Tea: Kalami Assam Indian Tea:
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Reviewer: Alex Zorach
 | Member since Sep, 2009 ✓ 623 teas reviewed: ✓ 9 of Assam. ✓ 3 of Ahmad Tea. |
Review of Kalami Assam Indian Tea:
October 20th, 2011
| Aroma: | Flavor: | Value: | Overall: | Total: |
| 9 of 10 | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 7 of 10 | 83 of 100 |
| Superb | Very Good | Outstanding | Very Good |
This tea offers extraordinary quality for its price! I bought a pound of it for $6.15 at a middle-eastern grocery store. It is large pieces of broken leaves.
Dry leaf has a rich and complex aroma: malty, spicy, herbaceous, and floral.
Ahmad recommends a very long steeping time, 8 minutes, and after considerable experimentation, I find I agree with them. This tea is very slow to infuse and loses much of its complexity if only brewed for 3-4 minutes.
Brewed for 8 minutes, aroma is very complex: there is some of the typical Assam maltiness, but many other qualities as well. A hint of rice, suggestive of high-grown Ceylons, and suggestions of dried fruit, reminiscent of a Keemun.
Flavor is also complex: significantly sweet, but also significantly bitter, somewhat sour, and savory as well. Fairly astringent on the palate. Very full-bodied.
If brewed for only 3-4 minutes, this tea is considerably lighter in body and less astringent, and the aroma is much less complex, but it is still enjoyable.
If you paid more, you could probably get a smoother tea, with similar qualities and much less astringency. But this tea is delightful to drink. If you want a budget tea that is top-notch for its price, this one is the way to go.