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Alex Zorach

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

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Picture of Java Blend (Java BOP)

Java Blend (Java BOP) from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Indonesia

60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Apr. 13th, 2015

A somewhat novel tea that I found paired well with bland, fatty foods, but was a little boring otherwise.

The dry leaf of this tea smelled very interesting and subtly different from other black teas. It reminded me a bit of an Assam, but had herbaceous notes and a different sort of spicy quality.

Brews up a cup ...

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Picture of Bond Street English Breakfast Blend

Bond Street English Breakfast Blend from Upton Tea Imports

Style: English Breakfast – Region: Blend

53 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
Mar. 31st, 2015

A classic, prototypical English Breakfast tea of average quality. Goes well with milk and probably better suited to people who (unlike me) drink their tea with milk.

A CTC (broken, mechanically-processed) tea; the dry leaf isn't terribly aromatic, but has a pleasant slightly malty aroma.

Produces a very dark cup...

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Picture of Golden Monkey

Golden Monkey from The Meaning of Tea

Style: Golden Monkey – Region: Yunnan, China

37 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 1/5
Mar. 23rd, 2015

This was the worst example of Golden Monkey that I've tried, and the worst example of any golden Chinese black tea. I thought it quite awful and I poured it out without drinking much of it.

The dry leaf is beautiful, and has a very intense aroma of cooked fruit, like raspberry jam. The leaf has a slight dusty qual...

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Picture of China Keemun First Grade

China Keemun First Grade from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Keemun – Region: China

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Mar. 22nd, 2015

If I've ever had a prototypical Keemun, this is it; it would make an excellent standard against which to compare other examples of this tea, although it also had a few ways in which it stood out.

The dry leaf is fine, and very pleasantly aromatic, hinting at notes of dried fruit and light wood smoke, and suggesting ...

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Picture of Baker Street Afternoon Blend

Baker Street Afternoon Blend from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Russian Caravan – Region: Blend

53 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 19th, 2015

The dry leaf of this just smells like Lapsang Souchong. It also has an ununusual, hetereogeneous shape. One tea, presumably the souchong, has very long, wiry leaves, whereas the others are much shorter. This makes me wonder if the leaves would separate if stored in a large container and shaken around enough.

Brew...

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Picture of Tippy Orthodox GBOP Assam

Tippy Orthodox GBOP Assam from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 19th, 2015

I had the opportunity to try some top-notch Assams lately, top grades of single estate teas, and this was a much lower grade, broken leaf, and blended, but it was surprisingly good for what it is.

The brewed cup isn't quite as malty as I usually expect for an Assam. It has some pleasant fruity notes in the aroma, a...

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Picture of Darjeeling

Darjeeling from Ridgways

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

57 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 13th, 2015

An edgy Darjeeling that was enjoyable, but not the best quality, even for a tea bag.

Brews a beautiful, golden-amber cup that is very clear. Medium- to light-bodied, but with a bold flavor. The aroma is fruity, but more lemony and less like the typical muscatel grape quality I associate with Darjeeling. There's a...

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Picture of Organic Black Tea

Organic Black Tea from Equal Exchange

Style: Black Tea – Region: Blend

63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 9th, 2015

Quite good for a flat tea bag.

Brews up a very dark, opaque liquor. Malty aroma, a lot like an Assam or Irish Breakfast blend. Bold flavor, moderate astringency but still smoother than average for a tea bag of this strength.

I only steeped once, just under 3 minutes, and it produced good results. The tea was s...

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Picture of Caravan Triad

Caravan Triad from Brooklyn Tea Blends

Style: Russian Caravan – Region: China

97 / 100 Aroma: 10/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 3rd, 2015

This tea was singular, and was not only the best Russian Caravan blend I've sampled, but one of the best of any blended teas I've ever tried. Incredibly complex, and eminently pleasing to drink. Brooklyn Tea Blends compares this to single malt scotch, and I definitely see the connection; it even has some of the uniqu...

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Picture of Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush

Arya Ruby Darjeeling Black Tea First Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 2/5
Feb. 22nd, 2015

One of the most atypical Darjeeling teas, tasting more to me like a white tea than a black, I found this was interesting, but not for me. I was disappointed in it for many of the same reasons I tend not to like silver needle white tea.

I've tried this same tea from a different seller, Happy Earth Tea, the 2014 harv...

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Picture of Giddapahar Muscatel Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Giddapahar Muscatel Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 17th, 2015

A very pleasant tea, quite dark for a Darjeeling, and with a pleasant astringency.

The dry leaf is dark and smells fruity, suggesting sweetness, and also very malty.

Brews up a dark cup, even for a second-flush Darjeeling. Aroma is strongly fruity. For having the name Muscatel though, this tea isn't among the t...

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Picture of Mankota Exotic Assam Black Tea Second Flush

Mankota Exotic Assam Black Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Assam – Region: Dibrugarh, Assam, India

88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 17th, 2015

An earthy, complex tea whose true colors only seem to come out if brewed strongly.

The leaf of this is well-formed, but mostly dark (darker than suggested by the picture), and it has a strong and deep aroma, like a classic or typical Assam but with more complexity, more earthy and vegetal.

Produces a cup with a p...

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Picture of Ruby Black Tea (Whole Leaf)

Ruby Black Tea (Whole Leaf) from Health & Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: Taiwan / Formosa

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

This is the best Ruby Black tea I've ever had and among the best black teas I've ever had. I was very impressed by last year's batch, but that was broken-leaf, and this one consists of large, whole leaves, and it's in a completely different category.

The dry leaf of this is incredibly aromatic, with a sweet, vegeta...

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Picture of Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush

Thurbo Moonlight Darjeeling Black Tea Second Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Second Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Feb. 11th, 2015

A unique tea, very different in aroma from any other Darjeeling second flush I've tried. Excellent, but I think I'd like it more if it were more bitter.

The dry leaf smells aromatic, fresh, and light, with herbaceous and spicy notes. It also looks strikingly beautiful--and fascinatingly, the color of the leaf, a m...

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Picture of Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush

Gopaldhara Gold Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Feb. 10th, 2015

This second-flush Darjeeling was very different from the other one from Jungpana estate, that I just tried from this same company. I prepared them the same ways. I didn't like this tea as much, but it was still good.

The dry leaf is not quite as intensely aromatic, but has a fascinating aroma with a fleeting winte...

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Picture of Jungpana Premium Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush (Organic)

Jungpana Premium Darjeeling Black Tea Autumn Flush (Organic) from Golden Tips

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 10th, 2015

Excellent! Probably the maltiest Darjeeling tea I've ever tried, yet smoother and without the tannic edge of an Assam. Otherwise, typical for an autumnal flush.

Dry leaf has a rich, caramelly aroma, fruit, malty for a Darjeeling, and suggesting sweetness.

Upon brewing produces a cup with a rich fruity aroma, so...

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Picture of Halmari Gold Assam Black Tea Second Flush (Clonal)

Halmari Gold Assam Black Tea Second Flush (Clonal) from Golden Tips

Style: Assam – Region: Dibrugarh, Assam, India

91 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Feb. 3rd, 2015

Golden Tips describes this on their website as a pretty exceptional tea, and I think it fully lived up to the description.

The dry leaf, beautifully curled and full of bright orange tip, is the most aromatic of any Assam I've encountered, with an intensely malty aroma, suggesting rye malt, and spicy as well.

Upon...

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Picture of American Classic Tea

American Classic Tea from Charleston Tea Plantation (American Classic Tea)

Style: Black Tea – Region: South Carolina, United States

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 24th, 2015

I was surprised at how different this tasted from the Charleston Breakfast blend. I like this one better, and ironically, I think it tastes more like a strong English breakfast tea, whereas the other blend tastes more like a plain, medium-bodied black tea.

The tea bag itself, which is a pyramid sachet filled with l...

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Picture of English Breakfast Black Tea

English Breakfast Black Tea from MajaTei

Style: English Breakfast – Region: Blend

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 15th, 2015

Definitely one of the best English Breakfast teas I've sampled. A somewhat subdued tea that was slow to infuse, but became quite robust if steeped long enough. Quite different from a typical breakfast tea.

The dry leaf, which is fairly large pieces of leaf that are tightly rolled, smelled slightly of cocoa, but wa...

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Picture of Assam Boisahabi Malty Second Flush

Assam Boisahabi Malty Second Flush from TeaGschwendner

Style: Assam – Region: Jorhat, Assam, India

84 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 10th, 2015

A very enjoyable, almost prototypical Assam, but of very good quality. Another of the many samples recently brought back to me from Germany.

Dry leaf aromatic, but doesn't quite betray the true beauty of this tea.

Upon brewing, produces a richly aromatic cup, full-bodied, and with both warming and cooling qualit...

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Picture of East Frisian Leaf Blend

East Frisian Leaf Blend from TeaGschwendner

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

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 31st, 2014

A strong black tea blend of very good quality. Another sample brought back from Germany.

Brews up a rich, dark cup that is only moderately aromatic. The aroma is very malty and slightly vegetal. The flavor is very smooth up-front, but there's a tannic edge towards the end of the sip, which I found quite pleasant....

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Picture of Nr. 291, Festive Tea™ Darjeeling FTGFOP1 Okayti First Flush

Nr. 291, Festive Tea™ Darjeeling FTGFOP1 Okayti First Flush from TeaGschwendner

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 31st, 2014

A very light first flush Darjeeling with a unique character.

A present brought back from Germany, does not look like it's available in the U.S. I found this tea fascinating, as it's an example of a "holiday-themed" tea that is a single-estate pure tea of a high grade, and I normally associate "holiday teas" with fl...

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Picture of Kenya GFOP Milima

Kenya GFOP Milima from TeaGschwendner

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kericho, Kenya

91 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 28th, 2014

My favorite tea from TeaGschwendner yet! I thought this was among the best Kenyan black teas I've sampled, and among the best of all African teas for that matter.

Brews a rich, dark, full-bodied cup with a strong but subdued aroma and an exceptionally smooth flavor. The aroma is complex and hard to describe: it se...

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Picture of English Aristocratic Tea

English Aristocratic Tea from Hyleys Tea

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

70 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 25th, 2014

A strong black tea of very good quality for a very reasonable price. In spite of the "English Aristocratic" name, I think this tea has more of a Russian flavor aesthetic: bold, strong, and intensely fruity. I really enjoy the large-leaf Ceylon OPA teas. My favorite is Ahmad Tea's, and I think I still like that one a...

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Picture of Red Horse Black Tea

Red Horse Black Tea from Simply Good Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: Fujian, China

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 21st, 2014

Very enjoyable! This is my favorite tea so far from Simply Good Tea (I've only posted two reviews so far but have tried a few more).

The leaf looks a lot like the Bai Lin Gongfu I just tried from Joseph Wesley: well-formed, very wiry, curly leaves with quite a lot of golden-orange tip. Very aromatic, suggesting dr...

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