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I’ve always wanted to venture into and explore the Indian subcategory of teas, so thank you so much for this first taste, teajoteas!
And haven’t I been missing out?

Starting out on a morning like this. Simple, straight-forward, familiar. Not much out of the ordinary…

In fact, the most out-of-the-ordinary thing about this morning is my cup of Black Manas, having never had straight Assam before.

I resolved to have this first thing in the morning (after receiving the package last night), but I’m not quite sure what to expect in my first cup of the day.

But – wonderfully – it’s familiarity from the first sip – a pure cup of what I’ve been having for years from English tea tins. Really, haven’t I known this tea forever? That bold, quiet strength to many a beloved Earl or morning blend, that reliable base… This is Western black teas at the root, and I’m excited to finally have a taste of that.

There are no complications in this dark, full-bodied tea.
Brewed with simple parameters in the straight-forward Western-style, this is a solid, easy way to start the day. The smooth, cohesive, but strong taste complements breakfast well – I’ve already been spurred on to a much bigger breakfast than usual today, haha! – and the cups go down easy, which is good, since it really should be taken piping. A touch of astringency develops as it cools, as expected.

In regards to taste, there’s a mild, overall malty flavor with a darker, pleasantly bitter undertone, but the flavors of this tea are only second to its body. That’s not to take away from how good this tastes, at all! But the flavors really ride on how smooth and full-bodied the liquor is. Wonderful texture. Perhaps this is why Assam has become such a relied-upon base?

I can see why, now; I prefer straight teas, alone, but this is a tea that I feel strangely compelled to pair with something, be it with a plate of food, or with some milk and sugar. Or maybe it’s a force of habit, seeing as I’ve always tasted this as an accompaniment in another tea altogether? Or maybe I just need to figure out what to do with Assam altogether? After all, this is just my first one.

It’s a bit confusing to be in this new-but-somewhat-familiar territory, but it’s also very exciting. I’ll keep learning as I go further into the Indian subcontinent, and I’m very much looking forward to that. This has been a great introduction; thank you again, Teajo Teas!