It’s a snowy and cloudy day in Denmark today and this tea is perfect for that kind of weather!
This feels like a proper Irish Breakfast tea – made from 100% Assam. It has lots of malty notes, tannins and some bitterness. But it’s actually a surprisingly subtle bitterness when you think of how full-bodied the tea is. The strength is right up there with the strongest bagged teas: Yorkshire, Typhoo etc. But this feels a little more refined, more aromatic and not as bitter. Unlike bagged teas, this is not dust but small broken leaves.
Harney & Sons’ says that “This tea recalls a time when the teas came from Assam, not Africa; and were small broken leaves, not CTC pellets. So this is a simple tea that can handle milk and sugar well.”.
I definitely agree with that. It is very nice and simple and takes milk and/or sugar well. I appreciate that this is not CTC as I am not a big fan of CTC teas. I have not had that many, but the ones I have had where too strong and not aromatic enough in my opinion.
The brewed tea without milk is a deep dark brown. When you add milk, it looks like milky coffee but with a noticeable red/orange hue. The brewed tea smells like… tea. There are strong malty notes but not much else. This is definitely not a complex tea. It’s simple and straight-forward.
In the mouth, there is a strong maltiness again and it is very brisk, but only has a hint of bitterness. It is more astringent than bitter. This tea is a full-bodied tea for sure. It is so strong that it colors my white mug brown instantly.
All in all, this is an excellent, bold Irish Breakfast tea that fits the bill when you want a simple, plain black tea that goes well with a healthy splash of milk.
I feel like you should be drinking this tea while listening to Thin Lizzy or U2 ;-)
Dry leaves, appearance:
Small broken tea leaves with a few golden specks here and there. 100% Assam.
Dry leaves, aroma:
A very subtle aroma. Smells like a classic, malty Assam.
Liquor:
Deep dark brown with a red hue.
Packaging:
8 oz. loose tea tin.
Flavors: Astringent, Bitter, Malt, Tannic, Tea, Thick
Preparation
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Comments
A perfect hygge tea for a dreary day. :)
Courtney: Hehe :-) Yes, Irish Breakfast is a great hygge tea. H&S Chocolate Mint is also a hygge tea in my opinion. The combination of chocolate and mint is something I associate with the colder months.
Tea in general is hygge :-)
Very true! And I agree on the chocolate and mint, it’s a cold month combination. :)
A perfect hygge tea for a dreary day. :)
Courtney: Hehe :-) Yes, Irish Breakfast is a great hygge tea. H&S Chocolate Mint is also a hygge tea in my opinion. The combination of chocolate and mint is something I associate with the colder months.
Tea in general is hygge :-)
Very true! And I agree on the chocolate and mint, it’s a cold month combination. :)