Review: The Boston Tea Company’s Ceylon Symphony Black Tea

Once again this little teapot did his duty by helping my humans steep up a fragrant potful of this tea.

The Subject: Ceylon Symphony Black Tea from The Boston Tea Company.

Rating:
Water temperature: 212˚˚ F
Steeping time: 5 minutes (see comments)

Tea type: Black
Scents, flavorings, etc.: N/A
Aroma, dry: Fragrant, mild, with lively sweet hay scent
Aroma in the cup, plain: Fragrant, mild, slightly malty
Taste, plain: Mild, slightly malty, tangy aftertaste, no bitterness
Aroma in the cup, enhanced: Smooth, malty
Taste, enhanced: Smooth, malty

2nd Infusion: Lighter flavor, aroma

Chilled: Didn’t do

Comments:
The Boston Tea Co. no doubt scoured the island nation of Sri Lanka (formerly called Ceylon) to find the most lively tasting Ceylon tea that hubby and I have yet tried. It’s sort of a blend of the fruity taste of Darjeeling and the malty richness of Assam. It takes milk and sweetener well but is equally good plain in the cup. The liquid is a dark red-brown and full of fragrance.

Tea almost single-handedly saved the economy of Sri Lanka years ago. They used to grow coffee as a main crop until the plants developed a disease that wiped out most plantations on the island. Tea plants thrived, though, and took over where the coffee plants left off. After trying this tea, hubby and I are so very grateful to the coffee plant disease.

We would have given this tea a 5-teapot rating except for the lightness of the 2nd infusion. We tried reducing the steep time of the 1st infusion and increasing the steep time of the 2nd infusion. Unfortunately, for us this weaker 1st infusion was insufficient and didn’t take milk as well as the full strength 1st infusion we initially made. If you like your tea plain and perhaps with a bit of sweetener, then you will be satisfied with a lighter 1st infusion and a heartier 2nd infusion. For us, this tea is not a multiple infusion tea and therefore not as good a bang for our tea buck as other black teas. It’s still totally delicious.

NOTE: This pouch is what the Boston Tea Company uses for samples. Their normal pouches are opaque, not clear, and block out light, very important for preserving your fine teas.

Disclaimer: This tea was provided by the company named. However, the rating of the tea and any opinions concerning it are always strictly objective.