Another sample I received in the black tea sampler from Vahdam last year. I got up early today to watch my favorite soccer team (heja BVB!) play in Matchday 29 of the Bundesliga and wanted something to wake me up. I figured that, with a name like “Red Thunder,” this tea would do it!
The sample size was only 7 grams, so I used the whole sample in my 16 oz. teapot, but brewed it for three minutes instead of my usual four. Besides, I enjoy my tea on the stronger side, anyway. I followed with a second steeping for four minutes.
The brewed liquor comes out a nice reddish-brown color, with more red than brown. The scent is fruity—particularly muscatel grape, as expected for an autumn flush Darjeeling.
The fruity/muscatel aroma carries over into the flavor of the tea, which also has a bit of spice behind it. There is also some astringency to the tea, but it could be from the extra leaves I used when brewing it (I normally only use six grams in my 16-ounce teapot). This is a hearty tea—flavorful and strong, with enough caffeine to wake me up.
Overall, this was an excellent tea that I would love to try again. Unfortunately, I see that the vendor’s site shows this is currently sold out, so I’ll have to wait to try it again some other time.
NOTE: my sample shows a date of picking as October, 2016
Flavors: Astringent, Fruity, Muscatel, Spicy
