Duflating Estate Assam FTGFOP1 (CL)

Delicious. Scattered and vague note, alas; I will try to write a better, clearer, more precise one when I drink this not so late at night after a ton more Elementary (g’ah, I love that show). I reckon it won’t take too long because it’s so good. I also tried Capital’s New Vithanakande because I love Harney and Sons’ but have run out (only had the sample packet) and it has a similar scrummy bittersweet chocolate thing going on. I am loving all these bittersweet deeply flavored bold teas lately! Also, this one resteeps like a charm. Had still another black tea from Capital today too, but I’m blanking right now—it was lighter bodied and mild, sweet, like Golden Monkey, which again is alright but never gets me to sit up and take notice relative to stuff like this. I was kind of feeling sad about not liking Assam as much as I used to back in the day after trying so many Steepster faves (Steven Smith and to a lesser extent even A&D’s), but this parade of delicious bittersweet bold black Indian teas from Capital is changing my tune and reminding me why I fell in love with them in the first place so long ago. Hooray.

This is a really elegant well balanced assam. It is not in your face with strong bitter malt notes, but rather a well made tea that presents a smooth mix of the fruit, cocoa, malt, spice, biscuit and floral notes that assams often have.

The dry leaf has a cocoa, molasses, floral scent, with rich brown leaves scattered with gold. After 3 minutes at around 94* C. The tea is a deep copper red colour with a scent of spice, red fruit, malt, cocoa, baked goods, and spicy floral.

The tea tastes smooth and elegant with a medium body, with a sweet flavour with notes of light biscuit, blackberry and cherry, cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, light floral note, and malt.

It re-steeps really well with cocoa and malt notes strengthening over the sweet fruit spice and biscuit notes.

A really good example of a well made assam.

Another morning assam. I’m not getting all the flavours that other people have listed in their notes. :) But it’s, a nice, full-bodied, malty assam. I again found a little bit of bitterness, but just a splash of milk smoothed that right out.

YYZ sent this one my way and i think, in reading other people’s notes why this one was not the tea for me – it’s like a darjeeling. And let’s be honest, those confuse my mouth :) the floral/fruity notes are not my preferred assam so this wasn’t a hit for me, but i’m glad to have tried it as this likely would have been one i would have been tempted to try myself heh. thanks a bunch YYZ!

i’m on a quest for a new fav Assam. This sample came to me from very generous and spontaneous ifjuly. Thank you!!!
205F 1tsp 8 oz 2.45 min produced golden delicious tea. it has Darjeeling floral-fruity notes. very smooth and not bitter. some malt but not over the top.
its important to me since I rarely add milk or sugar. This tea is elegant and i’m sure would be great as an afternoon tea.
Thank you ifjuly for helping me to discover new teas. i have a lot to sample