Tea: Assam TGFOP1 Ananda Second Flush
An Assam from TeaGschwendner
| Brand: | TeaGschwendner |
| Style: | Assam |
| Region: | Lakhimpur, Assam, India |
| Caffeine: | Caffeinated |
| Loose? | Loose |
| # Ratings: | 2 View All |
| Product page: | Assam TGFOP1 Ananda Second Flush |
Reviewer: Alex Zorach
✓ 1448 teas reviewed
✓ 68 of Assam
✓ 496 of Black Tea
✓ 10 of TeaGschwendner
✓ 5 from Lakhimpur, Assam, India
✓ 88 from Assam, India
Review of Assam TGFOP1 Ananda Second Flush
April 2nd, 2021
| Aroma | Flavor | Value | Total |
| 7 of 10 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 5 | 83 of 100 |
| Very Good | Good | Reasonable |
This tea is named somewhat differently in the US vs Europe but I'm pretty sure it's the same. In Germany it's "Assam TGFOP1 Ananda" with "Second Flush" underneath, whereas in the US the grade is omitted in the name, but clarified in the tea's description so I'm pretty sure it's the same thing.
The dry leaf is pleasantly aromatic, malty, fruity, and spicy. It's hard to tell from the smell of the leaf whether this is going to be smooth or harsh.
When I brew it, it comes up about what I might expect, what I would think of as a very typical Assam. Its aroma is a lot like the dried leaf, but a bit more complex. There are some fresher, lighter notes in there as well that leads the cup to have a clean, cooling finish. There is a slight harshness, but nothing unpleasant when I'm looking for a robust, strong black tea. Overall it is hearty and rich and the sort of thing that really hits the spot on a cold winter day.
Resteeps well, better than most broken-leaf Assams, but, predictably, not as well as the whole-leaf Chinese teas from the Assamica cultivar that I've been favoring more recently, or some large-leaf Assam teas I got my hands on through TeaOrb a couple years back.
It is hard for me to comment on TeeGschwendner's prices because they're so wildly different in the US vs. the EU. I don't know why but the teas cost well over twice as much in the US, something that sours me on the brand. I buy them whenever I visit Europe and I often have people bring them back for me, but I would never buy them here in the US.
100 grams costs 6,80 euro, but $16.79. Now let's do the math, the current exchange rate is 1.18 dollars to 1 euro. That means I would expect this to cost only about $8.00 for 100 grams. Instead, it's well over twice that. What gives? I don't know, but it really doesn't sit well with me, especially since this price differential straddles the boundary at which I think this tea would offer good value.
Based on this tea's quality, I think it's a good buy at $8 for 100 grams. I'd easily give it 4-5 stars. But it's selling for over twice that, and at that price I would give it 2 stars. So I'm averaging these and giving it 3 for value. Really, TeeGschwendner. Can you please address these price disparities? Your prices here in the U.S. are absurd.
