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“I’m in a no-frills mood today. My husband had knee surgery on Monday, so I’m pretty much running dead on my feet. I need the warmth, the simplicity, the CAFFEINE to make it through the work day...” Read full tasting note
“Almost a sipdown on this one today — two cups worth left. This has been languishing in my desk drawer for a while, so I might take it home and finish it off this weekend. Then I can replace it with...” Read full tasting note
“I’d rather drink Adagio’s Irish Breakfast. I’m not sure what’s going on in this one but it seems like some thing is wrong. I find that “tea” taste with quite a bit of bitterness. I swear I’m...” Read full tasting note
“Another sample comes to an end. I’m digging this more than usual this morning, I usually prefer Ceylons cold, and like to drink maltier blacks hot.” Read full tasting note
Ceylon Sonata is a classic black tea from Sri Lanka. In colonial times, this island nation was known as Ceylon. This name is still used to describe all teas grown here. Ceylon tea is bright and lively, medium-bodied and delightfully tangy. Our Ceylon Sonata hails from the renowned Kenilworth Estate, located in Sri Lanka’s Kandy region. Fresh, citrusy aroma, sweet juicy notes like mandarin peel or grapefruit, refreshing texture, and balanced astringency. The perfect afternoon tea.
The first tea plant was smuggled into Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon) in 1824. While it was not intended for commercial uses at the time, it wasn’t long before more plants arrived, and by 1867, the first tea plantation was founded by Scotsman James Taylor. By the 1880s, following a severe blight in the 1870s, nearly all coffee plantations had converted to tea. Now, Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest producers of tea, with six main growing regions across several elevations and growing conditions.
Black Tea | High caffeine | Steep at 212° for 3-5 minutes.
Adagio Teas has become one of the most popular destinations for tea online. Its products are available online at www.adagio.com and in many gourmet and health food stores.
From the EU TTB.
This one I actually really enjoyed! I was in the mood for a good old cuppa with milk and sugar, so this seemed like a good choice. I’m used to adagio’s blacks being pretty strong and turning astringent quickly, so the additions would probably help the tea rather than hurt it. My aunty came round with my cousins to drop off a book unexpectedly, so I ended up oversteeping it for a good 10 minutes. As it turns out, though, it wasn’t too bad. Only slightly astringent plain, and perfectly fine after I added the milk and sugar. It was a really nice cup of strong, malty black tea with just a slight hint of a citrus note. Very pleasant as an afternoon drink, but I probably won’t keep it as I already have some similar teas in my collection.
The ideal tea for people who just want a plain cup of tea. I received a cold brew pouch of this tea from Adagio, let it sit in a quart of water overnight as directed, and added a little sugar in the morning. Pleasant, refreshing.
Flavors: Tea
Dry, the leaves smell citrus and grapefruit-y with a little sweet malty. I try to not oversteep black teas, since I’m sensitive to the bitterness that develops. This had none of it. I’m not too sure how to recommend it, since it doesn’t have a lot of complexity to ponder. A little bit of citrus, malt and fruit in the taste and aroma. I’m a simple girl. I have a fondness for simple, drama-free things. And that’s what I’m getting from it. I can see mixing this with other flavors (which I suppose is what Adagio does).
This initial order (#teanewbie) from Adagio was to help me weed thru some of the WIDE variety of tea styles, so I can find the families I enjoy. So I’m glad I tried this, since now I want to try more Ceylons.
Smooth, delicious and not bitter at all. Just enough citrus to notice but not overwhelming. Great both hot and cool. Read the full review here: http://www.abbisiler.com/tea/ceylon-sonata-adagio-teas
this is my go to “Plain” tea, not too harsh, not too dry. and almost impervious to an over steep. once my liter nalgene full got cold, throughout a day of drinking it on and off, i squeezed a wedge of lemon in, tossed it in the freezer for 30 minutes, and it was then iced tea.
Details:
Kettle: Breville Tea Maker
Temp: 212
Steep Time: 3:00 min
Type: Black Tea, Loose
After opening the sample, the first thing I smelt was chocolate. Lots of chocolate. Brewed scent is dry. Mellow flavor, slightly earthy. Needs to steep longer on next attemp
The final specimen from that Raja sampler set. Gentle, light, and doesn’t seem to hold up too well for reinfusions. This is a fairly standard black tea; nothing too elegant.
NB: I made this note while sipping the first reinfusion (both at 4m, ~100°C).
EDIT: It does have a nice, mild sweetness that I hadn’t caught earlier.
