Home » People » Alex Zorach » Reviews
No Image

Alex Zorach

RateTea Editor

Tea Blog - Website

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

Reviews of Black Tea

Only Teas From
Only

Page 1 2 3 ... 6 7 8 9 10 ... 18 19 20 of 20 pages with 496 results

Picture of Castleton China Black Tea

Castleton China Black Tea from Udyan Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

97 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 3rd, 2016

Wow. Udyan tea recently sent me some samples, and they are of impressive quality. This is the first sample I'm reviewing, and only the second tea I've ever tried from Castleton estate. It got my attention immediately as a top-quality tea.

The dry leaf of this tea is explosively aromatic and the aroma is extraordin...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Black King

Black King from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Hunan, China

100 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 13th, 2015

Wow, this is a truly exceptional tea.

The dry leaf looks and smells intricate and beautiful: the appearance is fine, wiry leaves with a dusty appearance, a mix of gold and rich brown, and the aroma is very intense, strongly malty, like rye malt, with hints of spice, and the suggestion of sweetness. There's a strong...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Breakfast Blend (Morning Rise)

Breakfast Blend (Morning Rise) from Numi Organic Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: Blend

67 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 2/5
Dec. 7th, 2015

Wow. This might be the best breakfast tea I've ever tried from a tea bag. This was in a box of Numi tea bags that my friend Emily gave me, thank you so much!

Very aromatic once brewed: the aroma is very complex too: malty, spicy, and with notes of hot chocolate and a hint of roast like black coffee. The overall ch...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Jolotigo Estate Orthodox Java BT

Jolotigo Estate Orthodox Java BT from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: West Java, Indonesia

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 7th, 2015

A very enjoyable tea for a very reasonable price. I agree with Upton that it is versatile, and I found it easy to enjoy (I shared it with two others and they both also liked it). This is the second excellent Indonesian tea I've sampled recently, and I think it ties for my two favorite teas from this region.

The dry...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Season's Pick Assam GFOP

Season's Pick Assam GFOP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Assam, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Nov. 29th, 2015

I thought this a typical, middle-of-the-road Assam of good quality. but not mind-blowing. Good for people who value smoothness in a full-bodied tea.

Dry leaf has a mild fruity aroma. Brewed cup is very smooth, but rich and full-bodied. Aroma is predominately fruity, but also malty, with the fruitiness resembling ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Milima Estate Kenya OP

Milima Estate Kenya OP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kericho, Kenya

67 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Nov. 29th, 2015

A good black tea, but not among my favorites. This is now the fourth tea I've tried from Milima estate in Kenya. I've become a huge fan of teas from this garden: two of their teas are among my top-rated black teas of all time.

I thought this one was good, but I didn't like it quite as much as the examples I tried ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Original Blend Russian Caravan

Original Blend Russian Caravan from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Russian Caravan – Region: Blend

47 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
Nov. 29th, 2015

A disappointing blend from a company that usually impresses me with their black teas. The one thing this tea had going for it though was that it was hearty and warming.

Dry leaf doesn't wow me, it has a mild, almost stale smell.

Upon brewing though, becomes much more pleasant. Aroma is oolong-like, like a dark,...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of China Black (Orange Pekoe) Organic

China Black (Orange Pekoe) Organic from Frontier

Style: Black Tea – Region: China

37 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 1/5
Nov. 29th, 2015

I brewed this tea multiple times and it consistently disappointed me.

The dry leaf of this tea, which is quite broken, had a weak aroma that reminded me of a fresh loaf of rye bread at a mediocre deli.

When water hit the leaves, the aroma developed into an array of light smokiness, deep vegetal notes, and fruitin...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Ceylon Black Tea (Orange Pekoe) High Grown

Ceylon Black Tea (Orange Pekoe) High Grown from Frontier

Style: Ceylon Black Tea – Region: Sri Lanka / Ceylon

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Nov. 17th, 2015

My favorite tea from Frontier yet, I thought this a top-quality black tea and one of the better Ceylons I've sampled from any company.

The dry leaf is quite beautiful, and has a mild but pleasant aroma of malt and spice that is lighter and cooler than most malty teas.

Upon brewing, the aroma becomes a bit dusty, ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Organic Darjeeling Estate

Organic Darjeeling Estate from Mighty Leaf Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 8th, 2015

This was my favorite Darjeeling from a tea bag yet.

The dry leaf of this tea, in the bag, smells amazing, even though it appears rather finely broken. There are sweet fruity notes, a hint of spice (caraway?) and some other qualities that I find distinctive but hard to describe.

Brews up a cup that is initially s...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Java Golden Black Tea

Java Golden Black Tea from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Indonesia

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Sep. 10th, 2015

Without a doubt the best Indonesian tea I've sampled. Most like Yunnan teas, but a bit of its own thing: strong and black but with a slightly lighter body.

The dry leaf, which consists of short pieces of leaf, mostly golden in color and beautifully curled, has a strong aroma, like rye malt with a hint of spicy note...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Livingstonia GFOP

Livingstonia GFOP from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Tanzania

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Aug. 31st, 2015

A multifaceted, but somewhat subdued tea.

The dry leaf of this tea has a fruity smell, suggesting sweetness, but not very strong.

Upon brewing, the cup smells like wintergreen, pine needles, and moss, like the forest floor in a northern pine forest, but the flavor is very mellow and subdued and many of the notes ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kenya Milima

Kenya Milima from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kericho, Kenya

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Aug. 30th, 2015

A strong black tea with numerous fleeting complexities. I tried this tea together with two other Kenyan black teas sold by Harney and Sons, the Kaimosi CTC and Kangaita OP, and this tea seemed in between those two in overall characteristics, but it also seemed to be a more nuanced tea than either of them, and it grew ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Mangalam Full

Mangalam Full from Harney and Sons

Style: Assam – Region: Sivasagar, Assam, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Aug. 24th, 2015

2014 harvest. A very pleasant tea that I have enjoyed drinking daily. Ever-so-slightly disappointing, but only after trying some of the Kenyan teas sold by Harney, which were cheaper yet which I still liked better. I think had I not bought this in such a batch of top-notch teas, it might have shined a bit brighter. I...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kangaita OP

Kangaita OP from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kenya

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Aug. 15th, 2015

A rich, deep, and mellow tea, excellent if you want something very dark but smooth.

Dry leaf smells only faintly, but the aroma is extremely pleasant, I'd say beautiful. I find I like it more each time I smell it. It is a fruity and vegetal quality, reminiscent of the best Kenyan teas I've sampled, and a little li...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kaimosi CTC

Kaimosi CTC from Harney and Sons

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kenya

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Aug. 5th, 2015

A birthday present from my parents, purchased from the Harney & Sons store in a batch of mostly African black teas (they know I LOVE these sorts of teas). This was a very hearty tea that I liked right from the start. Robust and powerful, pleasantly rich and aromatic, but tending towards harsh. Still, I kept coming b...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review

English Breakfast from Metropolitan Tea Company

Style: English Breakfast – Region: Blend

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 21st, 2015

Served at Notting Hill coffee shop in Lewes, DE.

An outstanding English Breakfast blend: robust and strong, with a rich and complex aroma. The aroma is slightly malty, and has noticeable wintergreen notes.

Flavor is very bold and rich; flavor is both bitter and savory, and astringency is fairly strong; be carefu...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review

Keemun Panda #1 Tea from Metropolitan Tea Company

Style: Keemun – Region: Anhui, China

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jul. 18th, 2015

Served at Notting Hill coffee shop in Lewes, DE.

Very aromatic loose leaf, slightly smoky, typical for a Keemun of good quality.

Brews a rich, mellow cup with a rounded character and strong warming quality. Probably not the best tea for a hot summer day like today, but I was in the mood for it and it was excellen...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend

TB05: Mincing Lane Breakfast Blend from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Blend

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
May. 8th, 2015

Another outstanding and powerful black tea blend from Upton. This was also one of my all-time favorite blends from Upton.

The dry leaf of this blend, which consists of quite large pieces of leaf, has a strong and wonderful aroma, lightly smoky, spicy, and fruity, with floral hints, suggesting rose.

Flavor is bri...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Livingstonia Estate Tanzania GFOP

Livingstonia Estate Tanzania GFOP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Tanzania

73 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
May. 5th, 2015

The dry leaf smells mild, but pleasant and interesting, hinting at baked goods.

Produces a moderately full-bodied cup, only lightly bitter, with a somewhat subdued flavor. The aroma is a little weak, and easy to ignore. I find if I pay attention to it though, it's quite interesting, I do notice the hints of mace t...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kibena Estate Tanzania BP1

Kibena Estate Tanzania BP1 from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Tanzania

60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Apr. 30th, 2015

A kind of odd CTC tea; the dry leaf is pleasantly aromatic, suggesting grains or bread, but the aroma is a little flat and suggests a relatively low grade of tea.

Brews up a rich, dark, very full-bodied cup. Initially tastes smooth, but there is a strong muted bitterness that I find becomes stronger as I drink it. ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of River Shannon Breakfast Blend

River Shannon Breakfast Blend from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Irish Breakfast – Region: Blend

88 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 30th, 2015

A classic, yet exemplary Irish Breakfast tea: true to the style, but also top-quality. My favorite Irish Breakfast tea yet.

Dry leaf is dark and smell pleasant, fruity (like dried fruit), malty, and slightly spicy.

The brewed cup is strong and smells surprisingly much of wintergreen, which I love. There are als...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Scottish Breakfast Blend

Scottish Breakfast Blend from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Scottish Breakfast – Region: Blend

91 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 29th, 2015

This was an absolutely delightful tea that was definitely my favorite blend from Upton and one of my favorites among all black tea blends. The perfect balance of strength and smoothness.

Dry leaf is finely broken but has a very pleasant aroma, and quite complex. There are notes of malt and fruit, especially the fr...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of Kandy OP

Kandy OP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Ceylon Black Tea – Region: Kandy, Sri Lanka

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 29th, 2015

The aroma is mild, and very typical for a British-style black tea, on the malty side for a Ceylon, and much more complex than most other Ceylons. I found it is easy to overlook if brewed weakly, but really comes alive if brewed more strongly.

This tea is quite slow to infuse; I like steeping 5 minutes or more, and ...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review
Picture of East Frisian TGFOP

East Frisian TGFOP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: East Frisian Tea (Ostfriesentee) – Region: Blend

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 14th, 2015

An excellent blend for an excellent price, that I can see pleasing both connoisseurs and lovers of strong black teas. Potent but smooth and also complex.

Dry leaf, which is intact and wiry, has a very pleasing aroma with strong vegetal notes.

Upon brewing, produces a dark, rich, but mellow cup which reminds me a...

Link Link to This Review
Read Full Review

Page 1 2 3 ... 6 7 8 9 10 ... 18 19 20 of 20 pages with 496 results

FacebookTwitterInstagramTumblrPatreon