Frances Bissell's Special Blend

Backlog:

This tea has a nice floral tone to it, reminiscent to honeysuckle. Notes of slightly underripe plum (sweet and sour), as well as hints of citrus. There is a nice earthy undertone to this cup, with notes of wood and leather.

Overall, a refreshing cup. I enjoyed it. Thank you TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some!

At first sip – when really hot – just a minute after infusing – this tasted a little skunky. That taste faded, thankfully.

There are sweet, sour, and woodsy notes. Just when I’m thinking “Ceylon” it sort of tastes a little like Darjeeling.

The aftertaste is sort of woodsy, too.

Alright but not my fave, really.
Drinkable, tho!

Just ordered this from Upton (TC78) as a trial size (12g), for $1.50. I am new to Ceylons but of the six I’ve tried from Upton so far this October (others were TC85: Kenilworth Estate OP, TC45: Court Lodge Estate FBOP, TC40: Nuwara Eliya BOP, TC32: Kandy OP, and TC20: Dimbula BOP), I found this the easiest to like. So many interesting notes and flavors! After brewing two cups, I strained the tea with a high pour (about 18" from spout of brewing pot to top of serving pot; I read somewhere that in the regions where they’re grown, ceylons and darjeelings are poured this way to “oxidize” the tea, and this is supposed to improve the flavor). The scent of the brewed leaves, once all the water was poured off, was complex but not too intense, and mouthwateringly perfumey. I got notes of cured hay, homemade white bread toasted (but no malty heft), a warm-edged (vanilla-ish?) citrus, and also a touch of fresh light lush green, like the mist rising from a rainforest. It was very nice to sip neat, smooth and just bright, not tannic – no dusty feeling left on my tongue. But I did add milk for my second cup, and liked it “tamed” that way too — the flavors of the tea interlaced with the sweetness of the milk and made that cup a smooth-drinking experience. Somehow I picked up a few spicy notes — muted — in the milky cup. I had this for breakfast (it was a great companion to a toasted “everything” bagel with cream cheese) but I think it’s interesting enough for an afternoon cup too, with perhaps a lightly vanilla-flavored or lemon sugar cookie alongside.

When I don’t know what tea others might like, or I can’t decide what I want, this is my go-to tea. It is a good all-round pleasant tea. Nice colour and wonderful aroma.

A blend of select Ceylon teas. An earthy/ tobaccoey scent, with some corn silk and floral thrown in. A light citrussy tea, with some earth notes to ground it. Very pleasant