Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Twinings of London
Tea Description:
The Irish really love their tea and are amongst the most frequent drinkers of tea around the world. In celebration of this tea drinking tradition, Twinings blended a special Irish Breakfast Blend. This tea is best taken with milk and sweetened to taste to bring out the best flavour.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Before I get in to this review, I want to say that Twinings is a company that confuses me. I guess I am somewhat easily confused, so that is no great feat, really, but, it seems to me that there are two separate tea companies called “Twinings” – there is this Twinings from which this tea was acquired: Twinings of London. And then there is another company: Twinings. I really don’t know if these are indeed the same company or different companies, but to me, they appear to be different. Am I correct on that? Anyone in the know, please feel free to comment and educate me!
Now… on to the review of this tea. I received a bag of this tea from a tea friend, and it was one that I’ve not tried before but I’ve enjoyed other Twinings of London teas and tisanes in the past so I figured I’d also probably like this one. And it is good for a bagged tea. Of course, bagged tea does have its limitations, but I think that this tea manages to still be a good, strong tea despite those limitations … although I can’t help but think how much better it might be if it were loose leaf.
I brewed it in boiling water for three minutes, and I’m pleased with the result. It is bold and has pleasing notes of malt, as well as a good hearty flavor to it. Something that would, indeed, make a good breakfast tea as it has a certain vigor to it. A light, caramel-y sweetness. As I continue to sip, I also can taste the tea bag … which is not nearly as tasty as the other qualities of this cuppa. Yes, indeed, I taste a “paper-y” kind of taste … and I am wishing I didn’t taste that, as it is lessening my enjoyment of the tea.
It’s drinkable, certainly, and it would be good for when you might have one of those busy kind of days when you don’t have time for loose leaf. Let’s face it, loose leaf does require a few extra steps compared to a bagged tea, but, if I’ve got the time, I’d rather go with the loose leaf.
Irish Breakfast Tea from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Product Description:
A stout robust black tea blend of February production. Superb color and very full-bodied. Irish Breakfast is excellent as a early morning tea.
Taster’s Review:
This Irish Breakfast is a bold blend of Assam and Kenyan teas, and it is indeed full-bodied. But then, I’d expect nothing less from an Irish Breakfast blend, and I’ve also come to expect excellent quality from Culinary Teas as well.
The dry leaf is a very fine cut and resembles the granules of freeze-dried coffee. But it doesn’t smell like coffee. It smells fresh and slightly earthy, and even has a slight “baked” kind of quality to the aroma.
This translates into the flavor, as I can taste that freshly baked bread kind of taste in the background. It is a very hefty tea with plenty of malty tones. It has a delicious caramel-like sweetness to it. A good, solid tea that is as delicious as it is invigorating.
This is a tea that you’ll want to take extra care when steeping. Don’t steep too long or your tea will become bitter. I find that 2 1/2 minutes is the maximum time that I steep this tea – at three minutes, the tea has some bitter tones to it. But, while it can be a little finicky, it is well worth the little extra attention. You will be rewarded with a most delightful cup of tea that takes the addition of milk and honey well, if you like your tea that way. It is also quite nice with just a little bit of turbinado sugar (I find that this really accents the caramel-y notes nicely). It is a bit “edgy” without any addition, but there are some people who like their tea that way. However you choose to take your tea is fine with me! Cheers!
Irish Breakfast Blend from Ocean of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Ocean of Tea
Product Description:
Need an eye-opener? Blended from Assam and Ceylon teas, this classic Irish breakfast is full bodied and can be enjoyed throughout the day. It goes well with milk in the traditional Irish manner, but does equally well with a touch of lemon, or plain.
Irish breakfast black tea has an obscure history. Assam teas are popular in Ireland, and Irish breakfast blends are considered normal tea in that country. Popularized elsewhere as a breakfast tea, it is often served as an alternative to coffee.
Taster’s Review:
If you’re looking for a breakfast blend with the gusto to get you going in the morning, you need look no further than this Irish Breakfast Blend from Ocean of Tea.
This is a very strong, rich tea! Robust! One thing that I notice right away with this blend is that the Assam in the blend makes its presence known in a very profound way. It is malty and has a very pleasing depth of flavor. If this tea doesn’t get you going in the morning, nothing will!
The tea has a toothsome quality to it and reminds me of a freshly baked loaf of bread. Yummy! The malty tone intensifies this quality. The Ceylon helps to give this blend a very well-rounded appeal.
While this tea is excellent with the additions of milk and honey (that’s sort of a tradition when it comes to breakfast blends, isn’t it?) I am finding it quite nice with just a drizzle of agave nectar to help take off some of the edge of the Assam (if you like that edge, omit the sweetener completely!) while enhancing the undertone of caramel-y sweetness.
This cuppa is warm and inviting, not to mention absolutely delicious. I love it!
Finnigan’s Wakeup from Chad’s Chai and Tea Company
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Chad’s Chai and Tea Company
Production Description:
The Irish are known to say that tea should be strong enough to stand you spoon up in it. This Irish breakfast tea is indisputably bold, yet lively with fun flowery undertones. And it will take all the milk and sugar you can give it!
Ingredients: Full leaf Black Tea from India and China.
Tasters Review:
Let’s just say – after tasting Finnigan’s Wake-Up…Finnigan can wake me up any day! This is a nice, solid black tea! Perfect for that first cup!
This Irish Breakfast Tea is wonderful! It has a great flavor. It’s very tasty. It’s bold and full and if I really try can pick out the slightest bit of floral taste hiding underneath.
The Product Description from the Company talks a lot about the traditional additives many Irish Tea Lovers may add to their cuppa but I drink ALL of my teas plain and still think this is a great cup!
I do have a lot of Irish in my background but also have a lot of Norwegian as well as some English, French, and German so let’s just say I am ‘well rounded’ with my likings for various morning and breakfast teas. Or at least I like to think I am. There are several I like and this is now added to my list of morning or breakfast teas.
Finnigan is my friend!
