Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Damn Fine Tea
Tea Description:
We are delighted to offer you this Tiger, our latest Assam tea. It’s resilient yet refined, gentle yet ass-kicking, crouching yet leaping. Prepare it any way you like and it’ll taste great. Forget it on the counter? Brew it a little hastily in a travel mug? It’ll still taste great. Tigers are like that. They don’t get discouraged. They don’t have off days. They deliver 100% tiger, at all times.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am in love with this tea! Seriously, I’ve only consumed about 1/4 of my mugful of this tea, and I’m already head over heels in love with it.
I’ve consumed a lot of Assam tea over the years, and I’ve liked some better than others. But this … this is one of the very best I’ve tried. In fact, as I sit here, contemplating this tea and trying to think of other Assam teas that I might enjoy just as much as I’m enjoying this, there is only one that comes to mind. That’s pretty impressive, given the sheer number of Assam teas that I’ve sampled over the past ten years or so.
It is strong and rich … and just like a tiger, it will most assuredly kick your butt. If you are still half asleep when you reach for a cup of this tea, you won’t be after you’re half way through the cup. This tea has that GUSTO that you want from an Assam, it is robust and malty and delicious. It starts out with a smooth, caramel-y taste, slightly earthy, and as it transitions to the finish, there is just a hint of bitterness to the taste. Just a slight intonation… enough to let you know that you’re dealing with a TIGER! The finish is astringent, and this astringency slowly begins to dry your palate … a drying sensation that lasts into the aftertaste.
If ever there was a perfect Assam, I would say that this would be it. It is as close to perfect as it can get! And I love it.
Thirsty Elf Elixir Blend From Damn Fine Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea
Tea Description:
The Thirsty Elf Blend is a custom blend of black teas. Melt snow until boiling and add leaves. Strain after four minutes and serve piping hot.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have enjoyed just about every tea offered from Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea, and this one is no exception. I do find it to be quite similar to the Damn Fine Holiday Blend of 2010, but I think I may actually like this one better (and at the time of its release, I proclaimed the Damn Fine Holiday Blend to be my favorite from Andrews & Dunham!) and interestingly enough, one of the things I like better about this blend is that it is a tad smokier than the Damn Fine Holiday Blend … and I generally do not like smoky teas!
I noticed a creaminess to the Damn Fine Holiday Blend that I don’t notice as much here, but both blends are remarkably smooth with lovely sweet tones that weave their way in and out of the sip. There are still some creamy tones to this which are more apparent as I make my way to mid-cup. These creamy tones meld with the sweet flavors to create a somewhat caramel-y note.
This blend has a bit more astringency than the Damn Fine Holiday Blend, I think, and the finish tends to be a bit more dry. The aftertaste is somewhat smoky with the aforementioned caramel-y undertone. Very pleasant.
This has a lightness to it – it isn’t a really heavy or “hefty” cup of tea, but, at the same time, I find it to be remarkably energizing, and I can see why it would be an elf’s choice to “restore elf vigor.”
A great afternoon pick-me-up, and would even make a good breakfast tea, even though it is not a heavy cup of tea, it is still strong and is sure to bring a smile to the faces of even those who find mornings unbearable (I’m one of them!)
Captain Assam’s High Seas Elixer from Damn Fine Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Damn Fine Tea
Product Description:
The Captain is a hearty Assam tea from India. For an invigorating brew, steep these leaves for 4 minutes in boiling water. Try 3 if you are of a gentler nature and seek only warm comfort. Beware the urge to brew this tea in salt water.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been wanting to order series 5 from Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Teas for quite some time now, and have been praying to the tea gods that the series not sell out before I had a chance to do so. Fortunately, the tea gods smiled upon me and I finally was able to order it.
Yay! And this is a Damn Fine Assam. As far as Assam teas go, this is a rather mild one. It isn’t as hefty as some Assam teas I’ve tried, but in the place of that bold strength is a delicious sweetness that is somewhere between a burnt-sugar caramel taste and a honey-esque note. Of all the Assam teas that I’ve tasted to date, I don’t think one has come close to this level of sweetness.
It possesses such a lovely balance. It is certainly strong and invigorating, but, it isn’t as harsh nor as astringent as an Assam can be. There is some astringency, of course, but, it is offset by the aforementioned sweetness. It is incredibly smooth and full-flavored. The malty tones here unite with the sweeter flavors to give this almost an “ale” kind of taste.
I LOVE Andrews & Dunham’s Damn Fine Teas – and my love isn’t just about the tea. Their tea is wonderful, of course, but, there is more to this company. They ship incredibly fast, and everything about the packaging is delightful. The boxes are beautifully designed – and the tins are GORGEOUS! And there is always a little something extra that comes with each series. For series three, I got a patch. This time, for series 5, I got a sheet of temporary tattoos.
Tea should be fun! I probably will never use the tattoos, but, these little thoughtful touches add an element of playfulness and excitement to tea. It takes the “proper” out of tea time and replaces it with FUN!
Thomas Sampson from Damn Fine Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sorry, this tea is no longer available.
Company Description:
Legendary throughout the Northern Circuit, Big Thomas, The Breeze from the Mountain, is twice a champion bare-fisted tree-puncher. He did, in fact, earn his first title before becoming aware that he was involved in a contest, so great is his impatience with obstacles be they festooned in leaf or adorned in hide. Watch as Thomas boils with rage! Marvel at his great brawn! See with your very own eyes that none can withstand more than four minutes of his brutal attention!
Andrews & Dunham recommend that the brewing of this Assam black tea from India be performed by inserting the leaves into freshly boiled water for a duration of exactly four minutes. A strong, malty beverage will then be yours to enjoy in any manner you choose. A hasty preparation will yield a pale and gutless liquor. A more prolonged duration invites bitterness.
Taster’s Review:
Hooray for online tea friends! I received a sampling of this rare tea from a friend on Steepster! (Thanks!) This is a tea that I would not have been able to try otherwise, as it is no longer available.
You see, Andrews & Dunham – the minds that bring us Damn Fine Tea – release their teas in limited edition series. You buy the full series (usually 3 teas to a series, but, in the case of Series 2, which this tea is part of, there were only 2 teas), and the orders arrive promptly to your door. (I know this because I ordered series 3, and I was astonished at how quickly my order arrived) The downside is that once the limited edition is sold-out, those teas can no longer be purchased. That is the case with this tea.
A very bold, brisk Assam tea. Lots of vigor to the flavor. A malty note, although not quite as malty as some Assam teas I’ve tasted. What it lacks in the malty flavor, it more than makes up for in bold brashness! And I mean that in a good way! This is a very seriously stout black tea.
The steeping suggestions provided by Andrews and Dunham state that 4 minutes would produce an optimum cup. However, my personal experience with Assam teas has been that anything over 2 ½ minutes = a bitter brew. So, rather than risking it (I had precious few leaves of this wonderful tea) I let my experience overrule the purveyors parameters and brewed for just 2 ½ minutes.
The result is a beautifully bold, vigorous tea. A pleasant malty flavor that peaks in the finish. A bit of astringency, but not overwhelming. And most importantly, at least for my palate – NO bitterness! Just one very fabulous cup of tea that is delicious hot, served with just a drizzle of raw honey and a splash of milk to bring out some of the richer qualities of the tea. Of course, for the purists out there, no milk or honey is needed – I just happen to prefer taking my Assam that way.
The second infusion is even more flavorful than the first. The bold strength of the tea softens to reveal a complex liquor with notes of fruit. I can taste a bit more malty character in the second infusion as well.
Ceylon from Damn Fine Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: this tea is no longer available, sorry!
Company Description:
You grew up next door to this tea. It would sit on the porch, talking on the cordless phone, and despite its old sweats and unkempt hair you had a hard time taking your eyes off it while you mowed the lawn. Your trips down the block to the mailbox had to be perfectly timed. You grew up, moved away, and made a name for yourself but every now and then a song surfaces on the random shuffle and it all comes back. A Google search yields nothing.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not big on unflavored Ceylon tea. I have nothing against an unflavored Ceylon tea, exactly, except that they’re rather … ordinary. For me, when I think of Ceylon tea, I think of the tea that is used in flavored tea blends. It is the most widely used for flavored blends because it has a mellow, calm tone to it which allows the flavor to really come through in the blend without the strong tea flavor interfering with it. Most Ceylon teas are good, tasty teas with a pleasant character to them, but they are just … ordinary, and when I drink an unflavored black tea, I want something a little more than just a Ceylon tea.
Occasionally, I will find an unflavored Ceylon tea that really surprises me with its depth of flavor. Like this Ceylon from Andrews & Dunham’s Damn Fine Tea. Wow!
I can taste layers of fruit and nutty flavors, as well as a deep woodsy flavor. There is even a hint of smoke in the flavor that is very subtle. A very enjoyable honey-like sweetness that is completely irresistible to this tea lover! This is the kind of Ceylon that makes me rethink my attitude toward Ceylon teas – I would love to drink this every day!
Unfortunately, I cannot. This tea was part of the first series that Andrews & Dunham released, and it has, regrettably, sold out. I was lucky enough to find a tea friend that was willing to share a small sampling of this tea with me so I could try it, and I’m so grateful I had that opportunity.
This tea is sweet and soothing, calming and relaxing… and absolutely delightful. I love it!