. It is a fairly nice tea. It is probably not as strong as I expect a breakfast tea should be. It has a malty note and I would say a bit of a fruity note. Overall a nice tea. I am being lazy this morning and steeping my tea western style. But breakfast teas were really meant for this kind of steeping anyway.
I brewed this tea one time in a 16oz Teavana Glass Perfect Tea Maker with 3 tsp leaf and 200 degree water for 3 minutes.
Flavors: Fruity, Malt, Sweet
Another one of my samples. I like to try breakfast blends, so I was interested in the Chinese one. It smells mostly malt, and a bit earthy. There is a malty earth flavour as well. The tea is on the bold side, and has a bit of sweetness.
Thanks for the sample, Tao Tea Leaf.
Flavors: Earth, Malt
In the birthday package Albertocanfly sent me over a month ago, she included this tea. She mentioned not being able to figure out the best way to make it (though I think she figured something out eventually), and wanted to see if I liked it or could find a way to make it better. xD
Well, the answer to both of her questions is, no. xD
Honestly, this one just tastes like wood to me. Nothing else at all. Didn’t even oversteep it. It’s just…just one of those black teas. :P
Glad I got to try another from Tao Tea Leaf though! One thing I won’t have to order from them! XD Thanks for the sample, Albertocanfly!
Flavors: Wood
This morning, courtesy of Scribbles, I’m very pleased to review Chinese Breakfast Organic Black Tea from Tao Tea Leaf, Western style: 8 oz. / 1 heaping tsp. (3 g) / 212*F / 2-3 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.
Intro:
“This is a unique black tea grown from leaves that usually go on to become large leaf Pu’er teas. The leaves come from ancient Yunnan Da Ye trees.”
This tea is described as, “… robust strength and powerful flavor” “The body is thick and heavy”.
”Region: Lincang, Yunnan Province, China.”
Leaf: Thick & thin twisted mostly dark chocolate-brown leaves 2 cm or less.
Fragrance: Fine pipe tobacco
Liquor: Clear, dark amber
Aroma: Mild earthy
Flavor: Malty and earthy
2-min: Clear, medium amber. Not yet, I’ll give it another minute.
3-min: Clear, dark amber. This is a unique breakfast tea. The initial sip is a juicy, medium-bodied, very smooth, malty and earthy black tea with zero astringency or bitterness. The end of the sip has some heaviness to it. With 3 g / 8 oz. it’s not robust and doesn’t have a thick body. There is a definite juicy aftertaste that persists long on the front of the tongue similar to a Keemun.
Tao Tea Leaf’s western brewing instructions don’t specify a 6 oz. teacup or an 8 oz. cup/mug. Thus, 3 g maybe too little of this tea for 8 oz. of water. For Gong Fu they also don’t specify what size gaiwan.
Resteep – 6 oz. / 212*F:
4-min: A little longer …
6-min: Reducing to 6 oz. helped somewhat. I was able brew a 2nd lighter cup with a similar flavor profile.
Since I typically brew black teas Western style, I then tried: 6 oz. / 2 tsp. (4 g) / 212*F. Fortunately, Scribbles sent a very generous sample.
2-min: A full-bodied, fairly robust, somewhat thick, smooth, juicy, malty and earthy black breakfast tea with zero astringency or bitterness. There is a definite juicy aftertaste that persists long on the front of the tongue similar to a Keemun. Fortunately, this preparation is definitely much more satisfying than the first cup. However, as the cup cools, the flavor profile becomes less robust and not as satisfying. I can understand why Scribbles wrote in her review: “Today, I’m not feeling the love for this tea.”
Resteep – 6 oz. / 212*F:
4-min: A reasonable resteep.
Impression: A full-bodied, fairly robust, somewhat thick, smooth, juicy, malty and earthy black breakfast tea with a definite juicy aftertaste that persists long on the front of the tongue.
Pros: Organic, I love the simplicity of 212*F (100*C) – no thermometer needed (especially if one is in a hurry).
Cons: 4 g for 6 oz. , Volatile flavor profile becomes less satisfying as the cup cools
Thanks to Scribbles for sharing a very generous sample of this unique Chinese Breakfast Organic Black Tea.
Method:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a brew basket http://steepster.com/teaware/royal-albert/45581-old-country-roses-afternoontea-mugs
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39312-perfect-preset-tea-timer
Flavors: Earth, Malt
Whoa! That’s a killer review if I ever saw one looseTman :-)
Thank you!
I don’t have an analytical bone in my body, but I definitely liked this tea, too. Juicy is a fine and fitting adjective for it.
Lol, gamthis, I’m like you, don’t have any analytical skills, probably why I admire people who do so much!
gmathis, Perhaps different brewing parameters?
gmathis, I see from your tasting note that you brewed this tea western style for 3 minutes. Do you recall the other brewing parameters (oz. / tsp (g) / temp.) you used to create an enjoyable cup of this tea?
I wish I did. As you can tell from my loosey-goosey tasting notes, my “recipe” notes are like my mom’s—a glob, a smidge, a glump, “just let it set for a bit…” My black tea habits tend to run toward a “heaping” teaspoon, and close to 4:00 when I’m paying attention. Sorry that’s as exacting as I can get.
I was initially impressed with this tea using these parameters: 6 oz. / 2 tsp. (4 g) / 212*F / 2 min. However, the volatile flavor profile became much less satisfying as the cup cooled.
Please see: 8/3/14 Update
Normally when I have a cup of this I just sit back, relax and enjoy the bold malty deliciousness. In previous cups I have found that almost burnt toast flavour that gmathis had noted. I thought that this one will find a permanent place in my cupboard, it was just so good.
Today, I’m not feeling the love for this tea. It tastes a little stale and off, and it shouldn’t be stale since this is one of my newer tea’s. But I didn’t steep it as long as I normally would, so I’m not writing this one off just yet. Off flavour is probably user error.
(Updated tea info with the description currently on Tao Tea Leaf’s website)
Scribbles is my tea hero this week, sending some treats I definitely couldn’t find in these parts and might not think to seek out. I am absolutely reveling in this one. The tea description says this contains the same leaves that grow up to be pu-erh. You totally get that.
But the first thing this cup made me think of this morning was this: melt butter in skillet. Stir in about a tablespoon of brown sugar. Grab a slice of dark wheat or rye bread and brown both sides until nearly burned. Lick the crust. That’s it.
Steeped plain ol’ western style, about 3 minutes, no milk or sugar. This is gooooood.
