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Raining like mad, even thundering a little this morning. I needed a special breakfast, so out came my now-rationed Queen Catherine to go with toasted whole wheat lemon pound cake, made last night by middle daughter and myself. I am trying to hold off ordering until Golden Monkey is back in stock, but if more of my favorites start to run low I just may have to go ahead and order!

I haven’t had this one in a while and decided I had better drink it up before it gets too old! I plan to go to Southern Season again when Sandy gets home from New Zealand and I need to empty this tin so I will have an excuse to buy a fresh batch.

The leaves are black and gold, and the gold ones are the softest and fluffiest I have ever seen in any tea! The tea has light honey notes and a bit of cocoa or chocolate-y aroma. This is good plain or with just a touch of sugar. I resteeped once, as a cold, gray, and rainy day like this requires more than one pot of tea! This is hitting the spot after having had to go to a doctor’s appointment followed by grocery shopping and cooking a big pot of tomato rice soup…I am worn to a frazzle! I shall now quietly commune with my lovely cup(s) of tea!

Still smells great, still tastes great with sugar, still isn’t Harney and Sons Golden Monkey which is infinitely better and never needs sugar! I wouldn’t even write this one up again except that I haven’t written up a resteep. Yes! This one does resteep pretty well. It is indeed noticeably weaker but not terribly so, and was quite enjoyable. It really should redeem itself of that high price by resteeping well!

Okay, I have REALLY grown to like this tea, as long as I do not even pretend it is a Golden Monkey. If you are looking for a really tasty black tea that smells great and tastes really good with a pinch of sugar this is it. If you are looking for something that smells and tastes like Harney and Sons Golden Monkey, which is perfect sans additions, forget it! This is very price-y though for something that just tastes like a really excellent black tea. This costs more than double Harney’s Golden Monkey which is far superior.

A nice tea, a bit stronger than I like my afternoon tea but good with milk and sugar. If you like assams you will like this one better than I do. I am just not as assam fan! I do like it in some blends and this one is very drinkable.

This was lovely with mini eclairs today – this time I really picked up the chocolate-y cocoa notes. I added milk and sugar this time. Yummy!

The reviews on this tea at tea party today shocked me! I consider this to be a rather strong tea, but my youngest daughter didn’t even TOUCH Golden Monkey, her favorite, because she was enjoying this one so much! And my guest who never adds sugar and rarely adds milk proclaimed it an excellent tea. While I like this tea, I do consider it a strong tea for a heartier meal or for breakfast and I take it with milk and sugar. I felt it was a bit too rough to be paired with my blueberry scone so I opted for Paris, but everyone really enjoyed this tea.

I think this must be the best Golden Monkey in the entire world. Anyone who knows of a better one is more than welcome to send it to me and I will try it, but this tea makes me weak in the knees every time I see it, just like my hubby. (heehee! YW, sweetie!) Golden, caramel-y, rich mouth feel, seductive aroma. Perfection. Sigh.

Tea party day! And this was the first tea because I was planning to have Ceylon and India first but when I smelled this one I knew I had to have it with my fresh, home made blueberry scone with whipped cream! And it did not disappoint. This tea is worthy to be named Paris, the city from whence comes so many truly lovely and delectable flavored and scented teas. Absolute perfection! Added a touch of sugar. Ahhhhhh.

Still nothing even CLOSE to GOlden Monkey from Harney and Sons. I have decided to drink it with a bit of sugar when I am having food. Then it comes across as a pretty nice tea, but it doesn’t make me weak in the knees with ecstacy the way Harney and Sons’ tea does! Theirs doesn’t need sugar or milk or ANYTHING to make it one the best things that can happen to your teapot!