Upton Tea Imports

This tea is different today. I’m not sure what I did. It has more of a vegal smell (thankfully that hasn’t appeared too much in the taste…) Hmmm.

I loved this tea from the first time I tried it. There is a distinct smoky quality (especially if not left steeping too long. It’s not the smokiest I’ve tried but rather leaves me feeling relaxed as if I’m sitting next to a fireplace.

This is a really tasty black tea that has a fresh, light taste. Brewed well, it made for a great daily drinker that literally gets gulped down.

OP (Orange Pekoe) teas are pretty much the most basic form of black tea. It is pretty much a medium grade of tea, making it affordable. Upton is charging only $5.20 for 200 grams for this tea. A good deal on a tea that makes a fantastic breakfast tea. There is nothing remarkable about this, but at the same time it manages to satisfy in a way that some better teas cannot. There is some special about “normal” teas like this that we find particularly satisfying.

We drank it plain, without milk or sugar and found it very refreshing. Drinking a pot of this was a great way to start the day.

For an inexpensive, everyday tea with a very fresh taste, this one is recommended.

This tea tastes as great as it looks. This tea has chocolate and raisin notes with a slightly peppery finish. The taste is malty and bold. Excellent tea.

After Angrboda’s post I just had to have some Lapsang Souchong. This tea is smoky, smooth, and delicious with sweet undertones.

This tea is smoky, mellow and smooth. Hands down, this is the best Lapsang Souchong I have drank. I love smoky and I have drank quite a few Lapsangs. This one smells like a forest fire and the smell lingers over the kitchen and living room. It has a sweetness under the smoke. This one I will reorder.

This tea looks like green gunpowder tea only black and glossy. It has its own flavor and scent…nutmeg. This is my first tea that had notes of nutmeg in it. Its also in the smell. The tea has a light astringency and a full mouthfeel. No bitterness and smooth, it really has a taste all its own. Not a tea I want to drink all the time, but nice once in a while.

This is a lovely tea. It is light in color but has a full-bodied taste. But not too strong either – this is certainly no Breakfast Blend. There is no bitter tannins at all so milk is not needed. This was included in Upton Tea’s Premium Darjeeling sampler and I would definitely recommend this as a way to compare 1st flush and 2nd flush darjeelings. Of the teas included in the sampler, this was the best…

This tea tasted better this time for me. I let it cool a little and the earthy smell and taste came through. The tea has fruity notes and is mellow and smooth. No bitterness or astringency in my cup. Nice tea

This tea has a slightly sweet taste and is very similar to Keemun. I consider it a mild tea with a little astringency. There is a fruity note to it but I can’t place it. The tea leaves my mouth dry after drinking. I received a lot of samples from Upton Tea but this is not one of my favorites. I will experiment some with the variables and see what I end up with.

This Lapsang Souchong is on training wheels. Its for people who aren’t sure if they like smoky or not. Its lightly smoky and a little sweetness under the smoke. The tea is very mellow and smooth and to me has a peppery finish. Its a good place to start for those who aren’t sure about smoky teas. I really like smoky so I’m happy this only a sample.

This tea steeps up a nice light amber. The smell is like sugary raisin and the taste is very delicate with fruity notes. There is no bitterness or astringency that I can find. It has an underlying sweetness and is very enjoyable. The finish is clean with no aftertaste. I’m not very familiar with Darjeeling teas but I enjoyed this one.

First off, I’m not a big fan of Darjeeling teas. This one surprised me as the taste is delicate and has fruity notes. This is not a strong robust tea, the color is a very light amber. The finish is clean and light with out much of an aftertaste. This tea is nice for afternoon sipping.

This is an interesting tea as I’m getting orange notes from it. A 4 min steep yields a med-dark color liquid. The smell is clean, just a little earthy. This is a mild tea, no bitterness. The tea has a slightly sweet taste and has a dry aftertaste. Very enjoyable.

A nice breakfast tea with yunnan notes and a peppery finish. Nothing fantastic, but a nice yunnan.

This Yunnan is earthy, and slightly sweet with chocolate and fruity notes. Its not the best yunnan I have had but it is very good. Not sure why but I’m beginning to love yunnan teas.

This is very nice tea, not as nice as the Rishi Golden Yunnan or Chinese Breakfast, but still a nice tea. This Yunnan has chocolate notes and a peppery finish and does taste very similar to the Rishi’s but if I can tell the difference, you can also.