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I can see why Harney and Sons says that people who try this never go back to regular Earl Grey! I was not a big Earl Grey fan, and when this one came with my tea chest I expected the “Supreme” to mean that they had added a lot of extra bergamot. Not so! They put all the Supreme into the leaves themselves! This is a beautiful base of black tea, oolong tea, and silver tips. I believe Mike Harney’s book said they order Formosa Oolong especially for the base of this tea. The bergamot is a lovely addition, but not overwhelming and only enhances this tea. It isn’t there to cover up the use of inferior leaves, as is often the case with flavored teas. This one will definitely be kept in stock in my cupboard.

This is not a bad tea. This is one of the first loose leaf teas I bought since we don’t have any real tea shops around here. I bought mine at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. As a first loose leaf tea, I really liked it. It is a good morning cup, not exactly full of nuance but serviceable. My 16 year old has to have a 22 oz. pot by her side to do her algebra each morning and prefers this one to my more expensive, more complex teas. It comes in tea bags, too, but we prefer the loose leaf. It is a small particle size, so don’t steep it too long!

This one isn’t bad, but reminds of what many companies market as English Breakfast. I do try to steep it a shorter time since the leaf particles are smaller than I usually buy, but today I understeeped it so it is a little bland. Even so, it is more astringent than my favorite pekoe which is Extra Fancy Ceylon Orange Pekoe from A Southern Season. It is more of a strong morning wake-up cuppa than a comforting, round, smooth aaaaah! relaxation tea. A good buy for the price, but I won’t be making an effort to keep it in the cupboard. When this tin is empty I will fill it with Southern Season pekoe!

Woke up needing a kick this morning, as I was stiff and sore. I chose English Breakfast because this particular one is robust and strong without being overpowering or bitter. This is the loose leaf tea rather than H&S Royal English Breakfast which is in sachets. I did add a little splash of milk and a wee bit of sugar, but that’s just me! It was just what I needed. I like that this EB is all Keemun, that’s right, one hundred percent! I think this must be what a coffee drinker feels like in the morning with their cuppa, so if you are switching from coffee to tea for the lower caffeine and theonine benefits, this might be a good choice for you. I use a shorter steep time to make sure it doesn’t get bitter.

This is a light colored tea and has a light but complex and interesting body. I love this one alone or with a light snack like delicate tea cookies. I would NEVER add milk to this one, but I love it with just a touch of sugar. I guess it makes sense that since this is Taiwan’s only black tea it would behave and taste a bit like an oolong. You can brew this tea at least three times, and it is almost impossible to oversteep it – it just doesn’t get bitter! I read that it should be steeped for 8 minutes on the first steeping, and even after that time was still very light in color. On my second steeping I actually forgot about it and was afraid it was ruined, but it was still delightful! This is one I will not let supplies get low. My youngest child is not a fan of greens or oolongs ( and I am not overfond of oolongs myself) but loves this tea.

This is a very smooth, very round cup of tea. There is a strong honey aroma and taste. A Southern Season carries this tea on their “Daily Teas” list, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t special! This tea is also the March 2010 monthly special along with Lung Ching Dragonwell, so they are both a great bargain right now.

My husband loves the Decaf Orange Pekoe I buy for him when I go out of town – no decent tea stores in our town! – but since I needed an online source I tried this one. Amazingly, he liked it, and unlike Mikey who will eat anything, my hubster is pretty picky. He couldn’t tell the difference between this one and the slightly more expensive one I buy loose. I am relieved to have a source for his night-time tea! It is mild and round as I like my Ceylons to be, no bitterness, didn’t notice any astringency which is a big plus since my family tends to dislike astringent teas, and it goes well with a light snack. I drink it with just a wee bit of sugar, hubby and DD add milk and LOTS of sugar but that is how they drink all their teas!

I love this tea! People who smell it want to try a cup, even if they aren’t tea lovers. Soothing, warm vanilla flavor makes this my comforting cup. I drink this when I want a tea that feels elegant.