All About Tea

I notice that it´s quite hard writing a review for a tea when it´s so good you´re drinking it over and over again.
I bought a 250g pouch of this 1st flush Darjeeling in 2017, and although I´ve been drinking other teas (and coffees, I´m quite a coffee fan as well) as well, this is the one I turn to when I have my ceramic tea mug and infuser at hand : so easy to put a tsp of tea in the infuser and have it in place for 3-5 minutes.
Last weekend I had my sister-in-law over (she introduced black tea to me, as my mother was more of a herbal tea drinker) and of course, I served her this very elegant tea. Both she and my brother liked it as well…
When we visited Borough market together on Saturday, I saw at a tea stand where a similar tea was sold that you could easily steep this tea a second (and even a third) time, and I might try it one day, but it just feels this way it´s perfect : not too strong, not too weak, and the same applies for a bitterness you want/need in a black tea. Bliss.

I don´t know a lot about Darjeeling teas, but I do like the (Assam) teas I bought at All About Tea in Southsea last year (a discovery when out during a Bank Holiday WE), and I appreciate a lot the information given (on the website, through the videos on facebook) about tea-related subjects. Check it out : https://allabouttea.co.uk
So, I decided to take advantage of the special offer buying a 250g pouch …and I´m not disappointed! Friends tealovers may expect a sample ;-) This 1st flush is of high quality (looking at the leaves after steeping the tea), it tastes light and sofisticated, and doesn´t turn bitter when overdoing the brewing time a bit (which happens to me more often than I would like). I truly understand why they call this the “Champagne of teas”. One of the better teas I have ever drunk… and it can be drunk at anytime of the day really. So glad I decided to buy this much in one go, before having tasted it.

Just a final note about this tea. As I really love this blend, I wanted to buy some more (talking about 1.5 year ago, I think), but unfortunately, after having closed the physical shop, the company All About Tea ceased its activities in 2018 (and I couldn´t even get hold of this blend online anymore the final year of activity). Their popular “Portsmouth Tea” was “rescued” by The Kent & Sussex Tea & Coffee Co., another family business still operating in UK (Kent).
The owner of All About Tea (Gadsden Tea) had a very educational facebook page (closed now) with some very interesting videos about tea. These can still be consulted on youtube : https://www.youtube.com/user/allabouttea/featured

It´s my birthday today, and I started the day with a mug of Southsea Grey. After almost a year in my cupboard, the tea is still very aromatic, and not only can you tell by opening the pack, it also shows when steeping the tea. Tastewise I have a similar experience : it is as tasty as on day one, and it doesn´t turn bitter so you enjoy it until the final sip. A wonderful earl grey I can recommend to every fan of the style.

Months have passed and the tea in the handy pouch is still very aromatic. Not only that, when steeping the tea, the aroma´s are present from the first moment until the last sip, even if the temperature of the cup has decreased quite a lot. Moreover, also in mouth the bergamot flavour is present the entire time. Described as the ideal afternoon tea, I love it for breakfast as well…it really is a pleasure for your senses!

We discovered All About Tea in Portsmouth this Bank Holiday weekend, when we made an excursion to Portsmouth after having had lunch in an original concept place called Pie&Vinyl. The place is a combination of tea blender, tea shop and café. Quite a few blends (realized in house) are optimised for the local tap water in different places of Hampshire. As a fan of Earl Grey teas, I wanted to try the Southsea Grey I had already liked from its aroma´s in All About Tea. Very aromatic and surprisingly soft tasting, without turning bitter too soon…just the way an afternoon tea should be! Wonderful packaging as well, to ensure best storage conditions.

I loved this. I stewed it for an hour because it said it was traditional and had it with milk and sugar. It has all the spices you could wish for in a chai but you can still taste the rich, full-bodied astringency of the black tea. This is now a staple in my life.

No es el mejor té blanco. Pero hace el apaño cuando no queda del caro.

Still not a fan. The flavor just doesn’t work for me. Passing this one on to someone else.

Making way through the tea I purchased yesterday. This was my choice this morning. However, I forgot that the saleswoman said she liked it iced. It definitely isn’t good hot. Putting it in the fridge for lunch. Another note later.

was kind of boring in my opinion. I prefer lighter teas and this one was just too light, I felt like I was simply drinking hot water. not at all bad tasting, but completely unremarkable. I would try again to make sure but my first impression was it being pretty meh-tastic.

A delicious and full-flavoured White tea, good for at least a few resteeps. Highly reccommended! Also, as a matter of personal opinion, i think after the first two steeps, and quarter to a half tsp of sugar per cup is the way to go!

This has to be the smoothest tea I have ever tasted – for very special occasions indeed.

I’m very new to white tea. This was lovely. Slightly sweet, perfect for a warm afternoon

Phone went again during brewing! Added some milk and still very nice

Drank this without milk for the first time last night. Lovely!

The phone rang and I managed to overbrew it. Slightly bitter, but still drinkable. It’s a very forgiving tea

I really like this. It took a while to get into it. For the subtleties to come through. But it’s great for mid-morning or early afternoon. It’s well rounded but not overpowering. A good, solid cuppa!