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I have 100g of this tea sitting right next to my Laoshan Black….and I haven’t touched them for months. It seems that I’ve relegated these teas to winter drinking without even knowing it….which is not good, because in southern california you’re lucky to wear out one sweater in your lifetime because you never need to wear one! So it’s time to pull out the winter sweaters of tea, albeit a little early in the season and start enjoying their warm fuzzies again.

As with other fujian blacks, my nose and palate always seem to pick up a cannabis note first. After that comes all the wonderful complex flavors that Chinese teas can bring…baked bread/grains, cocoa, malt, yam skin… and all balanced beautifully. Bailin gongfu has a lovely round mouthfeel and no astringency, which I adore. If you’re ordering from TeaVivre, ask for this to be your free sample….as you shouldn’t miss what this tea has to offer. It is refined, complex and just plain yummy.

Exotic Assam is a signature blend from Golden Tips that is a pretty straightforward assam flavor profile. It has a simple medium maltiness with a touch of woodsy spice and a slight aftertaste of malt that stays on the tongue. Nice is a good word for this tea. It is smooth, has a medium mouthfeel and enough body to do what Assams do well: make it feel like you’ve had breakfast even when you haven’t. Nice tea.

I finished off my sample of this tea today and it tasted so good that I thought I’d order more….AND THERE AIN’T NO MORE!! And it was SO good that I drank it super fast and didn’t savor the flavor and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!

(i think this is my best review ever. What a whiner i am.)

We’re a funny bunch on Steepster…..we love strange and unusual teas with unusual flavors…complicated teas with secret histories….there is such mystery in the flavors that are unlocked in our cup that we go on mental journeys with our palate…sometimes quiet contemplative journeys, sometimes raucous wild rides. But we travel…. These days
I love to “cup” travel to Assam. I love the subtle simplicity of the notes in a cup of Assam loveliness. Not many on Steepster travel to this region to fill their cup, but I’m a frequent flyer these days….and this 2nd flush Assam sourced from Heritage Tea Plantation is exactly the reason why I fill my cup with Assams so often.

The dry leaves are long and dark with just a few light golden tips interspersed. The smell of these dry leaves is vibrantly malty with a touch of cooked stone fruit. Wet, the leaves are whole and broken, but much larger than those found in many Assams. The coppery infusion is deliciously and straightforwardly malty and incredibly smooth. There is little astringency here when steeped at 3 minutes, just a lovely round mouthfeel and medium body that leave the taste of wonderful malt in your mouth. the stone fruit note is still present, but what is most noticeable is the smooooooooth……

The differences between Assams isn’t as pronounced as the differences between, say, Keemuns or Darjeelings….but it is there. What-Cha has offered a wonderful assam for any tea drinker who would like a wonderful example of what a tea from this region can be….and IS. Recommended.

This tea is beautiful. Gorgeous golden leaves, wrapped tightly, promise something wonderful in the cup. Steeped, the leaves unfurl into long lovely light brown leaves and tips that smell of apricot, bittersweet cocoa and …well… tea!! Whenever I have this tea, I am delighted. The combination of cocoa, apricot and a subtle keemun note of light earthiness gives this tea a beautiful round mouthfeel with just the right amount of complexity to deliver a great cup of tea. There is no astringency in this tea, which makes the finish true to the lovely notes of this tea. Highly Recommended.

Grandpa’s Afternoon Tea from Stylin’ Teas is exactly what it promises to be, but that almost sounds like an oxymoron: a robust afternoon tea? Aren’t afternoon teas supposed to be a bit lighter than other teas? Well, this tea has a bit lighter of a mouthfeel than Grandpa’s Anytime Tea (it’s elusive “sister” tea) but maaaaaan, it’s still a wonderful cup of wholesome malty goodness that most tea drinkers might say is strong. Steeped at 1 minute, there is little astringency, and a flavor profile that will stand up to breakfast, lunch or dinner. I find it calmly invigorating. (which would be the second oxymoron in this review!) If you like robust tea that fills your mouth with flavor and makes a great partner for your bagel, or oatmeal on a chilly fall day, you just might want to try this tea. I prefer these Kenyan teas to the average English Breakfast blend that I’ve experienced. I will be ordering more.

WHOA! This tea is strong! BAM! Steeped for just a minute, this is one eye-opening cup of malty eye-opening KA-POW! Stylin’ Tea is a current purveyor of this tea, along with several other Royal Tea of Kenya products. If you like Kenyan teas, don’t pass their CTCs up. Each one holds a unique flavor profile that will give you a wonderful understanding of the teas that come out of Kenya. Ok, now I’m happily returning to my cup of “take on the universe!” Rah!!

One of my favorite teas is Grandpa’s Anytime Tea from Royal Teas of Kenya. This is a cousin to that wonderful CTC, available through Stylin’ Tea. Steeped for 1 minute, this is a light, pleasant tea, with a gentle baked malty flavor and a touch of citrus for a nice finish. It is more refined than Royal Kenya’s other teas that I’ve tried and would suit afternoon tea with a scone or shortbread beautifully. Yum.

Ok, I’m on a CTC roll….. Since my exploring “nicer” teas began 9 months ago, I have given the cold shoulder to the CTCs I’ve received as samples, somehow believing I’d “been there” already (with tea bags) and shunning them from my coveted spot in the daily cup I look forward to. Since my surgery, I’ve found my palate is out of whack, and so I thought it might be the perfect time to return to the CTC stash to weed through them. Weed?? This isn’t weeding….this is ENJOYING!!

The mornings in Southern California have finally gone a tad chilly (hey, when it’s 90 during the day, 60 in the morning seems chilly!) and this CTC exploration has made it feel like fall. Assam Exotic Blend from Golden Tips Tea is a simple one note cup of wonderful maltiness. With a full, round mouthfeel and low astringency when steeped at 3 minutes, this is the equivalent of the “everyday cup of joe” that people grab as they run out the door to join the rat race. Hearty, reliable and satisfying, this is the flavor profile that the British love so much. Extra added bonus: if you were someone who created their own flavored teas, including chai, the versatility of this CTC would be perfect blank canvas for your creations.