I drink from 10-12 cups of coffee at work everyday. To kick the caffeine habit, I've been experimenting lately with different varieties of tea from India and China.
| Black Teas |
| Gopaldhara WT-3 Wonder Tea, Single-Estate Darjeeling |
Rating: *** |
The dry leaves themselves smell fantastic, and are full and green when unfurled. Slight muscatel aroma, and lovely flavor. First infusion is the best. 11/01 |
Poobong SFTGFOP1,
Vintage Single-Estate Darjeeling |
Rating: * |
I didn't understand this tea at all, and I have a feeling that it was simply too old to brew properly, although this type of tea is supposed to benefit from aging. There was also a sliver of wood in this particular batch from SpecialTeas.com (my vendor of choice, and highly recommended), which is appropriate given that the tea tasted like boiled sawdust. 11/01 |
| Poobong STGFOP1, Single Estate Darjeeling |
Rating: ** |
First flush with a nice fruity fragrance. With a flavor boost from a single sugar cube, all the better. 11/02 |
| Meleng FBOP Gold Rain, Assam (Clonal/Special), Single Estate Darjeeling |
Rating: *** |
A pretty, golden leaf and a fruitier taste than the first flush Poobong.
Infuses extremely quickly. First and second infusions are about the same. 11/02
|
| Nagri FTGFOP, Single Estate Darjeeling |
Rating:
**
|
First flush Darjeeling. Nice, light aroma, but basically tasteless. |
| Vithanakande FBOPF/EX, Single Estate Ceylon |
Rating:
***** |
I love this tea. It's simply delicious, even more so with sugar (I tend to like my tea sweet). I can't describe the flavor, which is unlike anything I've tasted. It doesn't have the muscatel aroma of Darjeeling or orchid aroma of an oolong; it's something unique. First, second infusions are best. This tea oxidizes quickly. 05/03 |
