Assam SF Budla Beta

This was my first tea of the day. Unfortunately, it seems that I’ve overdone it with the Bergamot and Jasmine experimentation and was temporarily allergic to tea!! :(
but I seem to be over that, as long as I stay away from those nauseating petals.
So… when I tried this tea, it really did nothing to impress. I’m still queasy so I’m thinking I need to take a break from blacks for awhile- until my body figures out that there are no flowers in plain black tea!
Anyhow, I’m leaving the rating on this one til I come back with a fresh palate. I should try lover’s leap again to… I don’t want to be an anti-black tea drinker!!

Thanks to Jocelyn Rama, I have a whole care package of Teaopia samples to play with and it’s been so long since I had a really good Assam, I pulled this one first.

It is a lovely red-gold color in my cup and has a nice, thick, substantial feel in the mouth. Flavor is smooth, not sharp, not flat…right on key.

I understand Assam is the world’s largest tea growing region so I definitely shouldn’t judge the entire region based on this specific tea. Being the first purely Assam tea I have ever tried however, it is the taste that I’ll associate with the region for a long time.

I must say I’m not very impressed with this tea. There isn’t really all that much to focus my tastes on and what I find is a weird savory-vitamin like taste. I may actually be interpreting the prized flavor completely wrong. It goes down easy and is quite beautiful looking but there is this haunting taste in the background that I can also smell in the dry leaves, maybe the correct term is “spicy”.

I don’t put milk or any sweetener in my tea so that might also be the problem. I’m also very caffeine insensitive, so I can’t really appreciate a tea with more caffeine than usual (I drink coffee by the litre and it doesn’t affect me much at all). This tea may just be a wrong match for me for several reasons, but I don’t doubt it’s quality. It’s quite amazing when I did a comparison of it with Red Rose which is a dirt cheap tea that my mom and her parents always have on hand. Despite the weird notes (which may grow on me in time) it’s the only quality non-pu-erh black tea I have currently and it will definitely get used up fast.

I just picked up this tea the other day and just had some now-I love the flavor of assam, it tastes medium to full bodied with a definite theine kick to it- I would love to go to India in a few years- going to see “Eat Pray Love” today can’t wait. Anyway-I ama purist at heart and in mind and soul-and that is why I am narrow minded and always stick with India and China Teas!!!! Have a wonderful day

This is not something I’d ever consider drinking clear. The taste is strong, earthy, and very pronounced. Definitely a huge pick-me-up int he after noon. Anyone who enjoys Unflavored tea should adore this.