Home » People » Alex Zorach » Reviews
No Image

Alex Zorach

RateTea Editor

Tea Blog - Website

Member since Sep. 1st, 2009. Reviewed 1448 teas.

Reviews of Teas & Herbal Teas from India

Only Teas From
Only

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 of 9 pages with 206 results

Picture of Darjeeling (teabag)

Darjeeling (teabag) from Ahmad Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jul. 21st, 2013

This is undoubtedly the best Darjeeling I've tried in tea bags yet, and it's surprisingly affordable. It's a broken-leaf tea, but I think it surpasses even "full-leaf" teas in pyramid sachets, like those from Two Leaves Tea or Novus Tea.

Very green character the greenest I've ever had from a tea bag. Is this pure ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Sungma (Organic, Darjeeling First Flush 2013)

Sungma (Organic, Darjeeling First Flush 2013) from Happy Earth Tea

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

93 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 8th, 2013

Another top-notch Darjeeling first flush from Happy Earth Tea. This is the second tea I've tried from Sungma estate; the other was a second flush that I liked very much.

Dry leaf is very green and has an aroma of fruit and flowers, with strong nutty tones.

The brewed cup smells initially of muscat grape and cara...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Arya Black (Organic Darjeeling, First Flush 2013)

Arya Black (Organic Darjeeling, First Flush 2013) from Happy Earth Tea

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

90 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 5th, 2013

A fantastic tea, but tough to brew well.

Dry leaf looks very green, among the greenest first flush I've seen, and has a typical aroma of Darjeeling first flush: lightly fruity and floral. The label "Black" I find rather humorous: there's nothing remotely black about this tea.

I found this tea to be tricky to bre...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Afternoon Darjeeling

Afternoon Darjeeling from Octavia Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Jun. 19th, 2013

Served at Velvet Sky Bakery in Jenkintown. This tea has become a regular of mine--I have found I enjoy it much more when I'm very careful about brewing. I recommend a brief initial steeping, about 1 minute, followed by a longer steeping, 3 minutes or more, for a second cup.

The cup is pleasantly aromatic, with a c...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Himalayan Green

Himalayan Green from Octavia Tea

Style: Darjeeling Green Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 5th, 2013

This is a very strong, bold-tasting green tea that is among my favorite green teas ever sampled. I sampled this tea, my first from Octavia Tea, for the first time, in a new and very cute cafe, Velvet Sky Bakery, in Jenkintown. It was brewed in the Adagio Ingenuitea infuser, incidentally, my first time having tea brew...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Makaibari Estate Oolong Tea

Makaibari Estate Oolong Tea from Arbor Teas

Style: Darjeeling Oolong – Region: Darjeeling, India

100 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 4th, 2013

This is one weird but I love it!

This is my favorite Darjeeling oolong yet...but it really smells and tastes more like first flush (black tea) to me, but has a buttery mouthfeel like a good Taiwanese jade oolong.

Dry leaf is mostly broken, into pieces of different sizes, and has a strong aroma, suggestive of wint...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Assam Tea

Assam Tea from Mountain Rose Herbs

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 17th, 2013

Strong, unique, and very afforable!

This was an interesting tea, and completely unlike any other Assam I've sampled. The tea it seemed most similar to, to me, was actually a Keemun from Arbor teas, that was also atypical for its style.

I recommend a brief infusion: it infuses quite fast, and I find it tastes bes...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Indian White Tea

Indian White Tea from Frontier

Style: White Tea – Region: Kerala, India

60 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 27th, 2013

Dry leaf is beautiful, but not very aromatic. Looks like a bai mu dan (white peony) by leaf shape and size, but a shou mei by the darker leaf color.

Upon brewing, there's a fleeting suggestion of lemon in the aroma, but when I drink it, the flavor and aroma are subdued. Aroma is mostly of caramel and autumn leaves...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Barooti Assam (Broken Leaf with Golden Tips)

Barooti Assam (Broken Leaf with Golden Tips) from Ahmad Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 5/5
Mar. 19th, 2013

Yet another high-quality loose-leaf tea from Ahmad, for a very reasonable price. I was surprised that Ahmad sells this alongside their Kalami Assam, which is a whole-leaf tea in a similar price range. This tea was very different, so I can understand how they'd carry both, but I didn't like it as much.

The cup has ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Assam Organic Tea

Assam Organic Tea from Wegmans

Style: Assam – Region: India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 6th, 2013

I find Wegmans black teas to be on the mellow side, but have superior aromatic qualities. This was a really enjoyable tea that is among the strongest of their black teas. Classic Assam character.

Dry leaf is not terribly aromatic, and smells like a typical black tea.

The brewed cup has a much more pleasing arom...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Organic Irish Breakfast Black Tea

Organic Irish Breakfast Black Tea from Wegmans

Style: Irish Breakfast – Region: India

78 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 5th, 2013

A good tea, but not really true to the Irish Breakfast style. Pricey, and requires a lot of leaf to brew strong enough for me.

Dry leaf has a slightly malty and strongly fruity aroma, and a heterogeneous color showing a lot of tips, which look dusty beige in color.

This is the smoothest Irish Breakfast tea I've ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Organic Masala Chai Black Tea

Organic Masala Chai Black Tea from Wegmans

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: India

70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 1st, 2013

A good masala chai blend, but not among the best I've tried.

This tea looks to contain a nice blend of dry spices. I see a lot of cardamom pods, which is a good sign.

I thought the base tea was a little on the weak side. In spite of being broken into small pieces, it didn't seem to impart much strength to the c...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Korakundah Estate Nilgiri FOP Black Tea

Korakundah Estate Nilgiri FOP Black Tea from Arbor Teas

Style: Black Tea – Region: Nilgiri, India

57 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 1st, 2013

This tea had a very pleasant-smelling dry leaf, but I could not produce a satisfactory cup by brewing it: it struck me as weak. Dry leaf is relatively finely broken, but smells very pleasing, with hints of wintergreen.

I used a lot of leaf, but in spite of that, upon brewing, this tea came out quite weak. Aroma of...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kama Sutra Chai

Kama Sutra Chai from Shanti Tea

Style: Chai / Spiced Tea – Region: India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Jan. 24th, 2013

The dry leaf smells a bit like potpourri, and a bit like a regular Masala chai.

Upon brewing, this tea is quite peppery and almost prickly on the palate. The brewed cup is not as floral-smelling as the leaf. Aroma is complex and hard to describe: I definitely notice the clove, but the other aromas seem to blend to...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Makaibari Estate Green Tea

Makaibari Estate Green Tea from Arbor Teas

Style: Green Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 8th, 2013

My favorite ever green tea was a long-leaf green from Makaibari estate. This is a very different tea, and alas, I did not enjoy it quite as much, but it was still a very good tea.

I find this tea tastes more like Chinese green teas than most green teas I've tried from India; it reminds me of some Sri Lankan teas ma...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Assam TGFOP Black Tea

Assam TGFOP Black Tea from Arbor Teas

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

91 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 4th, 2013

This is my favorite Assam I've tried yet, excepting a few wholesale-only samples.

Aroma is very complex, suggestive of bread, dried fruit (raisins?), sweet rice, and a hint of wintergreen. There's a lot going on in the aroma; I found myself sipping it slowly and enjoying the different tones that developed.

Very ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Makaibari Estate Darjeeling 2nd Flush Black Tea

Makaibari Estate Darjeeling 2nd Flush Black Tea from Arbor Teas

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 3rd, 2013

I always get excited about Makaibari estate and I have not yet been disappointed. This was among one of the smoothest, creamiest teas I've tried from them. It has less bite than the first flush.

Aroma of the dry leaf is suggestive of monsoon/rains teas.

Upon brewing, the aroma becomes much more complex.

I fi...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Imperial Assam (Tea Bags)

Imperial Assam (Tea Bags) from Hampstead Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

47 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Nov. 15th, 2012

Brews a very dark color, but flavor is surprisingly light (although still stronger than most light-colored teas). Tastes a lot more like high-grown Ceylon tea than like most Assam.

Aroma suggestive of spices and sweet rice, with quite a strong wood presence (like oak and cedar, unlike most teas). Peppery and punge...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Darjeeling (Sachets)

Darjeeling (Sachets) from Hampstead Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 4th, 2012

I fell in love with Hampstead tea's loose-leaf Darjeeling some time ago, and it was not before picking up some samples at World Tea East this year that I had an opportunity to try any of their tea bags.

This is called a "sachet" but it's not a pyramid bag--just a humble tea bag. The tea inside is pretty broken up, ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Organic/Biodynamic Darjeeling Autumnal

Organic/Biodynamic Darjeeling Autumnal from Divinitea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Aug. 24th, 2012

I tend to love everything that comes out of Makaibari estate, and this tea is no exception. I still think I prefer their first flush and long-leaf greens, but this was another very good tea, and people who like darker black teas might actually prefer this one.

A fairly complex Darjeeling. Powerful grape-like aroma...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Darjeeling Ambootia Estate Organic Green Tea

Darjeeling Ambootia Estate Organic Green Tea from Simpson & Vail

Style: Darjeeling Green Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Jul. 10th, 2012

Dry leaf has a mild herbaceous aroma, and a dusty appearance.

Produces an olive-green cup. Crisp, clear flavor, with honey-like qualities. Aroma is mild, dominated by melow herbaceous tones. Flavor is clean and the tea has a cooling quality. I found its flavor grew on me a bit. Produces two very flavorful infus...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Poabs Organic

Poabs Organic from Simpson & Vail

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kerala, India

60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 9th, 2012

A powerful, robust, Assam-like tea.

I'm not feeling the description Simpson and Vail gives for this tea; I found it neither smooth nor sweet. This tea brews a strong, dark cup. The aroma and flavor are more like Assam than any tea I've tried outside of Assam. However, there are some nuances that I find most teas ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Darjeeling, Dooteriah Estate - 2nd Flush

Darjeeling, Dooteriah Estate - 2nd Flush from Simpson & Vail

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 26th, 2012

The dry leaf of this tea has the greenest color of any second flush Darjeeling I've ever seen. When brewed, the result is rather oolong-like.

Color is a light amber, lighter than most 2nd Flush Darjeeling. Very clean, crisp, mouthfeel, with considerable sweetness. Slightly edgy and tangy but with little astringen...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Assam Tea

Assam Tea from Frontier

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

70 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jun. 23rd, 2012

A classic Assam: no particularly outstanding qualities, yet a solid tea and pleasing to drink, especially for people who like strong, dark teas.

Strong, malty, with some fruity qualities. Some astringency and bitterness but less than a typical Assam. In spite of being orthodox tea of a decent grade, the leaf infus...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Darjeeling Tea

Darjeeling Tea from Frontier

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

57 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 23rd, 2012

This tea was stored in glass jars in a co-op. I have no idea how fresh it was; the dry leaf smelled fresh and pleasing, but the brewed cup was slightly disappointing. The storage conditions were not optimal, and there was no date, so it could have been that this was just a bit old.

Dry leaf is pleasingly aromatic,...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review

Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 of 9 pages with 206 results

FacebookTwitterInstagramTumblrPatreon