Flavored Black Teas - What are your favorites?

[Richard Kilgore]

I'll have to admit I hated Earl Gray tea until recently. I think that's because I almost always drink my tea without milk, cream or sugar. A month or two ago I finally tried an Earl Gray Imperial from The Cultured Cup with milk and liked it just fine. This was a quality Mariage Frères loose leaf tea, with a First Flush Darjeeling as a base tea and perfumed with bergamot oil from the rind of a Mediterranean citrus fruit. I got several steepings out of it.

Unfortunately, many flavored teas are made with low quality tea leaf, which is covered up by whatever flavoring - natural or artificial - is used. These have an underlying bitterness (not the often desireable astringency of teas) and do worse after the first steeping.

So what flavored black teas have you explored? Great, good, so-so, poor, really bad?

What can you recommend to us?

[mikepetro]

So what flavored black teas have you explored? Great, good, so-so, poor, really bad?

What can you recommend to us?

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I do like Earl Grey - straight. I once lined up ten of the highest rated Earl Greys and did a side by side taste test (cupping). I found that to my taste I greatly preferred the "Eastern Shore Earl Grey" in the loose leaf form. "Tippy Earl Grey" by Golden Moon was also good but not nearly as good. The UK version of Twinnings wasnt bad either, although the US version was comparatively lifeless.

Thats about the only flavored black (red) tea that I like, unless you count Lapsang Souchong as a flavored tea which I love, especially on a cold winter morning or with BBQ.

[Richard Kilgore]

So what flavored black teas have you explored? Great, good, so-so, poor, really bad?

What can you recommend to us?

←

I do like Earl Grey - straight. I once lined up ten of the highest rated Earl Greys and did a side by side taste test (cupping). I found that to my taste I greatly preferred the "Eastern Shore Earl Grey" in the loose leaf form. "Tippy Earl Grey" by Golden Moon was also good but not nearly as good. The UK version of Twinnings wasnt bad either, although the US version was comparatively lifeless.

Thats about the only flavored black (red) tea that I like, unless you count Lapsang Souchong as a flavored tea which I love, especially on a cold winter morning or with BBQ.

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Thanks, Mike. That was a serious cupping you did. Who is the vendor for "Eastern Shore Earl Grey". I would like to try it.

[mikepetro]

Thanks, Mike. That was a serious cupping you did. Who is the vendor for "Eastern Shore Earl Grey". I would like to try it.

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Baltimore Coffee and Tea.

http://www.baltcoffee.com/catalog/product_...products_id/873

[haresfur]

I'll have to admit I hated Earl Gray tea until recently. I think that's because I almost always drink my tea without milk, cream or sugar. A month or two ago I finally tried an Earl Gray Imperial from The Cultured Cup with milk and liked it just fine. This was a quality Mariage Frères loose leaf tea, with a First Flush Darjeeling as a base tea and perfumed with bergamot oil from the rind of a Mediterranean citrus fruit. I got several steepings out of it.

Unfortunately, many flavored teas are made with low quality tea leaf, which is covered up by whatever flavoring  - natural or artificial - is used. These have an underlying bitterness (not the often desireable astringency of teas) and do worse after the first steeping.

So what flavored black teas have you explored? Great, good, so-so, poor, really bad?

What can you recommend to us?

←

I prefer Earl Gray with sugar but no milk. Your basic black tea, I drink either way but avec milk has an edge. For Earl Gray, Murchie's turns my lips satisfyingly numb when fresh - a good reason not to hoard it.

My go-to tea, when I have it around, is Murchie's No. 10 blend. Don't know if it is what you would consider a "flavored black tea" but I believe it is a black/green tea blend. It has a nice amount of floweryness (hey, I never said I could describe tastes well) without being too refined, although their fancier blends are nice on occasion.

While I'm at it, for purely black tea, Murchie's Afternoon Blend (do you detect a pattern here?) is on the top of my list. I believe this was their old Empress Afternoon prior to parting ways with the Empress Hotel. Although the Empress still does afternoon tea, last time I was in Victoria we went for the Indian Buffet in the Bengal Room, instead. Super!

The Bengal Room

[andiesenji]

My all-time favorite flavored black tea is Republic of Tea Blackberry Sage and I use only the loose tea, not the tea bags, although I do buy some of their varieties in tea bags.

I know a lot of people seem to think that RoT is a gimmicky outfit, but in my opinion they are serious about producing a quality product and I have found many of their teas to be excellent.

The Blackberry Sage is particularly nice in that it has so much natural sweetness that there is no need to add any sweetener at all. It also (unlike a few others that include fruits) will not curdle milk and a small amount of milk is sometimes a very pleasant addition.

There is never a bitter aftertaste and one can do at least one subsequent steeping with a perfectly acceptable cup.

I brew this tea with water just short of boiling and steep for 3 1/2 minutes for a normal cup. If I want it a bit stronger, particularly if I am adding milk, I will steep it for 5 minutes.

A subsequent steeping will be for 8 to 10 minutes - I pour a tiny bit into my cup and taste until it is "right."

I also like the Mango Ceylon and just used the last I had with me yesterday.

I am presently traveling in New Mexico and have several teas with me. When traveling for more than a couple of days, I bring my own water purifier (a Travel Berkey), my hot-water boiler and my tea-brewing equipment. I'm not a fanatic, but I do like things my way...

[jpr54_]

my favorite flavored black teas are from le palais des thes and mariage-freres

joanne

[Richard Kilgore]

my favorite flavored black teas are from  le palais des thes and mariage-freres

joanne

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Which ones from le palais des thes and Mariage Frères do you recommend? I use several Mariage Frères from The Cultured Cup for iced tea, and sometimes also drink Eros hot.

[Richard Kilgore]

.....

I am presently traveling in New Mexico and have several teas with me.  When traveling for more than a couple of days, I bring my own water purifier (a Travel Berkey), my hot-water boiler and my tea-brewing equipment.  I'm not a fanatic, but I do like things my way...

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Now that's what I call traveling with tea! In contrast to traveling with a few tea bags...or an infuser and a small container of a favorite tea.

[andiesenji]

Well, it was a whole two weeks. Too long to be without my faves!

As I mentioned on another thread, I like my Senseo coffee first thing in the morning, however I then transition to tea and drink various types until late in the evening.

Thus the caffeine-free teas - although caffeine does not keep me awake, I had promised my doctor to avoid it in the evening so it wouldn't affect my blood pressure.

I do try to be good - as much as possible.

I also can't stand the way some "foreign" waters affect teas. Thus the purifier.

I have a purifying system for water at home, even though I am on a well and the water is excellent - there are some minerals that do make a difference.

Edited October 29, 2008 by andiesenji (log)

[Naftal]

Hello-My favorite flavored black teas are rose flavored. My local Chinese market sells an 8 oz. box of a loose variety that I like a lot. I cannot tell what brand it is.I have seen similar teas labeled "rose pouchong".

Edited November 2, 2008 by Naftal (log)

[prasantrin]

Which ones from le palais des thes and Mariage Frères do you recommend? I use several Mariage Frères from The Cultured Cup for iced tea, and sometimes also drink Eros hot.

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Have you tried Bolero? Marco Polo is much touted, but I actually prefer Bolero (both iced and hot).

At one point, I was trying to work my way through all of the Mariage Freres flavoured teas. I got stuck on Jamaique which, for some reason, was never in stock.

[Kerry Beal]

Hamilton used to have a small movie house called the Broadway Cinema that played second run and art films. Rather than the traditional popcorn and pop they sold excellent fresh baked cookies and squares and teas.

My combo was always included the Monk's Blend tea.

[Lindacakes]

Adore Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

This is rather low brow, I suppose, but Williams Somoma sells a Taylor's (I think) in cinnamon spice that I really like to have at Christmastime. With milk and sugar, please.

[andiesenji]

Adore Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

This is rather low brow, I suppose, but Williams Somoma sells a Taylor's (I think) in cinnamon spice that I really like to have at Christmastime.  With milk and sugar, please.

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Yes indeed! The spiced teas always call for milk and sugar - actually it all goes back to the "Railway Chai" once a staple in India, perhaps it still is.

[Naftal]

Adore Earl Grey with milk and sugar, please.

This is rather low brow, I suppose, but Williams Somoma sells a Taylor's (I think) in cinnamon spice that I really like to have at Christmastime.  With milk and sugar, please.

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Yes indeed! The spiced teas always call for milk and sugar - actually it all goes back to the "Railway Chai" once a staple in India, perhaps it still is.

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Hello-I always drink Indian teas with milk.

[jsmeeker]

How about a peach flavored tea? I always like drinking peach flavored iced tea in bottles, even if it's Snapple. I've been drinking the Tazo bottled stuff at work since it's sold in the cafeteria.

Anything decent I can buy and brew at home (I guess for iced tea).

[cdh]

For black teas with flavorings, I'm partial to vanilla... best done as tea with slices of vanilla pod mixed in. Have had very nice examples of the style from both Adagio and Tea Trader.

Twinings Lady Grey is a nice riff on Earl Grey.

The absolute best Earl Grey I've had comes from the House of Tea, and is just their traditional, not one of the fancier deluxified imperialized versions.

[Naftal]

I still love black tea with rose petals. I have recently acquired a taste  for black tea with chrysanthemum.