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

From Our Community

2 Images

38 Want it Want it

  • +23

41 Own it Own it

  • +26

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

224 tasting notes

Swap from Cavocorax.
So even though I have lots of other stuff I should be trying first, I’ve wanted to try this one too much to resist now that I have some in my stash.
Can’t comment on the dry smell since all I was getting was the scents that were clinging to the plastic bag.

I wasn’t sure how much I should use so I did my usual 1.5 tsp for my 12oz cup.
Sipping it I get an almost bitter-ish taste that’s not bitter persay, but similar. Sharp and woodsy. Maybe a bit spicy. With an astringency that’s there and vaguely unpleasant, but not enough to bother me overly much. Definitely tiger-ish. Lol!

Maybe my palate just isn’t appreciative of Assams since, well, I’m kinda not blown away by this. It’s a nice tea to be sure, but I’m thinking it’s just not my thing. I have a feeling that Assams are not my thing since I’ve never really fallen head over heels for any of the ones I’ve tried. They’re just alright, and I’d drink one if that’s all that was there, but I’d likely reach for something else given the option.

Thanks so much to Cavo for sending me this. I’m glad I was able to try it instead of having to buy a whole 4.4oz container of it then ending up not liking it as much. Though I’m sure there’s plenty of people here who would take it off my hands. XD

Edit: Did a second steep at 5min/approx 10oz water. It was alright. Generally more mellow than the first brew. Definitely not as bitey. I almost like this one better than the first brew. Lol!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

83
4170 tasting notes

I saw Cameron B write a tasting note about A&D teas (semi-recently?!?), so I thought I would write the last tasting note for a tea I haven’t written for yet from a swap from Cameron years ago now.  So thank you again, Cameron B!  I have had this tea before, but this is a different “harvest”. I definitely wanted to try it again! I guess I am never as in love with A&D teas as I wish I could be.  I’m not a fan of their Earl… this one doesn’t stand out to me either.  The flavor doesn’t seem like assam to me – it definitely isn’t astringent.  The cup definitely looks dark in brew, but it’s more of a watered down flavor than brisk.  Notes of paper, tomato soup, malty, sweet.  I mean, this could be a worse cup but it’s never a favorite.  In my tasting note eight years ago I said this was “just a kitten” and I was much tougher on brewing leaves back then. haha, sorry tea. Maybe it’s me.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a big mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 min

Cameron B.

Aww that’s funny that you still have this from like 3 years ago! I remember really liking this, but I haven’t tried it in a while. Maybe later today…

tea-sipper

oh three years is hardly anything to the age of some of the teas around here. haha

Cameron B.

I think most of us are probably in the same boat ha ha. :P

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

437 tasting notes

This is a good Assam blend, that would be especially nice for someone who likes the fruity, malty spectrum of Assam’s, and that like to take their tea with milk. It has a fair bit of tannins and moderate astringency so it is a good match for rich foods such as a fry up.

The dry leave are dark to chocolate coloured thin blades scattered with golden tips and smell of raisins and chocolate.

I have brewed this tea twice, both times at around 95*C for 3 minutes.

The first time I used 1 TSP per 225 ml. I found this to be a little bit too much leaf for me so I reduced it to about 3/4 TSP the second time.

The broth is a mahogany toned red.

Using 1 tsp resulted in a scent that is very fruity with cherry and citrus notes. Also present were spice, malt, pastry, milk chocolate and a hint of almond tones.

The tea tastes much heavier than it smells. Malt and cocoa are the first tones, followed by cinnamon with a hint of nutmeg and finishing with citrus opening up to cherry almond tone. There is a hint of a light floral if you hold the tea at the front of the mouth and allow air to move over it. The texture created by tannins and astringency are a little too strong to create a biscuit tone. The tea lends itself well to milk and would complement a fry up ( big greasy breakfast) quite well. As it cools the dark cherry and bitter malt tones blend more elegantly together with the cool floral note appearing lightly on top of it. This is a nice and robust tea and quite strong. Brewed this way this is a nice blend for those who like robust, heavily malty, fruity Assam’s. The tannins really coat your tongue, with this tea.

The tea resteeps nicely with citrus note intensifying and the tea tasting sweeter and and a little spicier.

Using 1 /4 less leaf, the first steep is much sweeter, with stronger cocoa notes and less bitter malt. The tea remains fruity, but the cherry note is less apparent. The flavours blend together well and are less distinct than when more leaf is used. The tannins and astringency are still quite apparent. A sweet tone with tinge of caramel is first apparent over cocoa and malt, with the flavour finishing with spice and a slightly tart fruit tone balanced by warm berry tone.

I must thank both Sil and boychik for their generous samples of this tea. It is a nice blend and makes a nice breakfast tea.

Preparation
1 tsp 8 OZ / 225 ML
boychik

What a review. I think I’m going to read it not once :)

looseTman

“It has a fasir bit of tannins and moderate astringency …”
“The texture created by tannins and astringency are a little too strong …”
“This is a nice and robust tea and quite strong.”
“The tannins and astringency are still quite apparent.”
Not to be consumed before breakfast on an empty stomach!

yyz

Probably not a good idea if you are intolerant!

TheTeaFairy

Well luckily, I’m not and I’ll take this baby on an empty stomach any given day :-)

yyz

Neither am I, thank goodness as I’ve had times where I’ve existed on nothing else but caffeine:). No food for 16 plus hours, or pushing past those moments you’re so tired you’re freezing…etc

looseTman

I’ve been a tea lover all my life and haven’t had any such issues. However, this Assam, on that day, wasn’t a good idea on an empty stomach. I suspect it was me as I had heartburn for a couple of days afterwards.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

1113 tasting notes

Delicious! Thank you Boychik!

So bold, yet not too astringent or bitter in any way.

I’ve been so impressed with all of the Damn Fine teas so far. It seems you really can’t go wrong with them! Not sure which has been my favorite so far…maybe the Spring Keemun.

boychik

Oh I’m do glad you like them. I’m very happy with A&D. I’d say I drank Caravan the most. Just ordered a new tin;)

boychik

Spring is different fro other Keemans I tried( not too many). I like saltiness in it.

Stephanie

I almost tried Caravan today…it was a toss up between these two!

boychik

It’s excellent breakfast tea. I wouldnt sample it without food.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

85
652 tasting notes

Oh dear, round two with this tea and I like it even more now.
A delicious robust breakfast tea with milk!

I may have to order this someday. Sigh.
Thanks to the generous Cavocorax I still have enough left for a cup and I got two good steeps from this one!

Thanks again Cavo :)

Bumping my rating up from 81

TeaLady441

It’s SO good in the morning. I recommend it after your little one keeps you up all night and you need a boost!

TeaLady441

Glad I sent you enough to fully experiment with it! They’re great teas; it’s just too bad the shipping is a little rough for Canadians.

ohfancythat

This sale is perfect :)

OMGsrsly

I GOT SOME TOO! :D Free shipping = the awesomest.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

139 tasting notes

This morning, courtesy of Terri HarpLady, I’m pleased to review Tiger Assam by Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, Western style: 8 oz / 1 tsp (2.3g) / 212*F / 4 min. without sweeteners, milk, or cream.

Leaf: Thin twisted chocolate-brown, with some gold 1 cm or < in length.
Fragrance: Mild
Liquor: Clear, amber
Aroma: Malty and sweet
Flavor: Malty with a mild sweetness

4-min: A very smooth, bold, rich, mildly sweet, malty Assam. After drinking ½ a cup of this bold Assam on an empty stomach (I know better!) I had the sense that I should eat something right away. A slice each of Wegman’s Marathon Bread and Ancient Grain Bread with Cranberries toasted with Smart Balance Heart Wise Light margarine helped. I then enjoyed two slices of Vermont Bread Co. organic soft multi-grain bread with margarine and Crofter’s Raspberry Organic spread. There was zero bitterness and a very mild sense of astringency. A rather invigorating morning cup

Re-Steep:
4-min: Smooth but not yet full-bodied, so I let it steep longer.
5-min: Light-bodied
6-min: Moderate body
7-min: Moderate body
8-min: Smooth, moderate-bodied.

Impression: A very smooth, bold, rich, and invigorating morning cup to enjoy with your breakfast. Well done!

Thanks to Terri HarpLady for sending us this gracious sample.

Method:
RO water re-mineralized with an Aptera filter http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/39532-puregen-aptera-alkamag-water-filter
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39311-perfect-tea-spoon
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/37731-my-weigh-durascale-d2-660-digital-scale
Brewed western-style conveniently in a tea mug with a brew basket http://steepster.com/teaware/royal-albert/45581-old-country-roses-afternoontea-mugs
http://steepster.com/teas/teaware/29177-finum-brewing-basket.
http://steepster.com/teaware/teavana/39312-perfect-preset-tea-timer

Flavors: Malt

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Terri HarpLady

Glad you like it. As a general rule, I can never drink Ceylon or Darjeeling teas on an empty stomach, or green, white, or puerh teas either. Sometimes I can get away with an Assam, but usually not.
I think that’s one of the reasons I love Chinese blacks so much, as they don’t usually have that effect on me.

looseTman

Yes, I did. Thanks! Agreed, Chinese black teas appear to be much easier on the stomach. I’m now having a cup of Raspberry Greek yogurt to further settle my stomach.

looseTman

I’ve now reached my first Steepster milestone – 100 tasting notes.

MzPriss

Congrats on 100!

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

Terri HarpLady

Yay for 100 notes!

looseTman

A drop in the bucket compared to many of you all!

caile

100 notes – yay!! Your reviews are always great!

looseTman

Thanks caile!

mrmopar

Woo HOO! Congrats brother!

looseTman

Thanks brother! With 4 elderly parents from 85 to almost 96 years old, it’s taken awhile to rack up the first 100, but they make sure we’re not bored!

boychik

I like reading your notes. They are very precise. What do you do for living? You must be a scientist.

looseTman

I have over 10 years experience in cardiovascular ultrasound research.

boychik

My admiration for you. Saving people’s lives every day.

MzPriss

I like the notes as well. Very detailed.

looseTman

boychik, My experience focused on preventing cardiovascular disease as opposed to physicians who routinely save lives.

looseTman

Thanks MzPriss!

TheTeaFairy

Congrats on both the notes and what you do for a living :-)

looseTman

Thanks TheTeaFairy!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

75
630 tasting notes

This is very tasty. I only steeped for two minutes because stronger blacks sometimes are a bit too strong and I miss the nuances, but this way was perfect for me. It was malty and a bit fruity. It was very full tasting even with the shorter steep time, though I plan to do a second steep to see how far I can take it. I recommend it for people who love full tasting tea, and recommend it still with a shortened steep time for people who want the “light” version that is still packed with flavor.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

87
694 tasting notes

DeleriumFrogs sent this to me in a tea swap. Thank you! I received about a dozen mystery teas and every one of them looks so amazing it was hard t pick out which one to try first.

Being morning and needing a good cup to get going, this one won the battle. I have had this once before, but this cup confirms my thoughts about this tea last time. The cup I had before had taken on flavor from the packaging. I am really glad I get to give it another go. This is bold, smooth and malty. This one doesn’t have much sweetness to it. A good morning cup.

EDIT: This tea resteeped so well. I finally get why everyone loves this tea. I might just have to get a tin of this someday. Or maybe share a tin.

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
DeliriumsFrogs

You are SO welcome!! You sent me such awesome teas! :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

82
184 tasting notes

I open the tea cupboard each evening and try to choose what I’m going to take to work with me the next day. Sometimes I choose well, sometimes I’m digging through my haphazard stash of tea at work because I guessed wrong the night before. Last night, the tiger wanted to go to work with me to help me through my Friday, and here he is. I’ve written notes about this tea before, how it is simply a delicious assam. The key word is simply. Simple. There is a beauty in a tea with just a few notes (in this case cocoa, malt and raisin) when it is balanced just right. And this tea is. My tea ritual at work is different than that at home. At home life is simpler, so a more complex tea is welcome. At work, however, it is not simple. It is, at times, absurdly complex, so a good simple flavor profile is often exactly what I’m looking for. I think I’m going to leave this tin at work. :)

Flavors: Cocoa, Malt, Raisins

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

493 tasting notes

I’m so sleepy. I thought this tea would give me a nice boost. It did, nice and gently. It’s very smooth, not bitter or doesn’t need any additions if you make it @200F for 3min

http://instagram.com/p/yfR4x4Bwu5/

Preparation
1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
TheTeaFairy

Yum, “ze tiger”!!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.