Review: The English Tea Store’s Buckingham Palace Garden Party Black Tea

The Subject: Buckingham Palace Garden Party Black Tea from The English Tea Store.

Rating:

Water temperature: 212° F
Steeping time: 5 minutes

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: Earl Grey, Jasmine
Aroma, dry: Strong floral (rose, lilac) with hint of citrus
Aroma in the cup, plain: Strong floral (rose, lilac) with hint of citrus
Taste, plain: Strong floral (rose, lilac), no citrus, bit of an edge, slight bitterness
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: Floral altered
Taste, enhanced: Floral altered

2nd Infusion: Since is bagged tea, did not try one

Comments:
Normally, I avoid bagged teas as much as possible. However, the name of this tea was so intriguing, having visited Buckingham Palace (strictly outside the gates), that I had to try it. I have had a fantasy (since watching the changing of the guards) of attending a garden tea party at the Palace and wanted to see if this tea would take me there (in my mind, that is). I can cheerfully say, “Mission accomplished!”

Hubby tested the tea with me, first smelling the tea dry and then tasting the brewed tea. The smell of the tea dry in the bag gives a true foretelling of the taste in the cup. We both detected strong floral notes, especially rose and lilac. Hubby also detected a definite citrus aroma. These scents are typical of Earl Grey tea flavored with oil of bergamot (a type of orange) and jasmine.

To get a good infusion in the Little Yellow Teapot, I used two bags. The taste of the tea plain in the cup carried forth those floral notes along with a bit of an edge. I detected a slight bitterness, but hubby didn’t. The bitterness was mellowed for me by a little milk and sweetener (the stuff in the blue packets), but hubby thought the floral notes were heightened with these enhancements.

Overall, this tea seems to be a great occasional tea, making it perfect for tea parties (that’s why I had my second cupful in one of my special bone china teacups with saucer and little gold teaspoon). Serve it with some mild tasting foods like finger sandwiches made with cream cheese or rich-tasting Scottish shortbread cookies. They will balance out the strong floral.

We deducted a half teapot for this being a bagged tea versus loose and a half teapot for the somewhat overwhelming floral taste and aroma. Hubby took off another half teapot for the floral lingering so long on the palate after finishing off a cupful. I added a half teapot just for the way it carried me off to that imaginary tea party with the Queen.

Disclaimer: The teas reviewed here were provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are strictly objective.

Review: Adagio’s Pumpkin Spice Black Tea

The Subject: Pumpkin Spice Black Tea from Adagio Teas.

Rating:

Water temperature: 212° F
Steeping time: 5 minutes

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: Pumpkin Spice
Aroma, dry: Predominately pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon
Aroma in the cup, plain: Predominately pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon
Taste, plain: Predominately pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: Mellowed pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon
Taste, enhanced: Mellowed pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon

2nd Infusion: Not recommended — weak, loses pumpkin spice flavor

Comments:
The Little Yellow Teapot is feeling all cozy and warm after trying Adagio’s Pumpkin Spice Black Tea. Hubby and I are, too. What could be more appropriate for a tasty Autumn “cuppa” tea?

The aroma of this tea dry is like a slice of pumpkin pie, warm and cinnamony, with a dollop of whipped cream; it’s so enticing that I would be tempted to use it in a potpourri to fill the house with a flavorful scent perfect for the Holiday Season. Hubby said it has a “dark, rich smell” that makes him think of a slice of toast warm from the toaster and has no strong aftertaste like coffee has.

When steeped for the recommended 5 minutes, the tea has a flavor that is free of bitterness and needs no enhancement (milk and/or sweetener). It also maintains the flavors and aromas present when it is dry. Hubby says it tastes smooth and is a perfect complement to Autumn foods typically served at Thanksgiving and Christmas, especially ham. I detected a bit of bitterness around the edges of my tongue after the 2nd cupful. I also tried it with milk and sweetener (the stuff in the blue packets), which mellowed the flavor and took away the bitterness. A truly satisfying “cuppa”!

A word of caution: Don’t let this tea over steep. If you are using a teaball or infuser basket, remove it from the teapot after 5 minutes exactly. If you are steeping the tea au naturel (that is, with the leaves loose in the teapot) as I do, strain the tea into another teapot or other container. Otherwise, the tea will take on an overly strong, bitter taste, with the pumpkin spice flavoring becoming too prominent, as I found out the hard way. Also, a 2nd infusion is not recommended, since it is weak and most of the pumpkin spice flavor fades away.

We had to go with a rating of 4 teapots instead of 5 due to the seasonal nature of this tea (not sure we would drink it during Spring or Summer), the bitterness and overly strong taste the tea takes on after only a minute or two of over steeping, the disappointing 2nd infusion, and the fact that it doesn’t go well with chocolate (just kidding! everything goes with chocolate).

Disclaimer: The teas reviewed here were provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are strictly objective.

Golden Moon Tea's Sample Has Arrived!

The Little Yellow Teapot is steaming with delight! I just checked the mail and saw that the tea sample from Golden Moon Tea has arrived.

It’s always a thrill to try a new tea. All the better to share the experience through this blog with other tea drinkers — the next best thing to having a big tea party in my house (and a lot less work to prepare for).

The teapot and I will be posting a review in the near future, with input from Hubby, too, who has graciously consented to lend his tastebuds to the task. The Little Yellow Teapot uses a 5-teapot rating system. Hubby, the teapot, and I will score individually. Then, the scores are combined and averaged into a final rating, using our 5-teapot rating system (5 being the best, 0 being the worst).

It promises to be a fun adventure. Hope you can join us!

Samples from The English Tea Store Have Arrived!

It’s a great day for the Little Yellow Teapot! Tea samples just arrived from The English Tea Store. We’ll be trying them out over the next few weeks and reporting our results here. Hubby will be joining in the fun, and our rating (as portrayed by our 5-teapot rating system — 5 being the best, 0 being the worst) will be a combination of our views.

The loose teas came in handy pouches. I’ll need to store them in a light-proof container, though, since they have a little window for viewing the tea — very nice, but light is one of the hazards of tea storage (along with moisture and heat) and can rob tea of its flavor. Don’t want to risk that!

They threw in a few teabags containing a couple of their special blends. I’m hoping they will be more flavorful than teabags from the grocery store.

One of the loose teas was a green named Snow Dragon. For this one, the Little Yellow Teapot has passed the baton to the Little Japanese Teapot. I know there are lots of teapots out there, and more being created every day teapot maker, but there’s something about a good green tea that seems to call most definitely for my little cast-iron teapot.

Never fear — nothing will come between me and my tea, such as an infuser basket or teaball. Besides, the Little Yellow Teapot wouldn’t tolerate such treatment of fine, loose leaf teas.

Adagio Tea Samples Have Arrived!

The Little Yellow Teapot is all excited. I just got a bunch of samples from Adagio Teas. Over the weeks ahead the Little Yellow Teapot and I will be trying them out together. Hubby has also volunteered his tastebuds. We’ll compare notes and bring you our final vote plus details of the experience and photos (of course!).

Aren’t these the cutest little tea tins? They are so great at preserving freshness, too.

Longing for Oolong - Can't wait to do review

Hi, Oolong tea lovers. Will be reviewing an Oolong tea from GoldenMoonTea.com soon. Ah! Nothing beats trying a new tea!