I’ve been referring to a particular tea to which I compared the previous Assam samples as my “Gold Standard.” To make sure that I wasn’t falsely imagining it better than it was, I tasted it using the same method as the new arrivals. The verdict – it’s still the Gold Standard. Unfortunately, it’s totally unavailable. No one, anywhere, carries tea from this estate anymore.
So, without any further ado:
Singlijan Estate Assam TGFOP1
Dry Aroma: floral and fruity
Brewed Aroma: tree fruit, malty, creamy, citrus
Color: dark copper
Flavor: malty, savory, fruity, with citrus notes and floral finish
Sweetened: fruit and citrus enhanced, with honey notes
Overall: This tea is very balanced, with restrained tannins that play well with the other flavor components. It leaves your palate clean, with a long, lingering finish of apple, lemon, and honey. The mellow tannins allow the natural sweetness to come through. Complex flavor, appealing aroma, and general good behavior make this my far and away favorite. 5 out of 5.
A week and a half ago, I posted the first part of my Assam tea reviews. While I haven’t found a new favorite, there was an interesting variety that I might add to my regular rotation. The second round of tastings is complete, and I’m not sure we’ve made any improvements.
Koilamari Estate TGFOP1
Dry Aroma: fruit/citrus
Brewed Aroma: malty, citrus
Color: deep reddish-brown
Flavor: malty, slightly cooked-fruity, good body and solid tannins, with a leathery and floral finish
Sweetened: maltier and leather notes more pronounced
The tannins in this tea are assertive when brewed for 4 ½ minutes. The citrus in the aroma doesn’t carry through into the palate. The tannins tended to overwhelm the other flavors, so perhaps a shorter brewing time is called for. However, the body was just about right at this length, so shortening brewing to attenuate the tannins may leave the liquor thin. Showed promise, but ultimately disappointed. 3 ½ out of 5.
The summer heat is going the way of the summer sun, which to me always signals a transition to drinking more tea as opposed to coffee. I drink coffee all year ’round, but more so when it’s warmer. Tea is a calming fall and winter ritual – dried leaves invoking those scattered about by autumn winds, the boiling of water in the kettle and the aromatic brew in the pot. Tea invokes comfort. While summer’s activity goes well with coffee’s rush, longer nights and slower paces require a more gentle touch. So, with this in mind, I ordered up a whole box full of tea samples in preparation for placing my winter orders.
The first set I’m going to look at consists of eight teas from the Assam region of India, which I’ll be dividing into two tastings. Assam teas are made from a variety of Camelia sinensis native to the area (var. assamica), and are characterized by their dark color, rich body, and round malty flavors. Also, unlike many other teas, Assams are typically grown at or near sea level instead of on elevated hillsides. This contributes to their deep flavors and assertive character. My current gold standard for Assam is the currently unavailable TGFOP leaf from the Singlijan tea estate – rich, smooth, malty, and complex, with fruit, cocoa, and citrus notes. If it doesn’t become available again, I’ll be very sad when I’m out. So, I’m looking for its replacement in my tea chest.
My tasting method: Tea is measured out at 2.5g to each 6 oz. of water. Black teas are brewed with water at a full boil, oolongs at 185-190°F, green teas at 170-180°F, and white teas no hotter than 160°F. Brewing times are slightly shorter than those recommended by the vendor in most cases, as the tea is brewed in a 12-ounce iron tetsubin-style pot that allows for a much more thorough extraction than an infuser or tea ball. The liquor is initially tasted plain, then sweetened with white table sugar in the case of Indian black teas. I don’t normally take milk in my tea, so I don’t sample it that way.
Borpatra Estate STGFOP1S
Dry Aroma: herbal/floral
Brewed Aroma: green herbal, leathery, malt husk
Flavor: bright, slightly tannic, lightly floral (chrysanthemum/daisy)
Sweetened: enhances floral components
Body: smooth, medium weight
Color: dark amber / copper
Pleasant enough, but to my palate lacks the body and depth characteristic of Assam teas. Brewed with water off the boil for 4.5 minutes. Brewing longer would enhance the tannic astringency that’s starting to show here, perhaps this needs a slightly lower temp along with longer extraction. Rating: 3½ out of 5.
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