harishpur estate TGFBOP1 assam from upton tea.

Yesterday was beautiful, sunny, and warm ... but today the weather is in a sour mood: chilly, rainy, and grey. I decided to brew up one of my stronger black teas, ones reserved for when I need an extra pick-me-up. Today it is Upton's Harishpur Estate TGFBOP1 Assam. It is one of the few teas in my cupboard that I find works better when cut with a bit of cream and sugar as it is rather strong.

It brews a rich amber-red cup and has a malty aroma. The flavor unaltered is dark and bitter but with a pleasant sweetness -- like a dark wildflower honey. I often say this is the tea that, when brewed strong, will make my face scrunch up as if I were drinking a cup of black coffee. I've found that a smidgen of dairy added helps prevent my stomach from getting unsettled.

With cream the bitterness is eradicated and you get the softer flavors of the assam coming out. I pick up the wildflower honey note once again, but now it is like it has been spread over a small sweet biscuit. You get a toasted pastry flavor from the cup that was masked by the astringency of the plain brew.

It looks like Upton Tea Imports is almost out of this particular blend of Assam, but they carry tons of  other excellent teas. I bought a tin of a certain first flush Darjeeling from them a while back, and I practically brewed it all within 2 weeks time! I love that their little tins have customizable labels so I can keep track of when the tea was packed, and how long I've had it since it shipped. Their service is excellent!

Now I've got the energy to get up and wash some dishes! The only downside to this apartment is that Ryan and I are the dishwasher -- we don't have one installed. Nor do we have a garbage disposal. I miss having that the most, I think. It was the best way to dispose of old tea leaves. Just rinse and flick a switch!