I have tried a few The Tea Spot teas now on the blog, and I’ve enjoyed them so far! This time, the focus is on black tea/black tea blends. There will be one straight tea and two blends. I always like tasting black teas, so let’s go!
New Moon Darjeeling
Description: “The amber liquor rests gently on the palate while delivering bright sweet muscatel notes expected from a premium darjeeling.”
Review: I have always been hunting for muscatel notes ever since I tried a tea once that had it and fell in love. However, it is hard to find a tea that has it. To me, the taste is sweet like honey and fresh grapes. It has a hint of sour, but it isn’t overwhelming. Some Darjeeling teas have them, so I was excited when I saw the description.
The aroma of the dry blend was sweet and earthy, with hints of malt. The twisted leaves were a nice dark brown and black, with some hint of dust. The wet leaves were more malt and roasted and were a reddish brown.
The brown liquor had a very thick mouthfeel and made the mouth dry and water. It had an earthy and malt aroma. It tasted sweet and earthy, but to me, personally, it did not have what I consider muscatel notes. However, it was still a lovely tea (3/5 rating).
- Type: Black tea
- Origins: India
- Caffeine: Unknown
- Ingredients: Darjeeling tea
- Other: Organic
- Company: The Tea Spot
Earl of Grey
Description: “This tea is for those who like to veer from tradition, explore new ground, and a must for those with fond memories of the orange-creamsicles of childhood.”
Review: Earl Grey (or in this case, Earl of Grey) is such a classic blend that it is very comforting taste. I enjoy it best when the blend is nice and balanced and there isn’t an overwhelming flavour from any of the ingredients.
The dry blend had a very rich bergamot aroma, with a whiff of mild citrus. Lemon rinds and blue mallow flowers petals were visible through the dark brown tea leaves. Since the dry blend had such a strong bergamot aroma, that I wasn’t surprised when after steeping that is what I could smell from the wet blend and liquor.
The liquor had a reddish brown colour. I found that it had some mild astringency, which covered the whole mouth. It tasted bold and earthy, with lingering bergamot notes. I found this tea to be a very classic rendition of an Earl Grey with a heavy emphasis on bergamot, but not to the point that it becomes bitter or too strong (3/5 rating).
- Type: Black tea
- Origins: Unknown
- Caffeine: Unknown
- Ingredients: Black tea, citrus rind, licorice root, mallow flowers, bergamot, citrus & vanilla flavoring
- Company: The Tea Spot
Chocolate Orange Tiramisu
Description: “This lovely dessert tea is a real treat! It is made with dried orange peel, roasted almond bits, and a blend of premium full leaf black teas Assam, Yunnan, & Keemun.”
Review: I love tiramisu, so what is there not to love with a tiramisu-inspired tea blend! When I smelled the dry blend, it reminded me of coffee candy – sweet and sugary, with a warm coffee aroma. There were large pieces of almond and orange peels. I found that after steeping, I was able to detect a more caramel aroma, as opposed to the coffee.
The thick liquor had a sweet nutty aroma. I also found that it reminded me a bit of raisins. It tasted sweet, with lovely orange notes and became nutty. However, I found that there was some bitterness and a fair bit of astringency. I recall steeping this at four minutes, but maybe it fares a bit better at three. I liked the blend, but I was really hoping for stronger coffee notes (3/5 rating).
- Type: Black tea
- Origins: Unknown
- Caffeine: Unknown
- Ingredients: Black tea, almond bits, orange peel, butterscotch candy (coconut, sugar, cashew nut flour, baking soda), flavoring
- Company: The Tea Spot
Final Thoughts
I enjoyed these black teas! I do wish that New Moon Darjeeling and Chocolate Orange Tiramisu had stronger muscatel and coffee notes respectively. However, the blends themselves were still good. I have a few more The Tea Spot Teas left to try, so look out for those next month!
