Tea: Nilgiri Select Black Tea
Brand: | Wegmans |
Style: | Black Tea |
Region: | Nilgiri, India |
Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
Loose? | Loose |
# Ratings: | 4 View All |
Reviewer: Alex Zorach
✓ 1452 teas reviewed
✓ 500 of Black Tea
✓ 953 of Pure Tea (Camellia sinensis)
✓ 32 of Wegmans
✓ 10 from Nilgiri, India
✓ 10 from Tamil Nadu, India
Review of Nilgiri Select Black Tea
January 24th, 2011
Aroma | Flavor | Value | Total |
6 of 10 | 4 of 5 | 5 of 5 | 70 of 100 |
Good | Good | Outstanding |
This was my first Nilgiri tea. I have heard Nilgiris described as being similar to Ceylon and I can see this. It's definitely more similar to a a lower-elevation Ceylon than it is to any other Indian tea I've tried. I don't notice much high-grown character in this tea.
I also think it's reminiscent of a Hubei Keemuns that I tried, that was produced by Rishi Tea. It has a balanced overall character, some maltiness and dried fruit, with some of the light, rice-like qualities that I find more in Ceylon teas. It's a smooth tea for how dark and rich it is: there was only a little bitterness, more if brewed longer, but very little astringency either way. If you brew longer, it's rather tangy, in a pleasing way. Finish has a clean, cool quality suggestive of stone or slate, contrasting with the warm overall character of this tea.
I recommend brewing a full 5 or 6 minutes: this tea will not become too bitter or astringent, and longer brewing brings out a pleasant bite, and makes for a richer aroma as well.
Exceptionally reasonable price given the quality.