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Per: https://www.shantitea.ca/sthome/product/strong-earl-grey:
Origin: India / Serving: 2.8 grams per cup / Temp. 100*C / Steeping Time 2-5 Min.
“2 min without milk, 5+ min with milk”

“Using a GBOP grade of black tea for this earl grey, and blending it with extra bergamot essence makes creates an infusion especially well suited for london fogs or for those seeking a strong bergamot flavor in their tea. Much stronger than the classic, malty notes, and a lively cup.”

“Ingredients: Tea (Camelia Sinensis), safflower, orange peel, bergamot”
Canada Organic – Biologique Canada: http://www.organicbiologique.ca/en/

Technique: Tea mug with Finum brew basket. 8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F. 2.8 grams – verified by My Weigh Durascale D2 660. No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Introduction: The typical Earl Grey tea has a 100% Ceylon base. Some Ceylon teas used in E.G. can be quite astringent. This E.G. is exceptional in that it has an Indian tea base.

Also, most Earl Grey teas are light- to medium-bodied. While my wife loves the aroma and flavor of a well-balanced EG, she typically does not find them to be strong enough. To compensate, she will increase the amount of tea leaves and/or the brewing time. However, you can only increase those two parameters so much. Thus, we were very interested to taste Shanti’s Strong Earl Grey.

Fragrance: This black tea has a strong floral-type bergamot and fresh orange fragrance.
Dry leaf – Dark brown leaves with obvious bits of orange peel.
Liquor – red / brown hue

2-min.: The Aroma follows the strong dry leaf fragrance. The flavor definitely follows both the fragrance and aroma. The strong floral-like bergamot and fresh orange ingredients somewhat overshadows the malty Indian base tea. There was zero hint of tartness, bitterness or astringency – quite an accomplishment!

Impression: This is a very unique, refreshing, full-bodied Earl Grey with a very strong floral-like bergamot and a fresh orange fragrance & aroma that somewhat overshadows the extremely smooth Indian base tea.

My wife, who has a very keen sense of smell, didn’t find this tea to be “The EG” she’s been seeking. While she enjoyed the full-bodied stimulating breakfast base tea, she’d prefer it to have an equally strong Classic EG aroma and flavor.

Suggestion: We’d like to suggest a second version – a “Classic Strong Earl Grey.” This extremely smooth malty Strong Earl Grey would be an excellent match with Southern Italian natural Bergamot citrus.

Thanks to Safiya Motala and Shanti Teas for kindly providing this generous free sample.

Per: https://www.shantitea.ca/sthome/product/Irish-Breakfast:
Origin: China / Serving: 2.8 grams per cup / Temp. 100*C / Steeping Time 2-5 Min.

“What a whiskey will not cure, there’s no cure for!” Same goes for this Irish-strength black tea blend.
A very strong and bold black tea blend, with pronounced earthiness and maltiness. Recommended at a long steep, with milk and sugar to bring out the flavors, this is a real winner in the mornings. The smaller leaf grades allow for greater caffeine infusion into the water. A good coffee replacement."

“Directions: 2 min without milk, 5+ min with milk”
“Ingredients: Tea (Camelia Sinensis)”
Canada Organic – Biologique Canada: http://www.organicbiologique.ca/en/

Technique: Tea mug with Finum brew basket. 8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F. 2.8 grams (My Weigh Durascale D2 660) No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Fragrance: Fruity
Dry leaf: Small granular-shaped pieces moderately dark brown and reddish-brown leaves
Infused Leaf: Dark Amber

2-min.: A full-bodied tea with a fruity aroma and malty undertones. I can see why only 2 min. infusion w/o milk is recommended. At the end of the sip there is a bit of bitterness that briefly lingers on the tongue. This is a strong tea. You may not wish to drink it on an empty stomach.

2-min Re-steep: Same flavor & character as the first cup w/o the bitterness.

2nd Cup: same as above except: 2.8 g/ 8 oz. / *185*F* / 2 min
This is now a full-bodied tea with a fruity aroma and malty undertones without any obvious bitterness. “Now we’re talking!”

Impression: A full-bodied, invigorating, organic breakfast tea. “Not for the faint of heart.”

Thanks to Safiya Motala and Shanti Teas for kindly providing this generous free sample.

Per: https://www.shantitea.ca/sthome/product/ancient-forest-black:
Origin: China / Serving: 2.5 grams per cup / Temp. 100*C / Steeping Time 2-5 Min.

“A full bodied, earthy infusion typical of high quality Yunnan black teas. Cultivated from the ancient protected tea tree forests of Yunnan Province, China, this rare and exquisite black tea makes a full-bodied and earthy infusion with a rich and penetrating aroma heavy with age and collective wisdom. The flavor of this deep amber infusion is unlike any other black tea available. Truly exceptional.”

“Directions: 2 min without milk, 5+ min with milk”
“Ingredients: Tea (Camelia Sinensis)”
Canada Organic – Biologique Canada: http://www.organicbiologique.ca/en/

Technique:
Tea mug with Finum brew basket. 8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F. 2.5 grams (My Weigh Durascale D2 660). No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Fragrance: Earthy / hints of sweet tobacco
Dry leaf: Moderately dark brown leaves with some gold tips
Infused Leaf – Deep Amber

2-min. Initial observation: Not yet strong enough will step another min.
3-min.: Rich and full-bodied with a pleasing earthy aroma and not a hint of bitterness or astringency. My cup was empty before I knew it – Excellent!!

4-min Re-steep: Not yet strong enough.
5-min Re-steep: Improving
6-min Re-steep: Just as enjoyable as the first cup.

Impression: A smooth, rich, mellow, relaxing, and very satisfying cup of organic tea! An excellent weekend morning experience not to be rushed, and not to be missed!

Thanks to Safiya Motala and Shanti Teas for kindly providing this generous free sample.

Sample package label:
“Blend No. 18
Steven Smith Teamaker
Brahmin
Full Leaf Black Tea”

Per: http://www.smithtea.com/shop/black/brahmin
“A sophisticated blend of full bodied, rich and malty Indian Assam teas, paired with succulent Ceylon dimbulla, intense and floral Ceylon Uva and a touch of smokey Keemun from Anhui. The taste is dense, robust and delicious, with or without milk, anytime you need a bit of extra inspiration. “

“Ingredients: Second flush Indian Assam, Ceylon Dimbulla, Ceylon Uva and China Keemun full leaf teas”

“Bring filtered water to a rolling boil. Steep 5 minutes.
Technically a breakfast tea, it is equally good for dessert.”

Per: Alex Pieroni: “I would say 1 sachet for every 12 oz of water.”

Technique:
12-oz filtered water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 27 ppm, heated to 212*F.

1 sachet – 3.4 g (My Weigh Durascale D2 660), without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Dry leaf: long, uniform sized, blackish brown

Fragrance: Subtle hint of pipe tobacco

Liquor: Clear amber brown

Aroma: Malty Assam aroma without an obvious smokiness that sometimes is associated with Keemun.

5-min Infusion: A robust full-bodied flavor black tea without bitterness. There was moderate sense of astringency that persists on the tongue. I suspect is due the high-altitude grown Ceylon Uva. There was also a very subtle caramel-like sweetness in the finish that’s probably due to the Keemun in this blended tea

Re-steep: 6-min Infusion Nearly as full-bodied and without any astringency.

Impression: A full-bodied blended black breakfast tea for those who don’t mind astringency. For those who do, one could try brewing this tea at a lower temperature such as 195*F.

Suggestion: To consider using less Ceylon Uva and perhaps more Keemun in this blend.

Thanks to Alex Pieroni of Steven Smith Teamaker for providing this free sample.

Per: https://www.shantitea.ca/sthome/product/strong-assam:
Origin: India / Serving: 2.7 grams per cup / Temp. 100*C / Steeping Time 2-5 Min.
“2 min without milk, 5+ min with milk”
“Ingredients: Tea (Camelia Sinensis)”
Canada Organic – Biologique Canada: http://www.organicbiologique.ca/en/

Technique:
8-oz water with total dissolved solids (TDS) of 26 ppm, heated to 212*F.

2.7 grams verified by My Weigh Durascale D2 660. No sweeteners, milk or cream were added.

Fragrance: This black tea has a fresh earthy moderately strong fragrance.

Dry leaf – Short broken moderately dark brown leaves

Infused Leaf – Clear & coppery

3-min.: Initial observation: Not yet strong enough will step another min.

4-min.: Mild, pleasant, earthy aroma. A strong, malty character, however there was noticeable bitterness and a very dry finish.

Next I tried: 8 oz. / 2.7 grams / 195*F (verified w/DAVIDsTEA digital thermometer):
3-min: Not yet strong enough.
4-min.: A smooth, strong, malty character, without any bitterness or astringency.

5-min Resteep: Just as enjoyable as the previous cup.

Impression: A smooth, strong, malty, invigorating organic breakfast tea when brewed at 195*F.

Thanks to Safiya Motala and Shanti Teas for kindly providing this free sample.

Correction due to new scale: What I thought was 2.7 grams was actually 27 grains. I was in the incorrect weight mode due to the very small font used for the grain abbreviation (gn). Using a Grains-to-Grams conversion, the actual weight was 1.75 grams.

I just brewed another cup: 8 oz. / 2.7 g / 3-min. / 195*F.
With the proper weight in grams three minutes was sufficient for a very enjoyable full-bodied cup of tea. At 195*F there was no hint of bitterness or astringency.

Using filtered water with a TDS of 27, I brewed 8 oz. of Fengqing Dragon Pearl Black Tea western style with 10 pearls per TeaVivre’s Brewing guide. Ten pearls equaled 16.8 grams per a My Weigh Durascale D2 660 scale.

Per brewing guide: 3 steeps: rinse, 1m, 2m, 3m at 212*F.

Fragrance: Cocoa

Liquor: Amber brown

Aroma: Cocoa with a caramel-like sweetness

I enjoyed the rich, moderately strong dark cocoa flavor and caramel-like sweetness of this tea medium-bodied tea. All three infusions were enjoyable and very consistent. In fact, with this much leaf, I was also able to produce 4m & 5m infusions for a total of 5 infusions. There was no hint of bitterness or astringency.

Impression: A high-quality, rich, smooth, medium-bodied black tea with a moderately strong dark cocoa flavor and a caramel-like sweetness. I agree with Ashmanra, I consider this to be an excellent afternoon tea.

Thank you to Angel Chen and TeaVivre for their gracious free sample of this high-quality tea.

Correction due to new scale: What I thought was 16.8 grams was actually 168 grains. I was in the incorrect weight mode due to the very small font used for the grain abbreviation (gn). Using a Grains-to-Grams conversion, the actual weight was 10.9 grams.

I brewed 8 oz. of Bailin Gongfu Black Tea western style with 2 tsp. exactly as recommended: 3 steeps: rise, 1m, 2m, 3m at 185*F. While I enjoyed the rich light chocolate / cocoa flavor, this tea was light-bodied. All three infusions were enjoyable and very consistent in body. I also tried a 2m first-infusion and it too was light-bodied. There was no hint of bitterness or astringency.

The following day, I received our new digital scale. I then brewed some Bailin Gongfu Black Tea using a full 8 grams of tea. Out of curiosity, I then measured the 8 grams with a teaspoon and found that it equaled 3 teaspoons. Even with this much tea leaf, I still found this black tea to be light-bodied.

Impression: A high-quality rich silky smooth black tea with a light chocolaty flavor and a caramel-like sweetness for those who enjoy lighter-bodied black teas.

Thank you to Angel Chen and TeaVivre for their gracious free sample of this high-quality tea.

Correction due to new scale: What I thought was 8.0 grams was actually 80 grains. I was in the incorrect weight mode due to the very small font used for the grain abbreviation (gn). Using a Grains-to-Grams conversion, the actual weight was 5.2 grams.

I know Stacy gives very careful consideration to determining her brewing recommendations for each tea. Thus, I brewed this single-serving Assam tea sample exactly per her directions on the sample bag: 2 tsps. / 8 oz. / 212*F / 4-min. It did not even occur to me to consider a longer steep time at this time. No sweeteners, milk or cream were used.

Dry leaf: The longest length dark brown leaves I’ve ever seen. I had to use an extra-large infuser to accommodate them.

Liquor: Bright clear & coppery – Beautiful!

Aroma: Subtle and very pleasing

4-Min.: This tea was a extremely smooth, light-to-medium bodied, mildly malty Assam that provided a rich yet delicate full mouth feel that lingered long on the tongue. Truly a very special Assam! There was zero bitterness or astringency.

Impression: An Assam with an extremely refined character!

I would definitely welcome another sample of this Assam to try a longer steep time as I typically prefer robust Assam teas. However, this exceptional Assam might change my mind.

Thanks to Stacy at Butiki Teas for providing this free tea sample.

North American Tea Champion: 2012, Third Place
World Tea Champion: 2009

Brewed per Teas Etc. recommendation: 1 level tsp. / 8 oz. / 212*F / 4 to 5-min. – without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Dry leaf: various length, dark brown with many golden tips
Fragrance: Reminded me of fine pipe tobacco
Liquor: Clear & dark coppery

4-Min.: The tea was very smooth and full-bodied w/o any bitterness or astringency. The rich malty character and caramel-like sweetness are easily appreciated.

6 min. Resteep: Produced an enjoyable cup.

Impression: This is a very smooth, malty, full-bodied Assam with a caramel-like sweetness. An excellent breakfast tea!

Thanks to Beth Johnston at Teas Etc. for providing this free sample.

Per Aubrey at Arbor Teas:
“We are no longer sourcing our Assam from the Rembeng estate … because they are no longer Fair Trade Certified.”
“Our new … “Assam Black Tea” is now sourced from the Banaspati Estate and is both Organic and Fair Trade Certified.”

Brewed per Arbor Teas’ recommendation: 1 level tsp. / 8 oz. / 212*F / 3 to 5-min. – without sweeteners, milk or cream.

Dry leaf: uniform short length, dark brown
Fragrance: Reminded me of pipe tobacco
Liquor: Clear & coppery

3 min. Initial taste: I’ll steep it longer.

4-Min.: The tea was smooth and medium-bodied w/o any bitterness or astringency.

5-Min.: Medium-to-full-bodied with a delicate sweetness and w/o any bitterness or astringency.

1.5 tsp. / 8oz. / 212 F / 5 min. The clear, lively, coppery liquor is now medium dark and full-bodied, without any hint of bitterness or astringency. The malty character and caramel-like sweetness are now better appreciated.

10 min. Resteep: Produced an enjoyable cup.

Impression: This is a very smooth organic Assam. For those who enjoy a more robust cup of Assam, more than a tsp. is recommended.

Thanks to Aubrey at Arbor Teas for providing this generous size free sample.