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I’m still obsessed with fruity teas in this hot weather, and I’ve been enjoying this play on an Earl Grey lots this summer. I’m still really boring and drinking the same teas too.

I was going to try a sencha today but it smelled so much like asparagus that I didn’t think it was the right tea for the morning. Sencha fans — does it taste like asparagus brewed? Maybe I should drink it with food? Help me not be boring! :)

Many thanks to Lady Londonderry for this, her namesake tea :)

We had a huge meal out and when I got home I was craving a light, summery, but black flavored tea that would be nice with milk and sugar. Most of my dessert teas feel wintery to me, and I was rejecting each flavor left and right before coming upon this one. Ah, lemon and strawberry — this could work!

Once brewed, I tasted a medium bodied tea with a sort of sweettart flavor. It didn’t read lemon or strawberry per se to me, but definitely fruity. Really nice, and just what I was in the mood for. Summer afternoon perfection.

Many, many thanks once again to ashmanra for this tea!

I am really enjoying this Golden Monkey! I think it is ever so slightly less sweet than my Harney GM (but the most recent harvest that I’ve tasted of Harney’s GM is less sweet than the previous harvest I had, so it could be the harvest). I also think it’s a little stronger — it’s not going milky on the second steep.

I think this is an incredible bargain (it’s half the price of Harney’s) but I think I do like Harney’s just a wee bit more. $10 more? I am not sure!

Many, many thanks to ashmanra for this tea!!!!!!

These are very, very delicious black dragon pearls, particularly if you prefer the more leathery/slightly smoky side of things. There’s chocolate and sweetness and grain, but a distinct Queen Catherine-esque type light smoke. It’s distinctive enough to even come through on the second steep.

It was yummy and a great wake up this morning, but boy is it delicious with my red beans and rice with andouille sausage and smoked paprika leftovers I brought for lunch!

I love my uberchocolatey thepuriTea dragon pearls, but these are different enough, believe it or not, that I would stock them both!

Thanks once again, ashmanra!

I’ve been a reeeeeealy boring tea drinker lately! This one and my dragon pearls have been on heavy rotation.

BUT

…if you are going to be boring, this is the way to do it :)

Strong, strong tea, heavy bergamot flavor, and loads of resteeps make this a great constant-rain-and-unbearable-humidity friend. It just cuts through the misery!

This is the third tea that Whittard of Chelsea sent for me to try. I was so in the mood for a comforting cup I could have with milk and sugar, and this tea immediately came to mind.

Oh, this is exactly what I wanted! Malty, malty, malty and I am astonished how smooth it is. With Assams, you usually get that malt by paying the price with some roughness, bitterness, or astringency, but this one just has a touch of very pleasant astringency.

My only caveat is that it’s a little one dimensional. It’s delicious, delicious malt, but just malt. I have to say I prefer the 1886 blend because you get malt, chocolate :) But if you are craving super malty perfectly classic Assam goodness, this is your tea. You can check it out at http://www.whittard.com/tea/black/assam_tea :)

It also makes me so curious to try Whittard’s Chai Spice tea, because if the use some of their Assam in it, it HAS to be incredible!

Just a little note to say “OMG! Currently my favorite tea in the whole wide world!” Chocolately and bittersweet and dried fruity (apricot?) and ooooooh I love it! It resteeps so beautifully too. <3

I didn’t have quite enough of this for a pot so I put a little Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey in with it – delightful! We’re having another Day of Deluge (it’s been pouring rain/tornado watch like every other day here) and this is a bit of sweetness and brightness on a dark and stormy day. I don’t love it enough to purchase, but it sure was nice to sample!

My coworker said that the office smelled like Hershey’s Chocolate World because I was brewing this tea today: http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/explore

Enough said!

I have a sixth sense about teas that I know I will absolutely love. Without a moment’s hesitation, I plunked down the dough to get 16 oz of these pearls without ever tasting a one!

They arrived on Saturday (fantastic service, thepuriTea!) with 3 nice samples (thank you!)!

I am trying them for the first time today (4 pearls, about 9 oz water, 3 min) and wow – they taste exactly as I hoped. Molasses-y on the first steep, and oh my god the second steep is so dark chocolatey that I had to pause and blink! (blink, blink! Oh this is good!).

I’m sorry but I have to end this note. This second steep is so good that I don’t want to do anything but drink it!

Thank you moraiwe for the hot tip!