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Alex Zorach

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Member since Sep. 1st, 2009. Reviewed 1452 teas.

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Picture of Castleton Estate TGBOP Ch. First Flush (DJ-25)

Castleton Estate TGBOP Ch. First Flush (DJ-25) from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 8th, 2010

Very green character, even more than typical for a first-flush, both in the appearance of the leaves and the aroma. The cup is a deep amber color. The aroma is light and mostly floral, almost reminiscent of queen Anne's lace blossoms. On my second brewing I did detect a faint suggestion of spearmint in the aroma, an...

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Picture of Dimbula BOP

Dimbula BOP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Ceylon Black Tea – Region: Matale, Sri Lanka (Dimbula)

37 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 1/5
Jan. 7th, 2010

In contrast to Upton's broken-leaf teas from Darjeeling and other Himalayan regions, I am continuously disappointed by Upton's broken-leaf Ceylons, and this one continues the pattern.

Brewed as recommended, this tea is undrinkably strong. I recommend using less leaf and a much shorter steeping time. Even then, it'...

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Picture of Steinthal Estate TGBOP First Flush (DJ-25) Organic

Steinthal Estate TGBOP First Flush (DJ-25) Organic from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

63 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 3/5
Jan. 5th, 2010

Disappointing for a first flush and even among broken-leaf Darjeelings. There's a heaviness to the flavor, even though it is smooth. I'm detecting neither the "fresh floral note" nor the "hint of citrus".

I'm not sure what to recommend with the brewing; if you go longer this tea becomes heavy, although not too bit...

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Picture of Tippy Assam

Tippy Assam from Williamson Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

60 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 2/5
Jan. 4th, 2010

A bold and powerful tea but with some complexity. Fine broken leaf. Infuses quickly...I recommend one and a half minutes, and using less than a teaspoon of leaves. However, if you enjoy a stronger cup, this tea does not get as astringent as you might expect if you brew it longer.

Aroma malty, slightly more vegeta...

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Picture of Golden Wire - GopalDhara

Golden Wire - GopalDhara from Fresh Darjeeling Tea

Style: Darjeeling Autumnal Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5
Jan. 2nd, 2010

Like the other teas I've tried from Fresh Darjeeling tea, this is totally unlike any other black tea I've ever tried.

Aroma very complex...malty, and much more vegetal than most black teas, and with some savory qualities, a hint of smokiness. Reminds me of a tippy assam more than any other Darjeeling I've tried. I...

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Picture of Malaika Estate OP

Malaika Estate OP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Kenya

83 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 26th, 2009

Dark but surprisingly smooth cup...not much bitterness and astringency, and clean aftertaste. The aroma is complex and interesting but very hard to put into words...slightly more vegetal than typical for a black tea. It's hard for me to know exactly what to compare it to...it tastes more like a Yunnan black tea than ...

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Picture of Barnesbeg Estate FTGFOP1 First Flush (DJ-6)

Barnesbeg Estate FTGFOP1 First Flush (DJ-6) from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Darjeeling First Flush – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 23rd, 2009

This tea has a much greener character, to the point it's barely recognizable as a "black tea", except for some lingering tones in the aftertaste. The cup is a gold color like a darker green tea or lighter oolong. Clean, fresh, a bit mild...I can see what Upton says about the notes of citrus and mint.

Extremely rea...

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Picture of Organic China Lapsang Souchong

Organic China Lapsang Souchong from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Lapsang Souchong – Region: China

50 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Dec. 20th, 2009

It's hard for me to evaluate this tea because I am not much of a fan of Lapsang Souchong...but this is among the smoothest of the ones I've tried so far. Perhaps I'd develop a taste for it if I drank it more often.

Very strong smoky aroma, more like a sausage or fireplace than a tea. Flavor is extremely smooth and...

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Picture of Temi Estate TGBOP (SK-10)

Temi Estate TGBOP (SK-10) from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Sikkim, India

60 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 16th, 2009

Mellow, muted, greener in character for a black tea, but bland. Similar to TD06, Upton's broken-leaf Darjeeling blend, but I don't like it as much; it's less floral and the aroma is weaker overall. I recommend steeping 3 minutes or more, otherwise it's too weak. This tea can acquire some astringency, but not as much...

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Picture of Orthodox BOP Darjeeling

Orthodox BOP Darjeeling from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 15th, 2009

This is a very mellow tea...aromatic and gentle, somewhat muted. Only a faint suggestion of the fresh herbaceous tones that some Darjeelings have. The aroma is floral and fairly complex, and the cup is light in color and quality, much more like an oolong than a typical black tea. Almost no bitterness, but some astri...

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Picture of Kandy BOP

Kandy BOP from Upton Tea Imports

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

33 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 1/5 Value: 1/5
Dec. 13th, 2009

This is an insanely strong tea. I find the brewing instructions to be way off...following them it's undrinkable. I tried using about half as much leaf and brewing for 1 minute and it was about right. Steep it any longer and it becomes painfully astringent and also quite bitter.

When brewed briefly and with little...

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Picture of Uva Highlands Estate BOP

Uva Highlands Estate BOP from Upton Tea Imports

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

53 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 1/5 Value: 3/5
Dec. 12th, 2009

Aroma strongly of wintergreen...almost unbelievable that this is just tea...it tastes almost as if wintergreen oil has been added! Outside of the surprising wintergreen aroma, this tea is dark, robust, and very full. Fairly bitter, astringent, and tannic. The rest of the aroma is typical of a Ceylon.

Like the Cey...

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Picture of Darjeeling Black Tea

Darjeeling Black Tea from Bigelow Tea

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

50 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Dec. 11th, 2009

Definitely recognizable as Darjeeling...fairly smooth, with only some astringency lingering towards the bottom of the cup. Weak aroma, not terribly complex, but pleasant. Much lighter than most of Bigelow's other black teas. This was enjoyable, although noticeably less so than other more pricey Darjeelings I've had ...

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Picture of Darjeeling Highlands (Teabags)

Darjeeling Highlands (Teabags) from Harney and Sons

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 7th, 2009

The teabag reads "Mellow and Light Indian Black Teas" and I agree wholeheartedly. This is very mellow, especially for a Darjeeling in a teabag...this is not the usual stuff put in teabags; it has a fair amount of first-flush character.

The aroma is complex, but could be stronger. The main downside is that this tea...

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Picture of China Breakfast

China Breakfast from Rishi Tea

Style: Yunnan Red – Region: Yunnan, China

70 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Nov. 3rd, 2009

Wow. I love the aroma of this tea...it is much more vegetal than most black teas, clean and fresh, and yet warm too. Smooth and yet relatively full-bodied, but thin relative to some breakfast teas. No astringency.

I do notice the peppery tones characteristic of a dian hong. The aroma is pleasingly complex. Ther...

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Picture of Organic Darjeeling Black Pyramid Tea

Organic Darjeeling Black Pyramid Tea from Equal Exchange

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 31st, 2009

Aroma spicy, unusually vegetal for a tea this dark, and unusually malty for a Darjeeling. Very interesting and complex! Dark liquor and tastes more like other black teas than most Darjeelings; I would not describe it as "golden" or "light". Remarkably bold and full-bodied and yet with little bitterness or astringenc...

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Picture of English Teatime

English Teatime from Bigelow Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: ?????

53 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 1/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 18th, 2009

Aroma is mellow, warm, and keemun-like. But this tea is much more bitter and astringent than most keemuns--unpleasantly so. The bitterness sinks to the bottom of the cup, leaving an unpleasant surprise ending to a tea that starts out very smooth.

I recommend brewing this one briefly, only a minute or two, for best...

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Picture of Decaf Black Tea

Decaf Black Tea from Lipton Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: ?????

33 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 1/5 Value: 2/5
Oct. 18th, 2009

I swear this tastes like it has a significant amount of pu-erh in it...it has that earthy, dust-like quality to it. I never used to like lipton's decaf until I started liking pu-erh and then my appreciation of it increased slightly--but only very slightly. It really could be a lot more bland than it is. But it's sti...

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Picture of Himalayan BOP

Himalayan BOP from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Black Tea – Region: Himalayas

88 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Oct. 13th, 2009

This tea definitely resembles a Darjeeling but it packs a bit more of a punch--more bitterness and astringency. People who like the aroma profile and lighter color of Darjeelings but find them a bit too mellow may really like this tea. The finely broken leaves have a good mix of greener and olive-colored leaves. Rem...

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Picture of Darjeeling

Darjeeling from Two Leaves and a Bud

Style: Darjeeling Black Tea – Region: Darjeeling, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 4th, 2009

This used to be the best Darjeeling I've had in a tea bag...and better than some loose-leaf ones I've tried. I have since come to prefer Ahmad's Darjeeling though, which is much cheaper.

Fairly light, but still with some bite. This is the sort of Darjeeling tea that I like. The aroma has some interesting complexi...

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Picture of Assam

Assam from Two Leaves and a Bud

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

68 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 4th, 2009

Mellow, smooth, rich malty flavor. Deep red color; little bitterness or astringency. Very enjoyable. I find this tea grows on me. There is a suggestion of sweet fruit in the aroma, almost like baked apples.

Two leaves and a bud recommends a 4-minute infusion. I prefer a 2-minute infusion followed by a second 4-...

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Picture of PG Tips Pyramid bags

PG Tips Pyramid bags from PG Tips

Style: Black Tea – Region: Blend

43 / 100 Aroma: 4/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
Sep. 28th, 2009

These teabags seem to be meant for more than one cup. The tea brews very rapidly and is very strong. It wasn't terribly complex; it had a muted quality...very bitter aftertaste but initial taste was a bit smoother. Very tannic; do not let this steep too long; a very brief (1 min.) infusion I find is best. Even then...

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Picture of Black Tea

Black Tea from Ten Ren Tea

Style: Black Tea – Region: ?????

33 / 100 Aroma: 3/10 Flavor: 2/5 Value: 2/5
Sep. 27th, 2009

I think this tea does not stack up to the quality of Ten Ren's other teabag teas; it makes me wonder if it's included only as an afterthought, as Ten Ren does not seem to specialize in black teas. Aroma is nondescript, generic, lacking complexity. If you want a darker tea from Ten Ren, I'd recommend a darker oolong.

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Picture of China Black Tea

China Black Tea from Foojoy

Style: Black Tea – Region: China

60 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 14th, 2009

Given that this was a teabag tea, made out of fannings, and the individual teabags weren't even sealed in paper, this tea was remarkably fresh and complex.

The tea brews a dark reddish brown. The flavor is mellow and the aroma earthy; it reminds me a lot of a keemun. There's a little bitterness and some astringenc...

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Picture of Organic China Congou Hong Tao #1

Organic China Congou Hong Tao #1 from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Keemun – Region: China

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Sep. 4th, 2009

Interesting and atypical among black teas: more mellow and earthy. The leaves have an aroma very similar to the brewed tea.

When brewed as instructed, the tea is is a dark brown with a slight greenish hue, and less opaque than some black teas. I like to brew it with slightly more leaves than recommended, which yie...

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