Scheherazade Send Message

264 Followers / 340 Following

Recommended

Scheherazade drank Golden Lion Assam 1st Flush by Tealux

2238 tasting notes

My second Assam of the evening last night. This one couldn’t be more different from Assam #8 if it tried, and as I said in my previous note, that’s one of the things I love about Assam the most. Each different variety can be an entirely different experience.

The leaves here are golden brown and tippy, and are long, thin and curly in appearance. The bag also contains a quantity of golden brown “dust”. I gave this one 4 minutes in boiling water, and the resulting liquor was dark brown — much darker than Assam #8. I added a splash of milk.

I want to say that the flavour of this one is stronger — it comes across like that, a little, but I think it’s a case of pungency rather than strength, somehow. The malt and grain notes here are very prominent, and yet it’s not nearly as sweet as I expected. Instead, it has an almost molasses-like note, As it cools, a deep smokiness develops. It’s a very smooth, easily drinkable cup, and one I’d definitely return to again. It reminds me a lot of some of the Dian Hong teas I’ve been drinking lately. Another delicious treat, and another confirmation of my love for Assam in general!

Preparation

Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

I Like This

11 likes

0 comments

People who liked this

Profile

Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.