Fortnum & Mason

I got this tea in a tea swap from Ellyn, a fellow steepsterite!…. I was excited about this one, as I love all things that involve Monarchy and England! …. For a black tea, its quite sweet and light. It gives me a nice little kick in the butt to wake me up, but isn’t overpowering, or giving me the dehydrating feeling that strong, straight black teas tend to give me!

Made a large batch of this at work, and it went down well. People do appreciate good tea, even if they don’t always know where to get it or how to make it themselves

This Darjeeling tea is strong with the Darjeeling force. It’s scent warns you as you approach that this is not a tea for the feint at heart. It is perfumey, acidic, astringent, and slightly dry, and some sugar does go well to taming it. The diametrical opposite of bass-y teas like Assam, or trombones like Yunnans, or domicile cellos, err.. Ceylons, this is a brash young trumpet that is lively, fierce, unforgettable – but not suitable for all occasions. Drink with care.

Extremely fragrant, floral tea with pronounced muscatel notes that has to be brewed for no more than a minute or two before it goes bitter. Slightly citrusy/acidic with some astringency, this is a perfect tea for after lunch.
The only minus? The price. Very very expensive tea.

A perfect Darjeeling – slightly acidic, very fragrant and flavourful, yet delicate. Citrusy and muscatel notes, with a fantastic aroma. Be careful not to overbrew – it grows bitter very quickly

An evening with a very good friend catching up on each other’s lives.
Rain plashing on the windows and roof.
And two hot cups of goodness.

The perfect Ceylon if you can get your hands on it. This is not part of F&M’s usual collection, but you can find it sold by weight in their store in Piccadilly or in their Heathrow Terminal 1 boutique. It’s a cheerful, warming tea – bright and malty, and goes well with milk (although I prefer it plain). The leaves are quite small (BOP) so be careful not to overbrew.
A lovely tea to end the day with.

Finished the day with a cup of this. Very relaxing

Morning brew. Eying the new teas at Verdant, but I know that I’m going to splurge on teas while in London, so I’m not sure if it’s worth buying now or waiting a month or two…

Had a cup of this after lunch today, while reading a book. This is one of my mother’s favourite teas and I can see why. A brisk, happy cup that goes well with anything – straight, with lemon/sugar/milk/mint etc. Very easy to brew and right for every occasion

Had a cup of this to round up my day, plus two cups of Golden Nepal from a German tea company that I can’t seem to find logged here and I was too busy to enter.

Planning my next trip toLondon while drink a lovely cup of this tea. Very appropriate :)

First tea of the day

A freezing cold day calls for another cup of goodness

Had a really bad cup of coffee this morning, and this tea washed all the flavour away in a pool of smooth, slightly dry, bright sweetness. A pick me up if ever there was one. I’m bumping up its rating. The only minus to this tea is that it’s not particularly interesting – what you taste at first is what you get all throughout the cup

This tea brews bright red, with a smooth, almost creamy feel to it and no astringency. It’s a wonderful example of a Ceylon – a cheerful breakfast tea that can be brewed strong ad taken with milk and yet I also enjoy it in the afternoon and evening, brewed lighter. A comforting, reliable tea that your guests are guaranteed to enjoy, no matter who they are. It even brews to a good iced tea. Keep a caddy of it in your cupboard (or at least a box of tea bags) “just in case”. It is a safe bet, and money well spent – the tea that will get you out of a pinch :)
This tea is a Ceylon blend, which perhaps explains why it’s precise taste notes elude me still. Oh well, just another good excuse to brew a cuppa ;)

This tea brews to a reddish gold colour that has a pronounced yet not unpleasant astringency to it. It is has the muscatel flavours that F&M advertise, but if you like your tea with milk or don’t enjoy teas with a kick then perhaps you would do better buying one of F&M’s other brews. As a Darjeeling this tea is good, it just isn’t very memorable.