Assam Harmony

My precious.

I continue my unintentional experiment with less than exact tea-making parameters. I’m taking it as an opportunity to try a more intuitive style of tea making.

Okay, honestly, I just don’t know how much liquid the cups hold so I’m having to guesstimate so that I don’t make the tea too watery or too strong. Or give someone a huge cup only one-third filled.

Anyway, it makes me happy that this tea is forgiving enough to still be good when I am not able to control all the factors involved in brewing (who you calling a control-freak, huh?). The flavor is strong, smooth and bake-y but I wish there was a little more thickness to the feel of this tea. For the stout taste of it I feel like I should almost be able to chew it so I’m a little disappointed that I can’t. But I still really like this tea (so much so that my sample tin has now gone bye-bye). There was a hint of almost barely tart/bitterness at the end of the sip but it wasn’t unpleasant. Both the husband and I enjoyed it straight but the father-in-law added a little sugar for his.

This is quite the yummy tea and it’s definitely opened me up to wanting to try lots of other Assams, something I had previously written off as I tea I just didn’t enjoy. But for those that like their Assams more in-your-face, this might be a little smooth and less chewy than they might prefer.

Not bad. Not bad at all. :)

Lightly bready. Malty flavor. Pleasantly soft. Bread-like aroma too.

I like this tea. I like assams for their bread-likeness. This is a good smooth example so I’m pretty happy with it.

Yummy.

After a few days of being away from thinking about tea (but not away from drinking it, I guess), and a few days of indulging in hot chocolate with the weather as bitter as it has been, this morning I just wanted something brisk, bracing, and unadorned in my cup. I opted for this tea, and I wasn’t sorry. I don’t usually add to my teas, I like them just fine unsweetened and unmilked unless my sweet tooth is kicking up…but this morning?

This morning I dropped one of these into my cup: http://www.gingerpeople.com/crystallized-ginger/premium-cut-crystallized-ginger.html

And it was just what I wanted. Sweet, a little spicy, and a treat at the end of the cup. Yum.

On another tea-related note of awesome, but not related in any way, shape or form to this cup of tea: http://www.escape2urbana.com/

Can I go there, please? Hey, steepster guys: new contest suggestion for you, right there. :D

Tea of the morning…..

I recently picked up a few samples at Adagio, mostly to compare to things I have. I really do like their black teas for the most part. I guess when I first started on my tea journey, I was heavily invested in the flavored ones, so I did not really appreciate their black teas like I should have. Even though I don’t care for their flavored tea base, there are many things this company does well. I also enjoy their herbals that don’t contain hibiscus, mostly because anything with hibiscus is not for me. And the chai is yummy.

I wanted this one to compare to my Mystery Assam, as I noticed there were plenty of golden tips in the product picture. The actual product looks pretty much the same as the pic. It brews up into a malty breakfast tea with notes of bread. You know, that really good crusty bread. As far as comparisons to my other Assam, the other just seems a little richer. These leaves are thicker and brighter, if brighter is possible for a shade of brown! I also think this one is much more malty than the unknown Assam. It is pretty good. It does have me wanting to add in some Keemun, though, to fill out the body of the tea. The taste of this one is all in the front, there is a slight astringency in the middle, and the end…..I keep looking for a taste at the end, but I am not getting anything. Strange. Anyway, I don’t expect to be an expert on Assam any time soon. I mostly like it in blends.

Mug method for 3 minutes.

Assam Harmony is a good black tea with a smooth flavor profile. Slightly astringent at first, it benefits from just a touch of sweetener. Then other flavors begin to emerge — drinking it, I am thinking of stroopwafels and chocolate covered biscuits. It doesn’t taste like caramel or chocolate, precisely, but it brings those to mind. There is a bit of maltiness, as one would expect from an Assam, but it’s not overpowering. Overall, it’s a fine breakfast tea, very easy to drink, and I think it would go with a variety of foods.

Had this in the afternoon while doing homework. Sooooo good. I love a good malty Assam. Had it with a bit of milk. Yum.

Fine amber colour, pleasantly malty though not overpowering scent. Well suited to its name — the taste holds its own without being overly assertive. Would be a nice accompaniment to a dessert, particularly something sweet or fruity.

Adagio CommuniTEA – April 3rd, 2023

A plain Assam today. Sipped this straight up, though the description recommended it with milk and sugar. It’s quite a full leaf tea, with some golden tips as well, so I don’t find the additions are needed.

Has a strong malty, caramelized flavor with a touch of vegetal adding some savoriness. I do get some of those raisiny notes, but I would like more from an Assam. A pleasant tea, but nothing to write home about.

This does taste different from Assam melody. It has a stronger tanning taste with a grainy flavor; good grainy though. I think I like Assam Melody more though: its sweeter, maltier flavor, and is less tannic. HOWEVER, this tea did hold up excellent with milk and sweetener; I increased the leaf from 3g to 4g. It isn’t as intense as a CTC assam for milk tea, but still held it’s flavor. Overall it would be good from someone who prefers more tannic assam and likes to add milk and sugar.