TeaGschwendner's Assam Boisahabi Malty Second Flush TGBPOP (review)

Name: Assam Boisahabi Malty Second Flush TGBPOP
Brand:Tea Gschwendner
Type: Black, Assam
Form: Loose leaf
Cost: 100g (3.53oz) $7.90 (greater discounts available in quantity)

Review: Whew! If someone is looking for a full-on malty, astringent Assam, they could do a lot worse than TeaGschwendner’s Assam Boisahabi Malty Second Flush TGBPOP.

The leaf is very small, and infuses to a gorgeous red-orange cup.

The instructions suggest a five minute infusion, but frankly, I think two minutes is more than sufficient.  The dry nose is earthy and spicy (TeaGschwendner’s own copy describes tobacco and toffee, which is correct) with a hint of sweetness. Once infused, the toffee notes take on a burnt-toffee quality which is not unpleasant.  But be warned:  If you drink  this tea without milk and sugar, you are going to be so puckered-up from the tea’s astringency that you won’t be paying much attention to its flavor. Those small, broken leaves really deliver!

That said, this is a clean tasting tea that marries extremely well with milk and sugar. It does fine with milk only, but the addition of sugar gets this tea to really shine.  The other option is to drink this tea black,  accompanied by  a very sweet pastry, roll, or donut. The tea clears the palate nicely between bites and the sweetness counteracts this tea’s briskness.

Recommendation: This is a very strong, very astringent tea that mellows beautifully with the addition of milk and sugar. Fans of “builder’s tea“  who want to drink something with a bit more nuance than PG Tips should find this tea very appealing.

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Tagged as: assam, Black Tea, tea, tea gschwendner, tea reviews