Nilgiri FOP

Tea of the morning…… (SRP #2…Sample Reduction Plan )

And this is I think the last tea from my Lucky Bag from Lupicia from New Years. I do have to say that the Lucky Bag (actually called a Fukubukro Bag) was a fun introduction to Lupicia, but I am not sure I would do it again. The fact that it is a good introduction kind of defeats the marketing of this bag….You have to be intending to purchase it in order to get one before they sell out. It takes a little planning ahead on a holiday, but then some of us, like me, are tea obsessed. As a result, it did work for me.

This is a very fluffy black. The leaves are pretty big (hence the FOP designation without a B in there!) It kind of reminds me of a ceylon, but not as bready. Kind of like a Chinese congou, but not as chocolatey. There are no hints of smoke, and I would probably just call it a simple black tea. The front does have a slight hint of malt, and the end is very smooth. Yes, simple. I do have just under 50 grams of this, and it might be sorted into the Franken Breakfast Blending Lab (really, just a plastic shoe box sized bin.) It will make a great base tea.

Usual teapot method.

My 7th tea from The Book of Tea. My love for The Book of Tea grows every day. I almost never paid attention to the properties of black tea from different regions in the past (they were all just black tea to me!), so I am really happy that The Book gives me the opportunity to do so! I am amazed by the great variety of black teas – some of them are so wonderful that I wish I can drink it every day, while others taste so “special” that I think a cup would be more than enough. I hope that by the time I finish all the samples from The Book, I would have a better idea of what kind of black tea I like and also what to avoid. :)

I believe Nilgiri FOP will be one of my favourite black teas. It’s medium-bodied, very smooth and I love the mellowness. There’s little astringency in it and it’s on the sweet side. This is a perfect afternoon tea and it will go well with any kind of food. It delights your taste buds instead of overwhelming them or keeping them busy! ;) A bit of milk would make it even more enjoyable.

I am so going to try Nilgiri (also in The Book of Tea) this week! :D

Excellent black tea; I oversteeped again ><; however, this still came out wonderfully. It isn’t overly strong in any area but still tastes good; it isn’t too smooth or too astringent, isn’t too bitter or sweet, etc. I prefer flavored teas so that is the only reason it doesn’t score higher for me.

This was a pleasant black tea. It’s sweet-smelling and smooth, not too astringent at all, really tasty to drink straight, without milk or sugar. I think this would make a great base for milk tea, or to blend with white flavored teas. Not the best I’ve ever had, but something I wouldn’t mind drinking again =)