River Shannon Breakfast Blend (TB20)

The leaves in my sample are cut relatively small and smell good. They brewed up pretty dark/robust/rich. Tastes pretty malty to me, a worthy effort that I’d probably buy again. I thought this might be a little too strong for iced tea, but after trying it on the rocks I prefer it that way.

A robust and tasty breakfast blend. Overall the flavor is good and malty. I don’t car as much for the brisk Ceylon flavor at the end. I used to work at an office with Ceylon tea bags and I unfortunately burnt myself out on that kind of tea. But the Assam in there makes it bearable, even enjoyable with a little honey and half and half.

If you are looking for an Irish breakfast blend that is brisk and full-bodied, Upton’s River Shannon can be hard to beat. While I’ve tried a number of others, I keep returning to River Shannon as it makes a sweetly fragrant cup to start the day.

Short steeping time and fairly hot temp — because I couldn’t wait to try it. I’m thirsty and so it might not be the best time for me to drink a brand-new tea, but I wanted something plain black.

It’s pretty nice, but not quite what I want for an everyday tea. My first impression of the similar Upton offering, the CTC Irish Breakfast Assam tea, was much nicer. It may be the hot temperature but this one is a little more bitter and astringent — this reminds me more of English Breakfast or English Afternoon tea than the malty taste I want from an Irish tea. That said, despite not suiting my tastes, It’s quite a good blend and well worth a try, and I definitely look forward to finishing my sample using lower-temp water.