Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Upton Tea Imports' Bond Street English Breakfast Blend Black Tea

It has been quite some time, since I last reviewed a really straightforward black tea, and this one has been awaiting my sampling for even longer. Today, it stood out and the malty promise of the Assam in the blend seemed exactly what I wanted to drink.

I began by boiling water, then steeping one and a half teaspoons of Bond Street in twelve ounces of water for three minutes. When the water grew dark within the first thirty seconds, I wondered briefly if I was going to oversteep the tea, using Upton's recommended time, but I should not have worried. Smelling the dry leaves, as my tea steeped, the sweet-sharpness of Ceylon hits my nose, first. On the back end of the aroma, malty Assam makes itself known. I found that blend of smells to be very interesting, as each is quite distinctive from the other.

The aromas that rise from the steeped cup are rich and malty, reminiscent of a cocoa without any sweetness to it. (Plus, it is not cocoa-scented, the attributes are merely similar.) One sip and the brisk flavors of Ceylon flood the tongue, chased by malty, deep Assam notes that grow more prominent as I swallow. Despite some brisk-bitterness, the liquor is quite smooth and goes down easily. The two teas in the blend have been really well balanced. I can see how this tea might easily be oversteeped, so I recommend to be careful in preparing it.

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate Bond Street a 4. I am certainly going to enjoy drinking the rest of this tea.

Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Upton Tea Imports' Bond Street English Breakfast Blend is available from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
You can read more about my Personal Enjoyment Scale, here.
Text is copyright 2016, Built from Ink and Tea.