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Alex Zorach

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

Reviews of Assam

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Picture of Wekhaj Assam Summer Organic Artisanal Black

Wekhaj Assam Summer Organic Artisanal Black from TEAORB

Style: Assam – Region: Dibrugarh, Assam, India

92 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Nov. 6th, 2017

This is a prototypical high-grade Assam. Really good and exactly what I expect out of an Assam. Strong and deep, but easy to drink and enjoyable through every sip. Contrasting with TEAORB's other samples, which have been exotic and unpredictable at times, this is a more traditional tea that I think a wide range of p...

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Picture of Kamata Assam Spring Organic Artisanal Black

Kamata Assam Spring Organic Artisanal Black from TEAORB

Style: Assam – Region: Bongaigaon, Assam, India

90 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Nov. 2nd, 2017

This tea was remarkable, resembling some Chinese teas such as Keemun and Yunnan, more than other Assams. I've never tried another Assam like this!

Dry leaf is very dark in color, somewhat broken but very curly where intact. It smells pleasing and complex: lightly smoky, like a lot of Chinese black teas, somewhat m...

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Picture of Kingly Assam Summer Natural Factory Black

Kingly Assam Summer Natural Factory Black from TEAORB

Style: Assam – Region: Darrang, Assam, India

78 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Oct. 27th, 2017

An unusually soft, muted black tea that did not resemble many other Assams I had tried; dark in color and very gentle.

This is the first black tea I tried from TEAORB, which recently sent me a ton of samples. I was curious to try this tea, as it is described as "mellow", a descriptor rarely applied to Assam teas. ...

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Picture of Assam Orange Pekoe

Assam Orange Pekoe from Quik Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

75 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Aug. 28th, 2017

An unusually good CTC tea. I picked this up at the Newark, DE farmer's market, in their Indian section, and it was quite a find.

The leaf, which consists of large pellets (noticeably bigger than most grades of CTC tea) is aromatic but doesn't have the best smell. It smells fresh and clean, but leads me to expect a...

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Picture of Organic Assam P.F. Tea

Organic Assam P.F. Tea from Metropolitan Tea Company

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 4/5
Jun. 15th, 2017

Served in Rock City cafe in Rockland, Maine.

This was a very dark Assam with a fairly smoky character. Aroma is strong, malty and fruity, but it is the smoky notes that make this tea stand out. The aroma is interesting and complex, a little like drinking a fine wine.

Flavor is slightly harsh, bitter and with a lo...

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Picture of Assam Extra Fancy

Assam Extra Fancy from Mighty Leaf Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

89 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
May. 9th, 2017

Thanks again to Mighty Leaf for this sample! Like the other Assam from mighty leaf, I liked this tea from the first sip, but it also grew on me substantially. Another classic Assam, this one of higher grade. It was good the first few times I brewed it, but I found it really shined when I gave it a long steep.

Thi...

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Picture of Assam Golden Tip

Assam Golden Tip from Mighty Leaf Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

88 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 22nd, 2017

I loved this one. My favorite mighty leaf tea yet, and an excellent example of a classic Assam.

Thank you Mighty Leaf for this generous sample! I thought this was a pleasantly strong Assam, exactly what I expect from this style and a good example of such. There is something intangible about this tea that makes it...

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Picture of Assam - Harmutty Estate Black Tea

Assam - Harmutty Estate Black Tea from Simpson & Vail

Style: Assam – Region: Lakhimpur, Assam, India

88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Apr. 10th, 2017

This is among the better Assams I have ever sampled, and offered great value. It's super smooth, but with depth. Thank you to Simpson & Vail for this sample!

Curly dark leaf, smells very malty, sweet, very pleasant.

Upon brewing though the aroma becomes much more complex. It smells sweet, fresh, vegetal and he...

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Picture of Assam Tonganagaon, Organic

Assam Tonganagaon, Organic from Simpson & Vail

Style: Assam – Region: Tinsukia, Assam, India

82 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Apr. 2nd, 2017

A smoother-than-average Assam that was still quite rich, a little on the tangy/fruity side.

Dry leaf smells very fruity, vegetal, a bit like potpourri, and also somewhat malty. Overall, rich, aromatic, and suggesting sweetness.

Surprisingly subdued for an Assam. The cup is light and a little more tangy than I e...

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Picture of CTC Assam (Assam CTC)

CTC Assam (Assam CTC) from Harney and Sons

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

68 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 3/5
Mar. 30th, 2017

This tea was devilishly hard to prepare to my enjoyment, but had the side-benefit of resteeping unusually well for a CTC tea. By the time I finally got it just how I wanted, I was drinking up the very last cup of the sample I bought.

The dry leaf, bigger pieces than some CTC, is very aromatic and smells pleasing, s...

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Picture of Tonganagaon Full Leaf

Tonganagaon Full Leaf from Harney and Sons

Style: Assam – Region: Tinsukia, Assam, India

81 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Mar. 16th, 2017

A fruitier, tangier Assam that was an interesting change of pace. Not quite as hearty or satisfying as some, but enjoyable.

The dry leaf of this has a rich aroma that reminds me of my mom and grandma making black currant and raspberry jam in late summer. There are also malty notes, but the cooked fruit / jam aroma...

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Picture of Assam Tea

Assam Tea from 24 Mantra Organic

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
Jan. 29th, 2017

A solid-quality CTC Assam that would make a good breakfast tea.

My roommate purchased this at a local Indian store. The date on the package shows it was packed last May, and we just opened the package the other day, so I know I was trying this tea while still very fresh. My rooomate enjoys this with almond milk an...

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Picture of Assam Tippy Golden

Assam Tippy Golden from Murchie's Tea & Coffee Ltd

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

83 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Dec. 9th, 2016

Wow, this tea was quite satisfying, especially for cold days.

The dried leaf smells good, the aroma is mild but complex, mostly fruity and malty, with hints of spice, dried herbs or portpourri.

The leaves explode in aroma when they are steeped in water and there's a honey-like aroma that is a hallmark of higher g...

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Picture of Organic Assam (Loose)

Organic Assam (Loose) from Harney and Sons

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

87 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Feb. 25th, 2016

This was my favorite broken-leaf Assam that I've ever tried. Surprisingly sweet and nuanced for a broken-leaf tea, and an excellent price, especially given that it's organic certified.

Dry leaf has a pleasant fruity and malty smell, typical for an Assam but smelling sweeter. Although it's a finely broken tea, the s...

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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...

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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 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 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 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 Orthodox STGFOP

Orthodox STGFOP from Ghograjan Tea Estate

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

88 / 100 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
Dec. 21st, 2014

Singular among Assams, in its smoothness and unusual vegetal characters.

Dry leaf is not very aromatic, having a faint aroma of malt and fruit, but looks beautifully formed, with intact wiry, twisted leaf with golden tips.

Upon brewing, becomes pleasantly aromatic. Aroma is highly vegetal among Assam teas, remin...

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Picture of Assam

Assam from Joseph Wesley Black Tea

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

56 / 100 Aroma: 6/10 Flavor: 3/5 Value: 2/5
Nov. 26th, 2014

I gave this tea a poor review back in November of 2014, but my brother picked up some more for me, in Detroit, and I gave it another try. It still was my least favorite of the Joseph Wesley teas.

My old review:

The first tea from Joseph Wesley to truly disappoint. The disparity in quality from the other teas is...

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Picture of Assam SFTGBOP Tonga Second Flush

Assam SFTGBOP Tonga Second Flush from TeaGschwendner

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

73 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 3/5
Oct. 31st, 2014

A sample from the store in Regensburg, Germany. Thank you for the sample!

Dry leaf has a remarkable aroma, strong, spicy and fruity, reminiscent of potpourri. The smell of the dry leaf is incredibly pleasant, and is what I liked most about this tea, although the rest was enjoyable too.

The brewed cup is much mo...

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Picture of Tee Pyramide Assam BOP Bio

Tee Pyramide Assam BOP Bio from Heimbs

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

77 / 100 Aroma: 8/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 2/5
Oct. 26th, 2014

Served at the Carolaschlösschen, the cafe on the Carolasee in the Großer Garten, Dresden, Germany. The most expensive cup of tea I had in Germany (at 4 Euro) but a contender for the best.

This was a very potent Assam, edgy, but with a rich aroma. Strongly malty, with notes of dried fruit. This would be an excel...

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Picture of Halmari Estate FTGFOP Cl.

Halmari Estate FTGFOP Cl. from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Assam – Region: Dibrugarh, Assam, India

67 / 100 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 4/5
May. 8th, 2014

The last of four rather old samples that were given to me as a gift by a friend. This one seemed to have lost a bit more of its aroma than the others did.

The dry leaf is beautiful, although slightly more broken than the others (the picture shows this quite accurately) and with a slightly lower portion of golden ti...

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Picture of Sree Sibbari Estate SGFTGFOP1 Cl.

Sree Sibbari Estate SGFTGFOP1 Cl. from Upton Tea Imports

Style: Assam – Region: Assam, India

80 / 100 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5
May. 7th, 2014

The third of the four rather old Assam samples that I'm reviewing, thanks to one of my friends who gave them to me as she doesn't like Assam.

The dry leaf of this sample is beautiful (the picture Upton provided doesn't do it justice), mostly made of curled golden tips, with little darker leaf. Surprisingly aromatic...

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