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Interesting how my tastes have evolved. Although I had tried this in a tea bag quite a while ago and thought it was tasteless, I thought the loose version was pretty good when I first got my Breville. I think I have been spoiled by good single estate assams now, though, and find this one a bit boring.

I have a post-it note stuck to the tin of various adjustments I’ve made to the brewing, each one saying that the tea was a bit bland. Decided to give it one more try today – 2 gently rounded tsp/cup, 212, 5 minutes. More flavor than the Golden Moon Irish Breakfast I just tried, but still not much complexity. It has a typical “strong black tea” flavor but no maltiness, not much interest. There was a little bitterness that went away with the addition of some milk but then the tea tasted a bit blah. Unfortunately I have a 1 lb bag of this that we will never drink :( Lesson learned there…..

Going to try my new Upton GFOP assam blend to see how it compares.

Wow, I’m afraid I didn’t get this one. Decided to give my Breville a little workout this morning. Brewed this tea twice as it was very weak and bland the first time around. My usual starting point for single estate assam’s is roughly 2 gently rounded tsp/cup, 212, 5 minutes so that is what I used for the first brew. This tea has very large leaves so figured that would work as a starting point. The tea was pretty tasteless and even worse after adding milk – just a subtle bitterness at the end. No malt, none of the complex flavors that Golden Moon describes.

Brew number 2 (fresh leaves, not a resteep) using 2 overflowing (as opposed to gently rounded) tsp/cup. Still pretty blah and couldn’t stand up to the addition of milk. I can just hear my husband complaining that the tea is watery. Won’t even try it on him. Again, no malt, and no complex flavors.

Going to move on and pull out my old tin of Harney and see how it compares. Might do some Upton FBOP blend as well.

I will admit I don’t have a whole lot of experience with Darjeeling teas. That having been said, I have had a few very good ones. As for the Singell, I really don’t like this tea. Has a grassy, weedy smell and taste, also a metallic after taste. Harney mentions fruity muscatel flavors and I don’t taste any fruit at all. Does have good body/briskness, but just don’t like the taste of it. Tried three times and throwing away. Might have been better with some sweetener.

I’ve tried both the Upton versions and like the BOP version much better. This one was a bit weak and didn’t have the depth the other version has.

Wow – I can understand why this tea gets high ratings. I’ve tasted three East Frisians recently (the two Uptons and also Harney & Sons). This one is a winner by a long shot. Awesome rich flavor. Added just a touch of honey and “wow”. I even noticed a hint of dusty chocolate.

I recently tried the two Upton East Frisians and this one. For me the Upton BOP blend was a winner by a long shot. I had to reduce the temperature and brew time from the standard recommended by Harney & Sons (they recommend 212/5 min for all black teas) or it was bitter. Once that was taken care of, I just didn’t care for the taste of the tea.