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Tolstoy’s Sip has a smoky flavor that dances a little on the edge of too much without ever crossing over. The result is a flavor that I have to be in the mood for, but when I am, I am absolutely crazy about it.

This is my first Pu-erh, so I’m not sure how much my rating reflects this tea in particular vs. how much is related to the entire range. Time will tell on that front, but I found this to be pleasant without being too much of a standout. I enjoy it when I have it, but don’t ever find myself craving it.

A good tea, but certainly an “out of sight, out of mind” kind of tea for me.

Despite Samovar’s tendency toward inconsistent brewing recommendations, this is one of the better Chai teas I’ve tried. These days, it’s what I reach for when I’m craving the Masala Chai flavor profile.

One of the my favorite blends right now. A complex series of flavors that seems to adjust between sips and with time. This one never tastes exactly the same, but is always wonderful.

I’m beginning to suspect that this is all part of Twining’s policy as the Earl Grey also suffers from what I am starting to call the American Deficit (when the same brand and style of tea has less flavor when purchased in an American Store than when purchased in other countries).

Some fair back and forth testing has confirmed my suspicion. A nice Earl Grey (not the best, but far from the worst) that’s reliably good when purchased from a retailer not located in the United States.

When I came back from Australia, I stopped by the store to pick some of this up. I still had most of a box left from Melbourne, but I didn’t want to run out and I felt like getting out of the house.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a big difference between the same tea as sold in Australia and what is available on store shelves in the United States. The latter is largely without flavor while the former is a perfect general tea in the English milk-and-sugar style. I’m not sure why this would be and I don’t know if others have had a similar experience, but I’ve tried it from several boxes and from different stores and continue to experience the same thing. I even did some cup after cup switching between the what I had left from Australia and what I got here at home. There is a clear difference.

It makes me a little hesitant to trust ratings too much on this one being that where they come from may affect the actual quality they are getting. All that said, my rating is for the Australian blend/variety/type of Twining’s English Breakfast Tea which is a solid all day cup. I have also ordered a box direct from the UK to see how the original stacks up.