Vintage Black

This is pretty tasty, and if I weren’t mentally exhausted I would be able to describe it. It’s not the best black blend I’ve had but it’s enjoyable. A bit astringent, a bit sweet, as well as strong.

I’m playing Doodle or Die right now: http://doodleordie.com/profile/cavocorax It’s fun if you guys haven’t tried it. It’s “telephone” with drawings – you draw it, someone else describes it, and a third person has to draw whatever the 2nd person said. So you can see how the pictures evolve.

My drawings are pretty out there, but some people make ART out of theirs.

That classic, comforting nostalgic “plain ol’ black tea from when you first drank tea at all” flavor I sometimes allude to, well, this is that in spades. Like going home again in smell and taste, with maybe a little richer body than typical. A little toasty, a little sweet, just enough bitterness and tannin, just as you remember from long ago but better, somehow both smoother and less weak or watered down tasting. You know. If regular ol’ teabag black tea in restaurants was actually good. Naming it “Vintage Black” was smart.

Once in a while I absolutely crave that sort of thing, and nothing else—no fancier or “better” premium additions or usually tempting flavors—will do. This would be ideal for those times. Very satisfying and a good reboot/reminder of my tea beginnings for when all the bells and whistles and hundreds of choices of tea become overwhelming. Fills an important niche for me.

It’s also, for that sort of thing, a rather pretty cup of tea. Dark and smooth and silky looking, nearly like manual pour-over coffee. Would make a great breakfast tea.

Ack, I feel kinda bad because I’ve been drinking a lot of tea these days but don’t have time to log them. Anyway, since I’m drinking this for the first time, I’ll take a little break to write a short tasting note about it. The tea is very dark and has a pretty bold flavor. Reminds me of English Breakfast. Speaking of which, I’m not even fully sure of what constitutes an “English Breakfast” tea. Anyway, this tea is a nice bold starter for the mornings. It would probably taste less intense and a little nicer with some milk or sugar, but I’ve been trying to cut down on sugar sweetened beverages lately, so I just kind of sucked it up. A nice, strong tea, but I think I prefer English Breakfast by Persimmon Tree.

Another reviewer said that this is the much better version of that not so great teabag tea you grew up drinking, and that is spot on. This is a very smooth black tea. It’s sweet, malty, not overly tanniny, and generally a pleasant way to start a morning if you’re just looking for a caffeine boost from plain black tea that isn’t trying to be anything other than that.

So this is exactly what I assumed black teas tasted like before Virginia sent me some from Tealux that proved me wrong. Just woodsy.
I literally feel like I went outside, peeled some bark off a tree and steeped it in my tea. Then added a pinch of sugar to make it “drinkable”.
Just..no…please no. I don’t understand the appeal in pure woodsy teas. xD
This is gonna go in the swap box. xD

I wanted tea this morning. Thinking hurt. This is morning tea. Strong but not bitter. Brisk. Astringent – like most breakfast teas. Woodsy. Malt in the aftertaste. Never thought to call it this but Awkward Soul is dead one with raisin late in the sip. Not likely destined to be anyone’s favorite tea but it is more like that friend that is always there for you that kind of goes unnoticed – and shouldn’t.

Surprisingly tasty! This black tea is a blend of Nilgiri and Yunnan Golden Buds. I found the two teas were well balanced – crisp, malty, rice, with a bit of fluffy silky texture. Also some light raisin notes and bit of briskness. No bitterness, and only a hint of dryness.

I had this tea for breakfast and it really hit the spot! Especially after spending all yesterday canning strawberries (my feet are dying).

Full review on my blog, The Oolong Owl http://oolongowl.com/vintage-black-persimmon-tree-oolong-owl-tea-review/

This is a super traditional black tea. It has a bit of sweetness, and a bit of astringency, and a lot of flavor. That said, I enjoy that I have moved on to teas that offer a bit of something special. I recommend this for guests or people into very traditional flavors.