Charles Thomas Draper Send Message

This was the last of my black tea samples from Upton. It brewed up strong yet it was not too bold. It was eye-opening and invigorating. As far as CTC teas go, this was a pleasant suprise. Rich and malty and very flavorful.

This is a great way to start the day if you need something extra strong. Between the robust flavor and caffeine content there lies a very good tea. In all honesty I do not think I can handle another cup. This has me flying. I enjoyed this more than the East Frisian TGFOP. More than the River Shannon and the Scottish Breakfast. It’s raining here yet this tea has made me feel like it’s a sunny day. This is a perfect morning brew for those who can handle it….

After a wonderful dinner I was in need of tea. Today already I drank 3 different black teas (I only reviewed 1) and decided to have something green. And this was my choice. A wise choice I might add. The aroma of the dried leaf is heavenly. It gave me an indication of what was to come. I brewed this in the Gaiwan. The flavor was as good as Long Jing gets and I’ve had many. I was imagining high foggy mountains with lush old growth evergreens. The flavors lingered in my mouth for what seemed like an eternity. This is a top flight Dragon Well.

After drinking some fine Yunnans lately I was wondering how this would compare. It was dark and a bit spicy. I was also getting a slight cocoa sweetness. This was a nice way to start the day. For the price its well worth it. I am sure it will be better next time….

When I first received this tea I was actually heading out the door to do errands or golf. I do not remember nor is it important. I hastily tore into the package and smelled the aroma. I knew it was special. So I put some of the leaf into my tiny Celestial Seasons Sleepytime tin and figured there would be hot water somewhere. Still not conquering my haste I decided to sample the dry leaf between my cheek and gum. It was utterly intoxicating. My first brewing of the tea was done according to the video of David on Verdants site. Everything about this tea is true. Truly sublime.
I began to feel sick later that week and really could not stomach anything. Even tea. Even Golden Fleece. I know many of you read about my hospital stay with Ehrlichiosis so I will fast-forward to now….
As you all know I love to cold-brew. I took a tiny jar that held YS Eco Bee Farms Antioxidant Power Honey and gave it a 4 day steep. Words cannot do this golden nectar justice. I do not want to start rambling about the present here and now which is where this tea shines. This a very special tea leaf….

I love everytime I sample a new tea. Sometimes I am disappointed and times like today when I am pleased. As with all new teas I like to keep an eye and a nose on it while it steeps. The result was a pleasure. Dark and sweet with hints of darker fruits and dark honey. I can see where the lover of Keemuns would appreciate this but I feel it truly stands on its own. This one made me smile.

This tea was a wonderful way to start the day. With most Keemuns I tend to use a bit more leaf and I increase the steep time to about 5 or 6 minutes. I could smell the fragrance. A beautiful aroma. The flavor was so smooth with hints of chocolate and whole grain fresh baked bread. The best part was the lingering taste in my mouth long after I stopped drinking. Sublime. Well worth adding to your tea collection….

After many traditional brewings in the Gaiwan and basket single cup I decided to cold-brew. I left it in the Mason Jar for 2 days and the result is where I thought this tea should be. It has this light and fruity mellow flavor that is perfect on a summer day. When I hot brewed this left me wondering. Cold-brewed it is awesome.

Another sampler for my morning cup. This Assam brewed up dark and after 3 minutes I decided to give it a sip. It was pleasant even though I was expecting a stronger flavor. As I continued I was truly loving this cup. Nice sweet flavor of dark honey and cocoa. After reading Amys review I decided to steep it for over 5 minutes. This is where it opened up and shined. I can only imagine how nice a 5 minute initial steep would of been.

If Amy is correct about the pricing this tea is a bargain.

I thoughly enjoyed my morning cup. And today this was my choice. I have a dizzying array of samples to choose from and for some reason this one was selected.

I noticed the small leaf and I knew to keep a close eye to avoid oversteeping. I settled in on an approximately 4 minute steep. I was greeted by a dark red brew that was delicious. It was smooth and clean and a perfect tea for my morning. It was awakening. I did not notice any dominant or subtle flavors yet there is this balance, a ying and yang that seemed to be in harmony.

When all is said and done with my black tea samples I would have to guess that China is the clear winner of tea producing countries.