There are so many teas called English Breakfast, and they can be quite different. The original English Breakfast tea is said to have been pure 100% Chinese Keemun. This is the exception rather than the rule today, and you are more likely to find a mix of black tea from Sri Lanka, India, and Kenya. Modern tea tastes in the UK overall run to strong black tea that not only holds up to, but almost requires, milk and sugar – a nice, boot-you-out-of-bed tea.
Having a tender and sensitive tummy, I am cautious with breakfast blends as I don’t add anything to my tea, and with no milk to smooth my morning beverage the day can go dicey if the tea is too astringent. Also, once awake I am generally ready to go and don’t need to kick in the pants.
This fair trade tea is a blend of Ceylon, Kenyan, and Assam teas. I have put them in the order I believe them to be represented in the blend based on the taste. Far and away the top note for me is the lemony taste of Ceylon tea tingling on my tongue. This high citrus note is almost enough to make you think it is flavored! This often indicates that the tea was grown at a higher elevation of Sri Lanka. I put Assam last because I am not getting a huge amount of malty or bready flavor.
I am quite able to drink this without milk and sugar, enjoying the dry tingle of the briskness of the tea without the almost instant stomach ache some breakfast teas give me. I do believe that if milk and sugar is your thing, the tea could withstand it and wouldn’t wimp out under the additions.
If you love a good, black breakfast blend and want to upgrade to fair trade and organic tea, give it a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Virginia Tea Company
Description
This organic tea is perfect for pairing with your morning meal. The full-bodied flavor can be blended with milk and sugar to create an even better drinking experience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
English Breakfast from Walters Bay. . .
Hello dear reader, among all the interesting tea that is available in today’s market, it is nice to find a tea blend that doesn’t stray too far from the classic blends. Of course, I am talking about English Breakfast, the blend that never fails to fit my every mood. So I was more than happy to brew a cup of this English Breakfast especially when it is from a company from which I am surprised that I have never heard of for this company is 151 years old!
As I am sure is the case for most of you, this tea tastes like your typical English Breakfast blend. But that is not saying it is not good, this tea is definitely one of the best cups of English Breakfast that I have had. This tea is perfectly bold and bright with a soft dry finish combined with a perfectly sweet malty flavor. I was sad that I only had one cup to sample for my cup emptied way to fast so I will be most definitely be stocking up in the future.
Now on to the prices, a box of 15 (silk pyramid bags) is priced at $6.99 USD which will be about .47¢ a cup. For loose leaf, it would be $9.99 for a tin (18 cups per tin) that will be about .56¢ a cup and $10.99 for a bag (33 cups per bag) that is .33¢ per cup. I also don’t see any options for samples but I think spending about $7 isn’t too bad for testing a tea.
All in all, this tea is a good staple to have in my tea collection. I enjoyed my cup immensely and I see why this specific blend won first place in the 2018 Global Tea Championship in the English Breakfast category. I believe that this blend is approachable by all tea drinkers and will be a welcome addition to any tea collection.
See you for the next cuppa!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Walters Bay
Description
English Breakfast Ceylon Black Tea Full Leaf Tea Enveloped Tea Bags begins with freshly hand-plucked tea leaves processed in our own Noori Tea Processing Center, in the highlands of Sri Lanka. Our Award-Winning Pekoe 1 black tea grade is meticulously processed during the Western High Grown season. This grade of tea offers a classic Ceylon signature flavor profile that is ideal as an English Breakfast Tea. It is a full bodied tea with a slight malty character and exceptional aroma. Great as a stand alone cup or with a dash of milk. Contains 15 individual enveloped full leaf tea bags. Each tea bag contains approx. 3 grams of tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Earl Grey Sun AKA Earl Grey Mandarin from TeaLeafs
Earl Grey Sun – or Earl Grey Mandarin – I believe they are one in the same – but I could be mistaken.
When I last bought this tea it was labeled Earl Grey Sun but the only one I can currently find on their website is Earl Grey Mandarin but I think they are the same tea because I can distinctly remember the lovely orange notes of the flavored Earl. But it was more than just your standard Bergamot. And more than your common Orange. I’m pretty sure the glorious ray of sunshine in the flavored black tea – flavored Earl Grey (more specifically) was that of the might mandarin.
Regardless – this was a fantastic cup! One of the more impressive flavored Earl Grey’s I’ve had to date. And probably in my Top 5 teas offered at TeaLeafs.
The black tea base itself is that of a High grown Ceylon tea and it’s sturdy and tasty in its own right.
This is surely a tea that has brightened my day and I hope you are able to try it at some point because I think you will, too, be a fan!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Leafs
Description
Ingredients: Black Tea, Bergamot, flavoring from Germany, Mandarin
High grown Ceylon tea with Bergamot and Mandarin
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Uncle Grey from Tea Squared. . . .
I got this tea on sale at TJ Maxx, of all places, because I couldn’t resist its tagline: “Uncle Grey: The smoother cousin of the pretentious Earl.”
I’m just imagining Earl, at Thanksgiving, talking about making partner at his law firm. Then in breezes Uncle Grey, who wants to talk about windsurfing off Thailand. Everyone wants to hear about that instead, OBVIOUSLY. Sorry, Earl. You old stuffbucket, you.
In addition to bergamot, the Uncle throws some apple, pineapple, and vanilla in there. Let me tell you, this blend is a sweetheart. It definitely slides in there and woos you with those sweet words. It smells great, like a man who knows how to wear just a little bit of cologne instead of dousing himself in it. If this were a suit, it’d be a perfectly fitted slim-fit suit on a guy who looks like a professional swimmer. If it were a rap musician, its nickname would be “Mr Steal Your Girl.”
Watch out, Earl. The Uncle is on his way into town, and he’s going to make you look frumpy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Squared
Description
The smoother cousin of the pretentious Earl. High grown Ceylon black tea, infused with the oil of bergamot and finished with a hint of vanilla. This creamy delightful tea is one of our best sellers.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
English Breakfast from the Virginia Tea Company . . . .
When you need a tried-and-true pick-me-up in the morning, many of us reach for a cup of English Breakfast black tea. But each tea company has a little different take on this style of tea. English Breakfast from the Virginia Tea Company is robust in scent, taste, and texture.
This tea is full and malty, almost chewy, with toasty tones of baked bread. This tea is strong enough to have flavor after being mixed with milk and sugar, and to hold up on its own against the savory flavors of your breakfast.
The first scent and taste are the rich and complex flavors like roasted wheat or leather, followed by the little crisp bite of black tea that we come to expect. There is a hint of earthy smoke at the back of each sip, along with the the less bitter black tea tannins and thicker mouthfeel.
This is a black tea that makes you feel strong and invigorated, while also giving your palette a full-bodied flavor experience. For those mornings where it is hard to get your head on straight, be sure to brew up a strong cup of English Breakfast from the Virgina Tea Company and get back on track.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Virginia Tea Co.
Description:
This organic tea is perfect for pairing with your morning meal. The full-bodied flavor can be blended with milk and sugar to create an even better drinking experience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
