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__Morgana__ drank Tiger Assam by Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea

2036 tasting notes

I have a number of A&D teas I haven’t tasted yet, and I get to do that as part of my “taste every tea in the cupboard and write a note about it” project. It’s always a pleasure to drink A&D so I’m really excited that I get to do this.

The leaves of this are pretty — very tippy, and they smell earthy and a little minerally. Also a little like something baked. Baked sweet potato, maybe.

The steeped tea definitely has a sweet smell like sweet potatoes. It has a stewed fruity aspect to it as well. Prunes? The color is a clear, dark chestnut.

The tea has a bit of Assam throat grab, a sort of a bite (well, they did name it after a tiger, right)? But it isn’t as harsh as a lot of other Assams I’ve had. It’s strong, but more smooth than harsh, and the tea itself has a pleasant malty mildness which is a little surprising. It’s not at all bitter, not what I’d call “stout” (which is basically my way of saying heavy on the stomach). None of that here.

The aftertaste has a sweet, mocha note.

It’s a truly lovely Assam.

Flavors: Earth, Malt, Mineral, Mocha, Stewed Fruits, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation

Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

I Like This

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2 comments

Cameron B.
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Yummy. This is one of the teas on my list to order from Andrews & Dunham. ❤

__Morgana__
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I am worried about them. They haven’t said anything on social media for a while.

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Comments

Cameron B.
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Yummy. This is one of the teas on my list to order from Andrews & Dunham. ❤

__Morgana__
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I am worried about them. They haven’t said anything on social media for a while.

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes