141 Tasting Notes
My order of 13 Harney and Sons samples came today, and this is the first I have tried. It is a complex blend of four different teas, all of good quality, but I found the four teas competed rather than blended well together. Strangely enough, I tasted the fruity Darjeeling flavor first, then the malty Assam, which I though would have dominated the tea. The Keemun and Ceylon flavors were in the background. I steeped this too long, which may have brought out the Darjeeling too much.
Preparation
A typical English breakfast blend, similar to PG Tips. It is a finely ground tea, fannings rather than leaf. The first taste is a brisk Ceylon, followed by the maltiness of the Assam. But the tea is rather harsh and somewhat bitter aftertaste, even with honey and two packets of splenda, as well as half and half, to tame it. Oh well, at least it is not bland and tasteless like Lipton or Tetley. When I visited friends in England fifteen years ago, I thought this tea tasted great, so much better than American tea.
Preparation
I found this tea on iHerb.com and needed to buy one more tea to get a $10.00 off discount, so basically I got this for free. The leaves are full, not broken. It is very rich and flavorful, fruity, citrusy, exactly what I want a Ceylon to be. I couldn’t get a second steeping out of it, but the first was certainly worth the price ($9.95 for 2.5 oz. or about 40 cups).
