All Hail The Mighty Assam!

I've long been a fan of Assam. It was one of the very first teas I experienced on my Twinings journey, and one I truly love. But, since drinking black tea, I've avoided it a bit because, even with milk, it's a powerful blend.

Today, I decided to have my first cup in ages. I've had six teabags from a selection box hanging around since Christmas so I dipped in and decided to try the blend again.

Assam doesn't need a huge amount of brewing because, as it says on the packet, it's strong and mighty! It brews to a wonderful, dark, black colour.

This was the first time I had taken the tea without milk, and from the very first sip, I realised how strong it actually is. And it is strong! It has a smooth flavour, and it really is black tea at it's finest. It's not malty like English Breakfast, but is a much stronger then Prince of Wales (which I reviewed yesterday!). But, in all honesty, I struggled to get through the cup, not because it was horrible, simply because of it's strength. I was going to have to bend and add a bit of milk.

So, for my next cup of tea, I made another Assam up, and on reading the packaging, even Twinings say to add a touch of milk, so I added some soya milk (which is a new experience in itself as I've not added soya milk to tea before)and took a sip, and my goodness it was a lovely cup of tea. I didn't put much milk in, just a teeny drop, but it made all the difference. I enjoyed it immensely, and it took me back a couple of years when it was my blend of choice.

With the addition of milk it takes the edge off the strength, making it a rich and tasty brew. I really, really love this blend and enjoyed two more cups during the rest of the afternoon.

One of the things I love about Twinings is that they have perfected their basic tea. Assam is basic (compared to the flavoured ranges) but it's done just right. It's simple, not at all flashy, but it's rewarding to drink. There are many other blends on the market that claim to be strong. Make Mine A Builders, or Yorkshire Tea Extra Strong, but I don't think you need to go out and look purposely for a strong tea, because you have it in Assam. But alongside the strength you have quality, too. Nothing is scrimped on with Twinings. It's not gimmicky, and it doesn't try too hard. It is what it is. And that's why I like it.

Summary Of Assam

- Brew for three to five minutes.
- Adding milk is highly recommended.
- Available from Twinings Online and all supermarkets priced around £3.59 for 50 teabags. Available as a loose tea also: £2.29 for 125g.