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Just ordered this from Upton (TC78) as a trial size (12g), for $1.50. I am new to Ceylons but of the six I’ve tried from Upton so far this October (others were TC85: Kenilworth Estate OP, TC45: Court Lodge Estate FBOP, TC40: Nuwara Eliya BOP, TC32: Kandy OP, and TC20: Dimbula BOP), I found this the easiest to like. So many interesting notes and flavors! After brewing two cups, I strained the tea with a high pour (about 18" from spout of brewing pot to top of serving pot; I read somewhere that in the regions where they’re grown, ceylons and darjeelings are poured this way to “oxidize” the tea, and this is supposed to improve the flavor). The scent of the brewed leaves, once all the water was poured off, was complex but not too intense, and mouthwateringly perfumey. I got notes of cured hay, homemade white bread toasted (but no malty heft), a warm-edged (vanilla-ish?) citrus, and also a touch of fresh light lush green, like the mist rising from a rainforest. It was very nice to sip neat, smooth and just bright, not tannic – no dusty feeling left on my tongue. But I did add milk for my second cup, and liked it “tamed” that way too — the flavors of the tea interlaced with the sweetness of the milk and made that cup a smooth-drinking experience. Somehow I picked up a few spicy notes — muted — in the milky cup. I had this for breakfast (it was a great companion to a toasted “everything” bagel with cream cheese) but I think it’s interesting enough for an afternoon cup too, with perhaps a lightly vanilla-flavored or lemon sugar cookie alongside.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 30 sec

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A highly domesticated creature living in the outer boroughs of New York City.

Dad worked for Lipton, but we drank Swee-Touch-Nee instead. Later found out that “Swee-Touch-Nee” is a rough transliteration of the Russian word for flowery: цветочной.

I am a foodie first and a tea drinker second. But one informs the other, of course.

My tea preferences vary according to season and weather. I know just what to do with a raw cold wet dark winter day: East Frisian with milk! On the other end of my taste range is Tazo’s Cucumber White, which when chilled is a good antidote for humid summer weather. Middle ground: Frances Bissell’s Special Blend Ceylon; Upton’s Mincing Lane Black Tea Blend; Scottish Breakfast. My favorite smoky tea is Upton’s Baker Street Black Tea Blend.

I am still exploring and learning about tea. Think of me as an advanced beginner.

Location

Brooklyn, NYC

Website

http://brooklynsheep.blogspot...

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