English Breakfast, Shagadelic

I recently bought a pound of this tea, flavor untasted. I’m becoming brave (or reckless) in my old age. What intrigued me about this one was that it was advertised as an English breakfast tea blend of four black teas from three countries: India, Sri Lanka, China. That all sounded good to me and worth checking out.

I opened up the pouch and the aroma that shot out was a pleasant combination of, yes, more than one tea type. Black China teas are my favorite and my sniffer could definitely detect their presence in this tea. I also perceived the existence of Darjeeling and possibly Assam, all coming together nicely in the unbrewed whiff.

I steeped the brown leaves for five minutes in boiling water. This resulted in a golden amber liquid with a pleasant aroma containing tea and sweet undertones.

The taste of this tea was very smooth and full of flavor. The four teas melded exquisitely into a total merger of sweet and malty deliciousness. No bitterness was discovered anywhere.

I should also add that I drink all of my teas straight up. I never add milk or sweeteners. I prefer to experience the teas on their own merits.

If a tea plantation can figure out how to create this richly combined flavor from just one tree, they will have a huge winner on their hands. But, until then, I will just appreciate this exceptional blend as it is.

Perfect cup of morning tea. Strong without bitterness. Beautiful aroma and very smooth.

We are huge tea drinkers, with family from India, Canada, England, Scotland, and the American South. Everyone agrees this one is the best! (And we've tried so so many.) If you like your tea big, bold, well-rounded, and smooth, this is the one! I often find classic English Breakfast varieties too "thin" and flat. Not this one! It's delicious on its own but stands up perfectly with milk and/or sugar. I love a beautiful Darjeeling for something light and delicate, but this is the one I reach for when I want my morning kick or afternoon pick-me-up. It's a crowd-pleaser but interesting enough that everyone pauses to say, Wow, this tea is delicious! Perfect for Sunday afternoons with family and a game of Scrabble.

When I first sniffed the tea leaves, I thought there was a faint bergamot scent, but the brewed tea has no hint of it. It’s smooth, bold, and so delicious. Totally shagadelic way to start your day!

This is NOT a bad tea. But it is a surprisingly bland English breakfast tea for those who prefer a less notable wake up tea. I myself found this too weak for me. The tea blend is good the flavors nice but it doesn't have the bit of a breakfast tea. I try out a lot of English breakfast teas from many different tea companies (I buy the bulk of my tea from The Tea Spot and LOVE their teas) and this is the weakest I've ever tried. Again, some might prefer this (read the reviews) and it's superb for them. But it is a very light English breakfast tea.