Select Estate Java BOP Blend (TB15)

Sigh. So much for my 75 teas or less rule. I saw the rootbeer float tea from 52teas back in stock and found a few others I wanted and, whoops! Um, I think I’m at around 80 or so? I’ll have to double check my inventory but urgh. No self control!

I made this as my iced tea for the next few days – my 1/2 gallon method, so 15 g. of tea and 4 minute steep with my normal ratio of sugar. For a blend called Java, I was really nervous this would be dark and astringent at 4 minutes, but…it wasn’t. It was almost too light – I could have either added another tsp. of leaf or an extra bit of steeping time because when it was cold it was almost weak.

I’ve got to give it the overnight to let the blend settle a bit (and maybe then the flavor will get stronger) but honestly this was just a loose version of Lipton iced tea to my tastebuds. (that’s not an insult – I drink Lipton tea all the time – it’s just, well, I can get that bagged and cheaper.)

So I’ll post an update when I have some later today. As for now, though, not too riveted.

Very gentle fruity and cocoa powdery type aroma. A bit crusty, even.
It infuses to a medium orange brown in color. Very pretty color.
The taste isn’t as powerful as the description pokes at but I’d say a bit on the lighter side of medium in strength. The flavor, however, is delightful. Again, not as strong as I was hoping but pleasing! Fruity and cocoa powdery with a hint of earth and spec of smoke. A yummy finish on this one, too!

This isn’t the best cup of tea I’ve had, but it certainly isn’t the worst. I like it, don’t get me wrong and it was one of the cheaper blends Upton offers. So I thought I’d give it a go. There just isn’t anything that stands out for me. Heck I can’t even get a distinct scent from the cup. But as I said I like it. So there’s that. I might try it iced a little later see if that helps.

After a 4 minute steep, this tea is really not as powerful as suggested. It is a very nice inexpensive cup of tea. It is a mild mellow afternoon tea with no bitterness or astringency IMHO. It has a light malty smell with a light fruity taste. I prefer stronger teas so while this is a nice cup, it just is not my cup.

Not excellent, but very good for the price and no sour aftertaste like some cheap teas.
The leaves have a light fruity smell. The closest I can get to describing the smell is the earthy smell that permeates the cardboard in which bananas have been shipped (without the “banana” part, just the leafy/earthy smell). The leaves also look rusty.
Strangely, the tea does not smell or taste fruity (although it does have a mildly earthy/peaty in flavor). The rusty color of the leaves didn’t transfer to the brewed tea, either, which paler in color and weaker in flavor than I expected. I think I might have to put in an extra teaspoon of leaves next time. With a splash of soymilk, it was a comfortingly mild early-afternoon cuppa. I’m not sure about the company’s assurance that it is a “powerful cup” because I took a 90-minute nap right after drinking it, but then I’m not very sensitive to caffeine.

When you’re willing to try something again, the second time may turn out to be the charm. That was the case with this tea. Maybe my expectations were off, or perhaps it was the method, but whatever it was, I was not thrilled with my first tasting. Not so this time around! Our good friend ashmanra offered some tips, and I just enjoyed two perfectly steeped cups of a tea I had previously written off.