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Jammy, malty, sweet and aromatic, my experience with Adagios Irish Breakfast blend was delightful! I brewed the full sample pouch just as directed, in 10 oz boiling water for 2 min. Because the leaf was pretty finely chopped (2-3 mm bits), it brewed up fast, but surprisingly free of tannin or astringency! Adagio hit a home run with this one, which I’ll rate as 90 and definitely recommend and buy again.

Just received this sampler pouch. Brewed as directed, in 10 oz boiling water for 2-1/2 min. Loved the orange and bergamot aroma of the dry leaf, which was pretty finely chopped (2-3 mm) except for a 1 cm square chunk of orange peel. While brewing (only one steeping) the pungency of the aroma was pronounced, and the resulting liquor was a bit on the strong side, both with regard to the tea component (good) and the bergamot flavoring (too strong). Overall I felt the tea could have used more— and fresher— orange, and less bergamot, which had a harsh chemical note to it. I detected astringency, too, which is expected, but I was surprised by the numbing sensation on my tongue! The Ceylon tea component was either overwhelmed by bergamot flavoring, or nondescript to my buds. If I try this again, I would reduce the leaf amount and reduce the steep to 60-90 sec. I can’t recommend nor condemn this product. Will rate it as 65.

I’ve enjoyed this tea now and then over the years, and this particular pouch is of the 2016 harvest, so it’s long in the tooth, so to speak. But its flavor and aroma have been stable over the years, and I do like it. the leaves are large, twisted threads that expand in the cup gradually with each successive re-steep. Western style with a stainless infusion basket, I used about 3 g leaf in 8 oz boiling spring water for 30 sec on 1st, 90 sec on 2nd, and 3 min on 3rd infusion. Plenty of Assamica character (very smooth and non-astringent, with a woody stonefruit scent and taste and notes of minerality. Just slightly malty, no hints of cinnamon or camphor, but a great mouth-coating feel and nice lingering aftertaste. Pretty straightforward, Got two solid, tasty infusions, with notes of cardboard appearing in the third steeping, as the leaf petered out. I found it interesting to compare this Taiwan-grown tea to similar Assamicas and Ruby 18’s from Taiwan, and to teas actually grown in Assam, India. This product falls somewhere in between. I’ll rate it 86, and am sipping down my supply in earnest.

I’m sipping this tea again today and enjoying its sweet floral and malty flavors immensely. Again western style, as before. But I cannot justify the 95 rating when it deserves a 99. So there it is, an excellent brew! Thank you @Song Tea & Ceramics!

Revisiting this Qimen, the same mylar pouch I bought during pandemic, from the back of my cupboard. Looking at my previous review, the score of 54 seems a bit harsh (since I’ve assigned regular Lipton “pekoe cut black” teabags a rating of 65). The tea has good flavor of fruit and malt, and nicely aromatic, but is indeed smooth and delicate as compared to plain Keemun which I still prefer. But there is a time for smooth and delicate flavors, and this delivers on that promise! Raising my rating to 70, with the caveat that it is on the expensive side of 70. The second steep was watery and with the previously mentioned notes of cardboard, so I won’t advise multiple infusions.

Brewed 2.5g dry Indonesian leaf in 7oz boiling water for 2 min. Neither leaf nor liquor were purple. Aroma of toasted wheat. Flavors of toasted grains, blackened potato skin, nuttiness, charcoal, and metallic. No floral notes, no cinnamon, no butter, no dill, no vinegar. A re-steep was the same, after which the rolled leaf had loosened somewhat, but never expanded. Frankly, just tastes like an infusion of vegetable ashes. No desire to drink any more of this. Rating 25 and not recommended.

An old pouch I hadn’t opened in 7 years, kept well stored. Finely chopped leaf, almost like a CTC.— and faintly fragrant. Western brew. Bleh. Brown water tasting vaguely of tea and nowhere near as good as standard Lipton teabags, which I rate at 65. This old, stale black tea tastes old & stale. Not recommended and in fairness I won’t assign the rating of 40 because of its age. If you find some of this, and like it, give it a fast sipdown because it won’t live long.

I’ve had this black tea sitting around in its sealed mylar bag for some 6 years now and am finally posting some notes here after finding it this morning. Coincidentally, I see that Steepster user @Mastress Alita posted a review of it only 3 days ago! MA’s material might be fresher than mine, but it’s no longer for sale on Tealyra’s site anyhow.

I steeped Western style, as directed, and found much the same as reported by MA, though with a weak intensity and substantial astringency. Interestingly, midway through the tea, I got hit with a few flashes of blackberry fruit flavor! Overall the tea was drinkable, with some interesting flavor and little if any extended aftertaste. I’d only rate it a 60 though I won’t post that score here (nor “recommend”) since I suspect mine has simply suffered with age. I may try overleafing it and dropping the water temperature before giving up.

FOLLOWUP: I doubled the leaf to 5g and used 8oz water at 190°F for 30sec. The result was much more intense in flavor and aroma, but no more enjoyable to my palate. A re-steep also for 30s was less bright. This tea just isn’t for me— off to the compost heap with it! (I guess I can’t call it a sipdown ha!)