English Tea Store

Wow, this one is new favorite for me! Very delicate tea, but great for a afternoon tea. Typical breakfast foods or heavier meals will overpower. Tea brews very light golden-yellow, which was worrying at first, but the flavors really deliver in this lighter-bodied tea. It has a complex bouquet of flavors, but most prominently I find hints of cherry (unusual for green tea to be so fruity!), osmanthus flowers, and greener nuts. Kind of on the pricier side, but delivers better than most teas I’ve tried in this price range.

This tea is a steal for $21.56/lb. I need to purchase this one more often. Pretty much has everything I want from a Keemun black tea – winey, deep, and has strong “orchid” notes. Both simple and complex at the same time, a good representation of what I consider to be the best variety of black tea. Definitely punching above it’s price range. I find that this is perhaps only slightly less enjoyable than some of the pricier varieties I’ve tried, such as Hao Ya “A”, Hao Ya “B”, or Imperial Grade.

Fragrances and flavors of flowers and melon, as described. This is a really nice tea. I could definitely repurchase this one occasionally, but don’t think it would be my everyday tea. It is a nice a different change of pace. Like a very rich and flower green tea with unusual notes of melon.

OH looks like I have to make a note for this one as I sip it down.  I thought I already did.  Thanks very much for the sample, AJRimmer!  I like that the description for this tea mentions popsicles, as that is what this definitely tastes like – but without sugar.  But maybe I only WANT it to taste like popsicles and really it’s mostly tart.  But today is so hot I was craving a tart hibiscus tea.  So a “popsicle” tea is perfect right now.  Every time I steeped this up, it had the perfect balanced flavor for tartness.  So if I were looking to stock up on a hibiscus tea, I probably wouldn’t mind stocking up on this one.  So I must like it! 
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for full mug // 24 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep?
Steep #2 // just boiled // few minute steep
2022 Sipdowns: 83

Sipdown! (19 | 508)

This one is a swap sample from an Instagram friend! I used slightly more leaf than I probably would have, just because I didn’t want to have a comically small amount left over. :P

It’s very tasty though, and doesn’t seem to have suffered from the overleafing. Surprisingly smooth for an Assam, with only a little touch of astringency. Very rich, malty, and bready, and there’s also an unusual oatmeal-like flavor to it that I’m really enjoying. There isn’t much in terms of brown sugar or raisin however, which I am missing a bit. I would love to add some oatmilk here, but sadly I haven’t gone to the store yet after being away for about a week.

I will say, I probably shouldn’t be drinking this without having eaten, as I can already feel my empty stomach objecting to such a strong and acidic tea heh… :P

So I bought this a while ago now… I have had it a couple times…. This is one of those teas that were raved about on Steepster, and I was looking for a good Earl Cream, so it was time to buy it and try it.  However, I feel like it must have had a drastic flavor change from the supplier since so many loved it years ago… this is what happened with Zen’s Earl Grey Cream years ago too (it might even be the same now?).  Suddenly a blend changes.  The bergamot just isn’t my favorite and has that slight bug spray tang to it, the cream is hardly there, and the black tea isn’t as dark as I’d like it to be.  So I wish I could try the blend everyone raved about back then… well, now I know this isn’t the one for me and I have finally written my opinion on it. I think I might be the pickiest with EGCs!
Steep #1 // 1 1/3 teaspoons // 27 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 1/2 min steep

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – April Tea #5: A tea with the flavor of your favorite jelly bean

About halfway through the month, halfway through prompts.  I thought this would be the appropriate prompt for today while enjoying some other Easter teas today: Hot Cross Buns & Easter Egg Nests.  THIS ONE…. it’s a blend of fruits to me that is supposed to be certain fruits, but I’m tasting other fruits…. kind of like how jelly beans sometimes are… confusing at interpreting the flavors.  I generally like ALL the jelly bean flavors…except for licorice.  So a jumbled flavor tea also works for this challenge.
2022 sipdowns: 51

Does it seem like AJRimmer sent me endless samples yet?!  Thanks again, AJRimmer!   But WHAT am I doing steeping up another cup of hibiscus.  I needed at least a week.  It probably hasn’t been a week.   This will be a boring note as YES this is heavily hibiscus, but there is also a sweet note of strawberry flavoring to balance the tart out, so it wasn’t overwhelmingly tart.  So thanks, strawberry!  However, the description for this tea never mentions strawberry, rather orange and pineapple, which I’m not tasting at all.  I think the second steep was a bit too weak, but that’s my fault. A bit boring, but not hibiscus overload.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons //  20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // many minutes after boiling?  // 4-5 min steep

I was very dubious about this. It does not look great, and it comes from a merchant who specializes in neither green teas nor Japanese teas, which worried me because of how important freshness and storage can be to these sorts of teas in particular.

After trying it – it could be worse. The roasting is a bit odd. It tastes almost more like kukicha than sencha, and sort of stale. But it could be much worse!

With milk, this is an all right black tea. The flavoring is pretty light. I can’t really tell what it’s supposed to be, but it’s pleasant. The base is the main flavor, and it’s not very deep or special, but not bad. One serving from the tea box was plenty.

This tea was a pleasant surprise. Based on its finely chopped appearance, I expected it to be somewhat bland and simple in flavour, but it isn’t; it has a nice smoky note overlaying a rich, slightly astringent malty taste.

The leaf processing style does mean that brewing this in a gaiwan without pouring all the leaves into one’s cup really puts the gongfu in gongfu cha, but it’s worthwhile for the detailed picture of the flavours this presents. It works very well Western-style too, as you’d expect. For being so finely chopped, it re-steeps relatively well. I was able to get four solid steeps out of it in a gaiwan.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – Tuesday, March 30th: National Virtual Vacation Day Tea #2

Another fun vacation choice: Scotland of course.  I had to pick at least one tea with the country in the name of the tea.  I stocked up on this one a while ago.  I’ve had variations of it from other tea shops, which is why I haven’t written a note for this particular one until now!  It’s a little less like “toffee” than past variations but I still enjoy this one.  Deep tasty puerh with a bit of sweetness.  No off-putting puerh flavors here.  I’m glad I bought more!
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 15 minutes after boiling // 2-3 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // ? min

I forgot to take some notes for this one, but I made a cup in honor of our Valentine’s Day sipdown prompt. Lime gelato is not a typical Valentine’s dessert, but if my husband were to choose he would absolutely pick something with lime (most likely key lime pie). This steeped up a serious red color (thanks, hibiscus), but the lime flavor definitely stood out. I’m not a fan, but my husband would probably call this one a favorite.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge Thursday, June 17th: National Eat Your Vegetables Day Tea #2

additional notes:  Now as I steep this up… I’m realizing it’s very similar to the other tea today.  Just without the green tea and probably some other veggies thrown in there.  It’s an okay blend but gone now!
2021 sipdowns: 84

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge Tuesday, February 9th: National Pizza Day –Tea #3

Thanks very much for the sample, AJRimmer!  I had a second steep of this tonight and the other last night, so it counts for Pizza Day.  I figured there was a fair amount of vegetables in this blend, so it COULD count for Pizza Day.  I was trying not to look at the list of ingredients before sipping, to try to blind taste test it… it both smells and tastes like mostly cantaloupe with a hint of tanginess, like maybe a single piece of hibiscus made it into the infuser.  I did notice cucumbers in the blend, so this is almost like a no caffeine version of their cantaloupe cucumber green tea.  Other than that tartness replacing any flavor that might have been from green tea, I can’t really tell a difference.  Not as much citrus as I would think from the ingredients, when I finally look at the list.  I’m just VERY happy this wasn’t heavily noticeable on the loathed tomatoes.  But the cantaloupe flavor is fine with me. This is actually very cheap right now! 
Steep #1  // 25 minutes after boiling  // 3 minute steep
Steep #2  // just boiled //  very long steep

Fruity flavor, but goes great with a touch of sugar and cream. Exellent daily tea.

The flavor isn’t clearly pumpkin, but as a latte, this is pretty enjoyable. Hard to say what the flavor is supposed to be at all, but it tastes generically desserty and nice. Another mildly flavored black tea I wouldn’t buy again. Not bad, just average.

Advent from AJRimmer day 3

Been hesitating to post this because of user error. I steeped this up and poured it into my travel mug, then headed out to check on a friend and grocery shop, not really having time for this cup until I made it back home. By then, I think the time in my travel mug altered the taste of this. I feel like it’s been doing that lately and I did a peroxide baking soda soak in it not that long ago. It’s been holding onto a soapy flavor when I wash it out after drinking teas out of it that are oily. This smells warm and spicy, but the flavor coming through is light spice and soap. NOOOOOO! I hate messing up a good tea, especially a pumpkin tea. I have a second serving worth, so I get one more chance!

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – December Tea #2 -A winter holiday tea

This will fit for this prompt!   This was more the spices of eggnog and not really eggy (seems to be trying to go the “pumpkin” spice route there…) But I enjoyed trying it! 
2022 sipdowns:  121
Holiday Tea 2022 #5

Thank you again, AJRimmer!  Had this a couple days ago…  I’m not sure how any black tea could taste like eggnog, but I guess this isn’t the worst eggnog tea I’ve had?  I’m not even sure of the elusive English Tea Store ingredients, but whatever here DOES kind of mildly taste like eggnog if you mixed it with black tea.  Very odd that it does taste like this.  English Tea Store’s description says it should also have rum flavor?  I can’t tell that’s here at all. But otherwise it’s like a sweet, creamy, mildly spicy flavor… like eggnog.  I don’t hate it! 
Steep #1  // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 26 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // 2 minutes after boiling //  3 minute steep

A lovely Rooibos tea, strong vanilla flavor, great all day drinking tea. Maybe good for a mocktail too?

Thanks very much, AJRimmer!  I will eventually get to all these samples. haha.  I wasn’t expecting much from this tea, seeing as how chocolate teas are normally somehow gasoline tasting  and lacking and English Tea Store’s teas have been generally disappointing… but the flavor of this tea resulted in how I would hope it would be.  First off, it’s dark.  I can’t do chocolate teas that aren’t deep and dark.  Second, no gasoline here.  Plenty of chocolate flavor.  Dark dusky chocolate.  I like that they actually include cocoa shells!  I thought I was seeing coconut in the blend, but it’s actually chamomile petals for some reason?  I don’t think they bring anything to the flavor anyway.  It’s a good pairing between this type of black tea and chocolate flavor in general.  It is what it says it is. Of course, it can’t actually be hot chocolate, but this is the closest thing to hot chocolate that a tea can be.  I wouldn’t mind having a bit of this around when I want a chocolate tea — there aren’t too many good chocolate teas.  Next time this will be a sipdown.
Steep #1  // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // 3 minutes after boiling //  3 1/2 minute steep

The first time I had this tea, I found the blueberry flavor pretty clear, authentic, and tasty. Every subsequent time, it’s turned out weird, harsh, and artificial. I drank my whole ounce of this hoping to accomplish that first flavor again, but it wasn’t a very good time.

The flavor is a little bit chemically, but the orange is sort of nice as well. I like drinking it cold. It’s pretty good, but not great. I didn’t try a resteep because the chemical scent of this one is pretty unappealing.