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Cameron B. drank Lumbini Estate FBOPF Ex. Spl. (TC80) by Upton Tea Imports

4161 tasting notes

Ahhh time to relax for a bit after lots of kitchen time. Randomly chosen Upton tea turned out to be a Lumbini Ceylon! I know that I tried a Lumbini Ceylon from Capital Tea Limited, and I remember it being mellow and smooth. We’ll see if this one is similar! The leaves are very thin and small but not at all broken, and they’re very dark with a few silvery-golden tips mixed in. Dry scent is somewhat malty and savory.

I didn’t get a good grasp of the steeped aroma, because I was distracted and now the cup is warm as opposed to hot, so most of the aroma has dissipated. Still tastes good though! It’s thick and a touch meaty and there’s an intensity that borders on bitterness but doesn’t quite get there. Near the end a little bit of Assam-ish molasses/raisin flavor rears its head, as does a touch of astringency. I think there’s possibly some bittersweet cocoa flavor here, but it’s always so hard for me to tell when there’s no sweetness. Pretty good, but not too special.

Flavors: Cocoa, Dark Bittersweet, Malt, Meat, Molasses, Raisins, Thick

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- November sipdowns: 13
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 156

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing