FLAVOUR: Taken black and steeped at the recommended 3-4 minutes, Dorset Brew produces a strong, dark cup, with a bitter tobacco profile, a standard breakfast tea flavour. Perfect for those who love a strong black tea in the morning or throughout the day. I found this to be a bit too harsh for my own taste, the musty tobacco being devoured into the bitter citric notes the further through the cup you venture. To match my preference, I steeped this for 2 minutes to create a black tea that is lightly woody, almost floral, with a gentler tobacco profile.
EMBELLISHMENTS: As with many black teas, Dorset Brew is completely compatible with milk and sugar, creating a traditional all day British brew, strong and distinguished, yet smooth. Delightfully, the leaves of Dorset Brew can withstand multiple steeping’s, I used mine about 3 times. As mentioned, the first brew can be a little bitter, so if this isn’t your kind of cup, try steeping for less than the recommended 4 minutes. Each steep lets the flavour retreat into a lighter bodied tea, producing a delicious malty biscuit flavour. In keeping with the values of a good British cuppa, add a dash of sugar just to sweeten up the cup.
FINAL THOUGHTS: My favourite part of Dorset Brew was definitely the leaves, which are really pretty with light flacks of tea. As a former Dorsetonian (a term coined by The Gilded Teapot), having lived in Dorset for about 8 years prior to re-locating to London, I felt a kinship with Dorset Brew. I really wanted to enjoy this blend, but I just didn’t get on with the heavy, strong flavours when brewed for 3-4 minutes. This doesn’t mean to say that this isn’t a good blend. It’s inclusion of some classic breakfast teas could actually make this the ultimate breakfast blend, particularly for those who prefer a strong start to the day. I just much prefer a tea with that has is more gentle bodied , so really preferred Dorset Brew when I didn’t steep it for as long.
Flavors: Citrus, Malt
