Friday 22 October 2010

Tiger Spring Tea- Balham Builders' Blend

My absence from the blog over the last week has been due to a cold inhibiting my taste buds. As this was the case, I drank tons of Typhoo tea at work, only caring that the hot liquid might ease my symptoms. Obviously, as I couldn't taste anything, I didn't want to waste any of my review teas!

Yesterday, I was made a cup of Typhoo. Yuck. Bland, overly tannin-y and a weird aftertaste convinced me that I was to search out a better 'builder's blend*' of tea now that I was better. And I think I have found one that I can recommend in good conscience.

Tiger Spring Tea's Balham Builders' Blend is a classic blend of Assam, Ceylon and Darjeeling; the latter tea giving a delicate top flavour to compliment the earthy, malty robust flavours of the Assam and Ceylon teas.

The taste is gorgeous- perfect 'proper' tea (I will have to get a caddy of this to replace the lonely box of PG Tips that I keep for guests who request 'normal' tea. I think they will be converted instantly) and is perfect with or without milk and sugar. The smell is slightly sweet and the aftertaste is mellow and pleasant. Seriously, if you never know what I'm talking about when I discuss aftertaste, which is very important with black teas, buy some of this and then compare with a bog-standard tea bag. You will notice a difference.

This is just lush.


*For those unsure what is meant by 'builder's blend'- a British term for strong, black tea, the sort given to builders when they come and do a job at your house. Also usually fairly sweet, but I don't have sugar, so I can't comment on that bit!

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