Baker Street Afternoon Blend
21
Percentile
4 ratings |
|
Commercial Description
A bit of Lapsang Souchong is blended with Keemun and Darjeeling, yielding a mildly smoky tea. Perfect for an afternoon uplift.
Brewing Instructions: (from Upton Tea Imports)
Leaf Quantity: 2¼ g/cup
Water Temp: 212º (boiling)
Steep Time: 3-4 min.
Ratings & Reviews
Page 1 of 1 page with 4 reviews
70 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5Trailesque (143 reviews) on Dec. 1st, 2021
I have ordered this tea many times over the years, and am surprised I did not rate it yet. In the past it has been a well-priced and full-flavored tea experience, and a go-to when I wanted something malty and smoky, with a little milk and no sugar. My most recent purchase of it was less enjoyable. This time a harsh, smoky flavor dominates, so it seems to be primarily a low-medium quality Lapsang Souchong. I am still giving it a decent review, but some of that is going on memories. It is probable that the tea will mellow out some as it ages and oxidizes a little. I am not giving up on it yet, but I might after another batch like this one.
53 Aroma: 5/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 3/5Alex Zorach (1448 reviews) on 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.
Brews a very dark cup. Flavor is very balanced, but not the aroma. Before sipping, the aroma is still dominated by pine smoke, but when sipping, the smokiness is a little more subdued. There's still more of the strong lapsang souchong aroma than I'd ideally like. I can detect a hint of the Keemun in there, but am struggling to detect the Darjeeling. Overall the aroma was too flat and simple for me.
Contrast with Brooklyn Tea Blends' Caravan Triad, which has a much more subtle smokiness and a hugely multifaceted aromatic profile.
This tea resteeped well, and I found the second cup, which I steeped for a long time, was a bit more interesting. It had notes of clove in the aroma. It doesn't feel particularly strongly caffeinated.
This was interesting to try, but it failed to impress me hugely and I would probably not get it again. I think this blend would be most enjoyable to people who really like lapsang souchong but want a tea with the smokiness dialed back ever-so-slightly.
87 Aroma: 9/10 Flavor: 4/5 Value: 5/5Amanda (338 reviews) on Apr. 21st, 2014
Sniffing the dry leaves transport me to a Victorian gentleman's library, blending pipe smoke, polished wood, and a comfy leather chair. It is super evocative! There are also faint flora and muscatel notes, the aroma of the blend is quite delicious.
he taste is rich, smoky and muscatel with a tiny hint of cherry with an oak wood aftertaste. The mouthfeel is bright and smooth, a very nice afternoon tea. I wish it was a bit smokier, but I am a sucker for smoky teas, the smoke taste is very mild, so if you want a tea that only has a touch of smoke then this is your brew. I decided to add some cream and sugar, it is not bad, certainly more English tasting, but it takes away the some of the more subtle notes of fruit.
80 Aroma: 7/10 Flavor: 5/5 Value: 4/5E. Alex Gerster (66 reviews) on Feb. 24th, 2014
One of my favorite blends from Upton. The light smokiness in aroma and flavor adds character yet does not overpower the whole leaf base. There is a light sweetness (possibly from the Darjeeling), a light woodiness, and just a touch of malt -- making for an interesting and satisfying brew.
I understand that it makes a good iced tea as well, but my pot is usually empty before it cools... that good! Second steep works well, but much subdued in flavor.
Page 1 of 1 page with 4 reviews
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