Tea type
Black Tea
Ingredients
Assam Black Tea
Flavors
Honey, Malt, Wet Wood, Caramel, Brown Sugar, Dark Chocolate, Earth, Mineral, Mocha, Stewed Fruits, Sweet Potatoes, Smooth, Wood, Sweet, Wheat, Coffee, Oak, Cherry, Drying, Raisins, Red Wine, Tart, Burnt Sugar, Astringent, Bread, Tobacco, Chocolate, Cocoa
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Shae
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 45 sec 3 g 12 oz / 346 ml

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195 Tasting Notes View all

  • “Sipdown! (181) Since i’ll be away from my cupboard for a few days and don’t feel like going through the hassle of packing up a tea basket and such since i’m only bringing a small suitcase, i’m...” Read full tasting note
    85
  • “I get my vanilla from Penzey’s, & when you get to the bottom of the vanilla bottle, there is harp of a vanilla bean in there. The main thing I used vanilla for is almond flour pancakes, so I...” Read full tasting note
  • “I’m drinking this today basically because cats are jerks. Mine woke me up 5 times this morning by meowing in the hallway. Every time I came out she ran into our room for purrs and cuddles, and then...” Read full tasting note
    88
  • “OMG! I am completely in love with this tea! Yes … yes … yes! (Imagine Meg Ryan in probably her most popular scene ever there) As I am sitting here slurping on this tea, I tried to think of an...” Read full tasting note
    99

From Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea

By now, it should be abundantly clear that we’re suckers for a nice Assam tea. And why not? Thomas has done nothing but impress, and the Captain still draws us in with his lengthy yarns. (Where’s he been lately, anyway?)

We are delighted to offer you this Tiger, our latest Assam tea. It’s resilient yet refined, gentle yet ass-kicking, crouching yet leaping. Prepare it any way you like and it’ll taste great. Forget it on the counter? Brew it a little hastily in a travel mug? It’ll still taste great. Tigers are like that. They don’t get discouraged. They don’t have off days. They deliver 100% tiger, at all times.

Tigers don’t tolerate weak tea, nor should you.

We like to brew this black tea from Assam for four minutes in boiling water. It’s great first thing in the morning. Or after breakfast, maybe with a little milk and a friendly chat. Over brew it a bit and mix in some ice after lunch. Think about trying another beverage with dinner, tigers need their sleep after all.

https://www.damnfinetea.com/tiger-assam/

About Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea View company

Andrews & Dunham knows that nothing beats a perfect cup of tea, and a great tea needs no explanation. We love the romance of tea. We love that tea might just be the healthiest thing you’ll ever drink. But if the tea you’re drinking doesn’t taste fantastic, you’re missing out. Only a few teas meet our mysterious, rigorous standards and we’re proud to offer them to you. We’re always looking for that perfect cup, so you don’t have to.

195 Tasting Notes

85
15006 tasting notes

Sipdown! (181) Since i’ll be away from my cupboard for a few days and don’t feel like going through the hassle of packing up a tea basket and such since i’m only bringing a small suitcase, i’m enjoying a few teas today as well as getting in a couple sipdowns. I fulle expect tea to show up while i’m away so i need to make sure not coming home to 200+ teas. At least i still have 3 weeks to get to 150. :)

I added a slice of orange to this one today since lala’s done that on a few occasions and i thought it would be fun to experiment with my last cup. It’s adding just a bit of sweetness, along with the orange to this cup and turning it into something entirely different and yet just as deliciously good! Maybe i’ll try a few others like that today heh…maybe.

Terri HarpLady

That’s one of the experiments I’ve been wanting to try for awhile :)

Sil

yeah same here. We have an orange that needs to be eaten so i’m steeping it, drinking the tea then eating the slice haha warm orange slice heh

Terri HarpLady

I bought an orange a few weeks back, specifically for this experiment, & somebody ate it, heh

TheTeaFairy

Unfortunately, I’ll have to take a rain check on the orange experimentation, but at least I can now add this comment: yeah, this tea is awesome!! Haha!

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3294 tasting notes

I get my vanilla from Penzey’s, & when you get to the bottom of the vanilla bottle, there is harp of a vanilla bean in there. The main thing I used vanilla for is almond flour pancakes, so I usually squeeze out the seeds into the batter. Today I dropped the bean into my cup of this tea, just for fun.

At first I thought it might be a fail: I could smell the remaining alcohol from the vanilla, but I let it sit for a few, added a little sweetening, & it was damn right tasty! We had pancakes, so this made for an after breakfast treat.

boychik

i picked a tin yesterday on tea festival. this tea is sooo good!

Sil

i want their keemun to go up on the website

Terri HarpLady

Yes, & YES!

boychik

I got Keemun but didn’t try it yet. Maybe tonight. They didn’t offer it for tasting but dry leaves are perfect gorgeous black curls

Terri HarpLady

I can’t wait!

boychik

I can send you some to try

Sil

they just need to put it on the website. it will be an insta-buy for me

Terri HarpLady

boychik, I’m totally open for that! Feel free to check out my cupboard to see if you’d like something(s) in return :)
On the other hand, when it comes up on their site, it will also be an insta-buy for me, as I can’t resist those damn fine teas!

boychik

I know I bought it without trying. Will message you later.

MzPriss

They do a Keemun?

Sil

mzpriss..they mentioned it at their FB post re: the tea festival this weekend..not up for sale yet on their website

MzPriss

I really really want some

MzPriss

I am not aware of this tea company, but it appears I should be. I’ve been reading about their Double Knit and it looks like I might need some of that too. sigh

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88
1598 tasting notes

I’m drinking this today basically because cats are jerks. Mine woke me up 5 times this morning by meowing in the hallway. Every time I came out she ran into our room for purrs and cuddles, and then an hour later she was at it again.

So I picked this tea. I bet Tigers are jerks too.

Kaylee

My cat’s a jerk too. I finally caved and bought an electric mat to put in front of my bedroom door. I feel terribly guilty about it, but it worked miracles overnight. I hear tell there are air blasters which have about the same effect.

Dexter

LOL They may be jerks but we love them anyway…

Terri HarpLady

We have 2 cats, & by ‘we’ I mean Leif & Ari. Gizmo, Leif’s cat, is fairly innocuous. Squishy, on the other hand, likes to do things to intentionally piss me off. I do not allow cats in my bedroom, ever, because I can’t stand to have cat hair on me, & for some reason cats always want to piss on my pillow. I guess they want to mark my room as their territory (none of the current cats have ever actually done that, but previous ones have). So neither of our cats have ever been in my room, although Squishy tries, regularly, to get in there. Not ever gonna happen!

TeaLady441

Terri – that sounds like quite the challenge. Are they boy cats? I’ve never had to worry about her peeing, thankfully!

And she is totally allowed in our room – we even sleep with the door open (so the cat and the toddler can both wander in), but the cat mist be playing hard to get or something as she cries outside for attention. (Stupid cat – just come in and cuddle! )

TeaLady441

I love those names, by the way.
My cat is Mika, aka Meeks, or Mika Mikerson the Third if she’s bring particularly royal.

Ana

Your cat sounds like my cat. I don’t think I’ve heard anything more true than ‘All cats are jerks’.

Stephanie

adorable little jerks! :)

Kaylee

Terri – If it makes you feel any better I had a cat pee on my feet while I was sleeping once. I was sleeping over at a friend’s house. The cat made it clear that I was not welcome to invade his space.

Stephanie – His cuteness is the only reason my cat hasn’t been kicked out on his furry behind a dozen times over. Also the fact that he’s an awesome cuddler.

On a related note, has anyone seen My Cat From Hell? I think it’s a TLC show, but it’s also on Netflix now.

Anna

This might be the most entertaining comment thread ever. More evil cat stories, pleeeaseeeeehh.

Ana

A good book is ‘How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You’.

Also my cat peed on my mom’s duffel bag that she lent me. It probably smelled like her dog and so my cat was marking his territory. Another time though he got mad that I took away his food (he overeats sometimes) and peed where his food goes.

sherapop

Cats rule; dogs drool.

Sil

pops in to look at the cat conversation..leaves before she offends people :)

Anna

Sil, does that mean you’re a CAT?!

Sil

cats and i agree to not get along. my dad used to tease the neighbourhood…uh NM lol so yeah… cats and i. we don’t mix. except for the one cat that followed me up the mountain that one time…

Terri HarpLady

Once upon a time I had a friend named Suz who raised silver persians. She really wanted to give me one of her kittens, which were very expensive. I told her no thanks because I wear black to gigs all the time & the silver fur would show on my clothes. The truth is, I didn’t want a cat. She had farmed one of her cats out for stud service, & a gal who raised black smoke persians owed her a pick of the litter. Next thing you know, Suz gives me a black smoke kitten for my birthday, who I named Opal. I didn’t really want a cat, but what do you say? “Thank You”. Opal was beautiful & dumb as a post. Except she was smart enough to figure out how to get out the doggy door before I had a chance to have her spayed. End of part I

Terri HarpLady

Part II
Opal had a litter of kittens, & we found homes for 4 of them, but Leif begged to keep Gizmo, so we did. Opal disappeared.
Ari’s cat Squishy is a cat she got for her son, but then she moved into an apartment that didn’t allow cats, so squishy moved in with me. Now Ari & Ky live at home too, & so really, I guess he’s Ky’s cat.

Terri HarpLady

Part III
Gizmo is a boy. Squishy is a girl. I don’t hate cats. I’m just not into them. They tend to irritate me, I can feel their hair touching me. The cats I have now don’t pee on my things, but in the past I’ve had cats that did. I’m a dog lover, especially big dogs. I don’t have a dog right now, but I love dogs. They are awesome.

OMGsrsly

My cat keeps head butting me off my pillow at night… He hooks his paws over the bed rail things, and heaves. And his name is Princess Shadow. He came with Shadow, and I added the Princess! :)

Anna

Gizmo is a great name. (I love Gremlins. I would totally have a Mogwai for a pet.)

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99
4843 tasting notes

OMG! I am completely in love with this tea! Yes … yes … yes! (Imagine Meg Ryan in probably her most popular scene ever there)

As I am sitting here slurping on this tea, I tried to think of an Assam tea that I might have enjoyed as much as I’m enjoying this … and only one comes to mind. (And that would be No. 49 from Steven Smith … and I just left that store about two hours ago without some of my beloved Assam, what was I thinking? I was too excited over the other, new teas that I had not yet tried that I had forgotten to restock No. 49 and No. 55)

Anyway… this is amazing. It is a strong Assam… rich, malty and flavorful. It will assuredly kick your butt right out of “sleep” mode and into get-up-and-get-em mode. It starts out smooth and caramel-y, and there is a fair amount of astringency to this that slowly dries the palate after the sip. But, I don’t find the astringency to be out of bounds or too much. It is the perfect finishing touch to this really robust Assam.

Everything about this Tiger is amazing. What else should I have expected from Andrews & Dunham. They rock.

Terri HarpLady

I haven’t tried any of their teas, but I’ll have to add that one to my ‘list’.

LiberTEAS

@Terri: You really should try their teas. I also loved the Double Knit blend … that would be a really good breakfast blend, I think. This one is a good “kick in the butt” tea whenever you need one of those.

LiberTEAS

I will also say that this tea disappeared astonishingly fast from my teacup.

Terri HarpLady

I’ve looked at their page before, just haven’t ordered any…yet!
Have you tried the Caravan or the Hot Tea on the High Seas?

LiberTEAS

I’ve tried the Caravan long ago, when it was part of the 3rd limited edition series. I am not sure how the Caravan Resurrected compares to that, but when I did try it, I was still very anti-smoky teas, so I wasn’t too fond of it. I have the Caravan Resurrected (as it was part of the group of three that were available on Cyber Monday), and I’m hoping I will have a new found appreciation of it.

The Hot Tea on the High Seas is limited edition series 5 (I think!) and I did try both of those teas. They are amazing. I especially love the Oolong as it is a Magnolia Oolong – it’s fantastic. Captain Assam is an exceptionally smooth Assam, if I remember correctly, and perhaps a bit less harsh than some other Assam teas that I’ve tried. It’s not quite as “kick you in the butt” as this Tiger Assam is. Both are stellar, in my opinion.

TeaEqualsBliss

I’d LOVE to try this one!

TeaBrat

This seems overpriced – do you think it is worth $20 for a 4 oz. tin?

LiberTEAS

@Amy oh: Yes I do. I also think that with this company, you’re not just paying for the tea but also the overall experience. The tins are beautiful, solid, and airtight. You get a bonus button with this particular tea … not a huge deal, but, I think it’s part of the fun.

However, given that this is one of the very best Assam teas I’ve ever tried, I’d say it’s worth the investment. That doesn’t mean that I don’t wait until they have a promotion, because I generally do. I purchased this as part of their Cyber Monday deal that they had going on, which was a 20% discount, and covered the cost of my shipping on the three tins of tea.

looseTman

What is you current King of organic Assam teas? Thank you!

LiberTEAS

looseTman: I guess I’d have to go with this one: http://steepster.com/teas/arbor-teas/14049-organic-rembeng-assam-black-tea

Arbor Teas is a fantastic source of organic and fair trade teas.

looseTman

Agreed, Arbor Teas is great! However, Remberg Assam is not currently offereed. Their current black tea choices are found here: http://www.arborteas.com/categories/organic-tea/organic-black-tea/. What’s your next favorite organic assam? Thanks!

LiberTEAS

I guess I’d go with Malty Assam from Tao of Tea: http://steepster.com/teas/the-tao-of-tea/12030-malty-assam

looseTman

Thanks! I read your review of the Malty Assam from Tao of Tea. I can see why you rated Assams from A&D, SST, ZTL & Arbor Teas higher than it. Since Arbor Teas no longer offers Rembeng Assam, how does their Organic Greenfield Estate Ceylon Black Tea compare to it as well as the SST & ZTL Assams? Thank you.

LiberTEAS

Since I don’t have any more of the Greenfield Estate tea, and it’s been a while since I’ve had it, it would be difficult for me to offer a proper analysis for it now. However I will say that Greenfield Estate is an EXCEPTIONAL Ceylon, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys black teas. However, how it would compare to an Assam … since they are two different teas … and given the time that has lapsed since my last tasting of the tea … it would be difficult for me to offer a fair comparison.

looseTman

I understand. Thanks!

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87
359 tasting notes

I told Sil yesterday that I would experience the mystic powers of the Tiger this morning as my breakfast tea. This is all thanks to her and the generous sample she sent my way after I told her how curious I was to try this legend of a tea. Now I just found out she ran out herself, sad face…that goes to show her generosity and willingness to share. Thank you so much Sil!

I understand all the hype around this tea now.

A true rough on the edges lumberjack would not shy away from this tea. But it’s also good for us Canadian women, remember, we do like ourselves a strong cup in the morning! In general, I don’t want too finicky and complicated early in the morning, I want a hard worker that takes its job seriously, aiming to please ME!!!

It’s a rich bold and malty cup. But there’s zero bitterness to it, mellow and sweet, yet, strong and powerful.

Even as it cooled down, it remained as smooth as a baby’s derriere ;-)

On the list it goes, it will make a perfect everyday kick me in the petuli Assam!

Sil

So glad you liked it! Well worth the price if you can pick it up when A&D does free shipping to canada. Also the tin is just darling! :)

Terri HarpLady

I’ve been really happy with A & D’s damn fine teas, this one especially!

__Morgana__

I am such a fan of Andrews & Dunham in general, I can’t tell you how much my fingers are itching to hop over to their web site and order some of this. But I fear the slippery slope of tea ordering justification. Sigh.

TheTeaFairy

Thanks Sil for letting me know about the free shipping I’ll keep a look for it, as you know, I’m in no rush to order :-)

Terri, this is my first A & D ever… I like the humour behind the brand, will sure place an order eventually!

TheTeaFairy

Morgana, boy do I know about finger itch, I have it on all 10 fingers!!!!

Sil

they have a new tea as well that is pretty good. I also like their smokey tea but the quantitity would take me forever to get through.. I keep meaning to email them to see if i can custom make a 3 pack and include the new tea instead of the EG

__Morgana__

Crap. I DID IT!

TheTeaFairy

Hahaha! Morgana, that was funny!
But i must resist, i’m on a «pseudo» hiatus, you should never post comments like that. Ever.

__Morgana__

I’m sorry, TF. I can assure you it won’t happen with anything other than A&D. Although…. I keep hearing the word Samovar in my brain. (Sticking fingers in ears and humming loudly.)

TheTeaFairy

Lalalala, lalalalalaa, lala, lalalalala….

TheTeaFairy

Really lurking at the adventure pack…

Dexter

" this is my first A & D ever… " Hmmmm interesting – add that to the proife – will see what I can do about that…

TheTeaFairy

Hooo, Dexter, the profiler…you make me smile, I like that :-)

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2291 tasting notes

I’m working on cleaning and reorganizing everything in my tiny apartment, I started about a week ago and am tackling tiny projects each day.

Last night I found a bag of what I thought was palm sugar (at like 1:30 am) and put it in the kitchen to have with my tea today. Except. It wasn’t palm sugar. It felt weird as I put a couple pinches into my tea, and I realized it was bamboo flavoured salt.

That was a no. That was a BIG no.

So I made another cup, and added some real, regular sugar to it. And some coconut milk. And I’m still drinking it.

Tea good. Tea with a lot of salt, though? That’s bad.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Crowkettle

Mistaking salt (or msg) for sugar is one of my biggest tea/cooking nightmares :P ..whereas coconut milk and this tea together sounds great.

OMGsrsly

Yeah, the coconut milk is good in tea. :) I get the Aroy-D tetra packed coconut milk for tea, because it seems to integrate better.

Maddy Barone

Oh, dear. Reminds me of the long ago Downton Abbey episode where Mrs. Patmore made dessert for a dinner party with salt instead of sugar. :(

OMGsrsly

That sounds like something I would do! There’s a reason why the salt and sugar go in very distinct and separate places in my kitchen…

leaf in hot water

i did that with coffee before…soooo gross!

OMGsrsly

At least I realized before I drank any!

The Cookie Lady

I once baked about 200 caramel shortbread heart-shaped cookies to take to school for Valentine’s Day. I baked them the night before and was planning to put the finishing touches on them in the morning. I was running late, so I just arranged them on a huge platter and tossed sprinkles and granulated sugar all over the top. Or did I? Turns out I sprinkled a whole bunch of salt over the top instead of sugar. Luckily, they still tasted pretty good as long as you gave the cookie a quick shake-off before eating them :)

OMGsrsly

Well, salted caramel… that might work! :)

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92
1118 tasting notes

Tea of the morning. I woke up an hour before my alarm was set to go off, and my mind began whirling with all of the things I need/want to get accomplished this week. Oy. Since it was obvious I wasn’t going back to sleep, and because my cat noticed I was awake and began meowing incessantly, I decided to get out of bed and enjoy some Tiger Assam.

Love the depth of this tea. It’s so full of malt and rich raisin-y sweetness. If I have to be awake before my alarm orders me out of bed then this is the tea I want in my cup.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Hesper June

My cat sits on my chest and licks my nose, and then when I finally open my eyes, she starts running in between the food cupboard and the bed with a look that says “Oh well, since you are awake, you might as well feed me”
Cats… :)

tea-sipper

Your noisy cat must have inspired you to have some Tiger Assam. :D

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93
652 tasting notes

1.25 tsp for 250mL water @100C, drunk bare, steeped 4 minutes.

I’ve had a hell of a week. A chronic illness has been seriously bullying me since last Saturday; my writing is a hard slog; the dayjob took every drop of blood out of me; I needed to get groceries on the way home; I arrived home late, supper-less, grumpy, and in a muck sweat, put away the groceries, then did a good half hour of heavy cleaning in the basement. Done that, I was in a foul temper.

And then I saw a rock band (Caravan) and a tiger on my dining room table.

Things are looking up.

The dry leaf is dark and rich-looking, with only the occasional fleck of amber. The leaves are long and smell damp-earthy for an Assam, but in a very good way. The liquor is reddish-brown, almost as reddish as a good Keemun. Aroma is winy rather than malty, with some cocoa and plum notes. Medium to heavy body, smooth mouthfeel, mineral start and finish with sweet malt and again, a slightly winey finish. A really good Assam — though I long for the Captain (ahem). Some surprising but pleasing buttery notes as I get further down the cup. Some malty pucker, too.

Tiger Assam is restoring my good will. Seriously, I’ve got this tea-dork smile on. And I got a button to put on my jacket with my order.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
LiberTEAS

I’m ordering some of this next month… I just wish that Andrews & Dunham would offer their free shipping deal or something!

Bonnie

Nice review except for the feeling ick part. Sorry. Tea is a good cure though.

Michelle Butler Hallett

Tea is very powerful.

Michelle Butler Hallett

I tried making this a bit stronger — 1.5 tsp steeped for 5 minutes — but it gets a bit wooden and bitter. 1.25 at 4 minutes is much more palatable.

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88
408 tasting notes

I was expecting this one for a long time now…I remember all (almost !) Terri’s notes about this tea and the picture of this proud and bold Tiger inside a tea circle…I love the pic, would I love the tea ?

JustJames kindly sent me a sample of this precious assam, thank you so much to introduce this tiger in my kitchen. This is an assam so I was a little worried, sometimes some of them are just too bold, too strong for me especially because of bitterness.
I stupidely left it steep more than 4 minutes because I was baking an ham and olive cake…I generally let assams steeping for 2 minutes not more.

This is too bitter for me but it’s my fault. Having said that i know that with 2 min steeping I will love because even if I find it too bitter for me, it’s not so bitter and I love the maltyness and the depth taste of this assam.
It’s midnight here – yes I’m crazy to drink an assam at midnight especially this one ! I’m sure this is a tea I would like with a splash of milk as well and particularly on the morning for sure.

I’ll make another try tomorrow with a shorter steep.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 45 sec
JustJames

i love this tea…. i oversteep it regularly… it’s very forgiving.

Terri HarpLady

I also love this one, I just ordered a new tin of it! I always steep it for 4 minutes :)

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97
871 tasting notes

You know when you drink a tea a lot, then you have it one day and it is totally and completely different then what it was before. So weird…

Today I am getting almost a cherry like sweetness on top of the bold and malty assam. There is no astringency. And I almost hate to say it, no tiger… It is light and bold at the same time. A lot more sweetness then I usually recognize in this tea. I just finished eating some Harvest Crunch cereal, but I can’t see why that would make this tea taste so much different.

Either way, it is still super delicious!

Preparation
1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Sil

heh weird :)

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