Official what Black (Red) Tea Are You Drinking Right Now?

[plod]

Tried last years Arya Imperial from Vahdam, that was quite good too, but pricey, and about 10-15 others that were forgettable.

Have you used Thunderbolt, darjeelingteaboutique, or Mariage? Darjeelingtealovers looks okay too, but don't list invoice numbers.

Have you done any side by sides of the same year, estate and same or similar invoice, but different vendors? As you say, if Darjeeling is still producing next year....

The Giddapahars were the only ones I did compare side by side, but unfortunately darjeeling.cz didn't state the invoice on that one.

I actually wanted to try Thunderbolt and darjeelingboutique this year. Didn't get hold of Thunderbolt, and once the other orders were in, I couldn't justify shipping charges from darjeelingboutique.

I haven't really been drinking enough of this stuff to get completist about it. Rather trying to avoid it, in fact, because all I really need (want) are 300 grams per year of really good SF, which I can get from .cz. But I guess I'll still get something from each vendor next year. As Hunter S. Thompson wrote after filling his tea trunk:

"Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious tea collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can."

[fdrx]

ZhiZheng '09:
I don't remember the name of the tea.
Rather strong and full-bodied, has green apple aromas & flavor. Nice grandpa session.

[joelbct]

all I really need (want) are 300 grams per year of really good SF

Had some good 2016 Goomtee SF this evening. Reminds me a bit of certain Oolongs. (Edit)- and now I'm drinking what must be Giddapahar 2016 SF blended with another 2016 SF, which I found in the back of the cabinet.

In any case, for the first time now, I am certain I can identify the ripe fruit/grape/plum Muscatel notes, as described in this worldoftea post. Funny that after years of tea drinking, this was the year I again found the time and motivation to explore new teas, settling Darjeeling into my daily routine. Bad luck.

I hope the news all turns around quickly, but even if it does, forecast for 2018 Darjeeling looks bleak.

Retailers' Second Flush should start drying up shortly, as the 15% of 2017 SF that wasn't lost runs out. Remaining 2016 Autumn Flush would disappear quickly because 2017 Autumn is 100% lost, and then next Spring, the remaining 2017-and-earlier First Flush would disappear quickly if 2018 is lost or, best case scenario, diminished in output and quality.

So, I think I too will add a few hundred grams of Darj. Second Flush to my FF stockpile.

I had a fine Nepali SF blend today. But from what I've read, Nepal tea industry is quite nascent.

[Whalebreath]

Ordered a second flush Halmari from Vahdam-an exceptional product in every way but not for everyday drinking just a tad malty/rich.

Impressed with the fast delivery considering I used the Free Shipping option and the complimentary Chai samplers showed the quality Vahdam strives for whoever mixed those spices is a Master.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Answering your question for everyday drinking I (once again) picked up some product from Krasnoyarsk an ordinary Black that always shows something interesting an excellent choice for making a mild Chai.

[Psyck]

...
Answering your question for everyday drinking I (once again) picked up some product from Krasnoyarsk an ordinary Black that always shows something interesting an excellent choice for making a mild Chai.

I use Orthodox Masala Chai from Lochan Tea for my chai - mainly picked it up as I wanted to try a loose leaf instead of CTC for chai - it is nice. If any of you know of other good loose leaf masala chai, let me know.

[john.b]

I use Orthodox Masala Chai from Lochan Tea for my chai - mainly picked it up as I wanted to try a loose leaf instead of CTC for chai - it is nice. If any of you know of other good loose leaf masala chai, let me know.

I reviewed a mix of CTC and orthodox sold by a tea cooperative in Assam, Assamica Agro. That's what I tend to use when I make masala chai from scratch, if I have any CTC tea around, which I sometimes do and sometimes don't. If anyone gives me CTC tea I hold onto it until I use it for blending, and mixing two types gives you more complexity related to the black tea input.

[john.b]

On the subject of black tea, I just reviewed a Bai Ye "dan cong" black tea. It was sold as such by Yunnan Sourcing but I'm not sure whether the dan cong part makes any sense or not as a label. It's obvious enough what it is: the same plant type and region as dan cong, but prepared as a black tea.

It was interesting for sharing some aspects of those and not sharing others. The main flavor aspect was baked sweet potato; that's not normal for those oolongs. It was good and fruity, and complex, with good sweetness, and slightly tart, which isn't normal for black teas in general, per my experience. It was nice, and interesting.

It makes no sense but I comparison tasted it with a Taiwanese black tea, a honey black from Lin Mao Sen. Sometimes comparison tasting is about highlighting subtle differences in very similar teas, and that's the use that makes the most sense for review. These teas weren't similar at all and the contrast doesn't usually do much for tasting but help you appreciate how much range black tea can span. The Taiwanese tea tasted a lot like a raisin cinnamon roll, at least prepared the way I made it that time, using an approach closer to Gongfu style brewing. Oddly it doesn't seem much like that when brewed Western style; it's completely different.

Part of using that comparison approach is that about getting around 3 hours a week to taste teas without kids around, at home alone on Saturday mornings, and I've gotten in the habit of comparison tasting, so I may as well try two teas then instead of one. It cuts back how thorough a review can be, in a sense, taking up experiential space, so that even if tasting takes two hours it's still hard to get as far into separating flavors to a list and sorting out feel effects. That post:

http://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.co ... a-and.html

[Hezo541]

I'm fond of Lapsang Sauchong recently. Really a nice black tea. Highly recommended.

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[john.b]

I just reviewed a Jin Jun Mei, from the source I tend to review frequently enough, from Wuyi Origin (Cindy Chen). It just seemed like a pretty good version of the type to me, a bit complex and well-balanced. Related to the post prior to this per my understanding JJM is considered as a variation of Lapsang Souchong, which seems a little odd, mixing the category names and types like that, but so people say.

http://teaintheancientworld.blogspot.co ... it-of.html

[Steve@Adagio]

I'm currently drinking Earl Grey Bravo.

[whatsinaname]

With Fall on the way in New England, I am transitioning from cooling to warming teas. Brought out a lovely Lapsang (Jing) and Yunnan Gold (Rishi) to the tea caddies to start airing out for winter consumption. A bit of heicha, 90s 8582, and roasted dong-ding round out the current cool-weather offerings at the Watts Tea Bar.

[ethan]

Championship Black: It's been months since I've mentioned this because I used up my stock of it. Drinking this prepared and served in tiny porcelain cups by Vee yesterday, it was truly savored by both of us. It is so dynamically flavorful; yet, in many ways a standard black tea (no way a darjeeling or some exotic category). One might say that it is a standard-style black that sets the standard, as it is a winner of a tea competition, a black tea of the highest standard.

I have been enjoying it daily for 2 weeks, greedily preparing 12-ounce rounds in a glazed teapot; much smaller cups do help to appreciate each sip.

[yshuto]

Drinking m three favorite FF Darjeeling Teas from 2016. Margaret’s Hope, Namring Upper, and Arya. All three were released in December 2016. Why so late? Mariage Freres tends to separate teas best suited to be released during the height of the Spring Season, while they hold on to others to be slightly aged and released in Winter. Out of the two dozen FF Darjeelings I have tasted for 2016, the above mentioned 3 are my favorites. They have lost much of grassy green taste giving way for the other flavors to be enjoyed within the tea. I tend to brew FF Darjeelings a little bit stronger, and steeping a little bit longer at 3.5 minutes @ 195C, resulting in a dark, red colored tea.

I drink the teas with just a trace of sugar. ¼ teaspoons per 360ml of tea. And it not just regular sugar. It’s the pure sweet kind from Nissin or Mitsui. My wife always complains because I make her buy the sugar whenever she travels to Japan. I suppose I could use rock sugar but with the perfectl uniformly granulated sugar from the above two producers, I can get the exact amount each time I brew the teas.

[mahalotea]

Lately I've been drinking this great Earl Grey Bergamot from Mahalo Tea
https://www.mahalotea.com/collections/a ... -black-tea

[Yatra Tea Co]

Drinking m three favorite FF Darjeeling Teas from 2016. Margaret’s Hope, Namring Upper, and Arya. All three were released in December 2016. Why so late? Mariage Freres tends to separate teas best suited to be released during the height of the Spring Season, while they hold on to others to be slightly aged and released in Winter. Out of the two dozen FF Darjeelings I have tasted for 2016, the above mentioned 3 are my favorites. They have lost much of grassy green taste giving way for the other flavors to be enjoyed within the tea. I tend to brew FF Darjeelings a little bit stronger, and steeping a little bit longer at 3.5 minutes @ 195C, resulting in a dark, red colored tea.

I drink the teas with just a trace of sugar. ¼ teaspoons per 360ml of tea. And it not just regular sugar. It’s the pure sweet kind from Nissin or Mitsui. My wife always complains because I make her buy the sugar whenever she travels to Japan. I suppose I could use rock sugar but with the perfectl uniformly granulated sugar from the above two producers, I can get the exact amount each time I brew the teas.

Curious if you have tasted any 2017 FF teas from Darjeeling?