Laura's Tea Room Visits Northern Tea Merchants: Part One

(Northern Tea Merchants shop on Chatsworth Road).

Regular readers will know that Northern Tea Merchants appear quite often on Laura's Tea Room. I have reviewed some of their wonderful blends, from Yunnan to Russian Caravan From their Apple tea to a personal favourite of mine - Keemun. And, of course, their utterly delicious and indeed fabulous Gourmet Teabags.

Northern Tea Merchants are a tea company that are incredibly close to my heart.  When I first established this blog in January of 2014, Northern Tea were one of two companies who willingly sent me samples to help get the page up and running. When you are new to blogging you can receive some really enthusiastic and supportive replies to requests for samples and some downright rude ones. I got several knock backs. But, from Northern Tea I received only positive responses.

Alongside sending out samples, James Pogson, who I now consider a friend, would happily answer all of my tea related questions - no matter how mundane or repetitive those questions were to him. 

Without Northern Tea Merchants, I am utterly certain, this blog would not be what it is today.

When I established the blog James offered me the chance to attend a tea tasting. Back in 2014 life was hugely different for me and sadly, was unable to attend. But, when I was again asked at the end of last year, I jumped at the chance, and we settled on a date - February 26th.

 (St Pancras International Station - at 5.30am - a early start!)

(A early morning Jasmine Green Tea which was nice - till I realised they had left the bag in and it went too bitter I couldn't finish it!)

So, last Thursday I found myself happily settled on a train, thundering through the English countryside. The journey was fantastic, with weather changing  in a mere heartbeat. One moment I'd be looking at bright blue skies and sunshine, the next rain and thick black clouds.

Northern Tea Merchants are based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. On the train it took me just under two hours to get there, which, in the great scheme of things, was nothing considering nowadays it can take as long to get from one side of London to the other on a weekday.

I will admit that I was more than a little nervous on the journey up, but in equal measure, I was excited. It was going to be utterly fun to experience - and talk about - tea. My one passion in life and one I share with James and everyone at Northern Tea.

James very kindly met me at the station (which was good as I have a hopeless sense of direction and would probably have gotten terribly lost if I had walked!) and we were quickly speeding off to the shop.

I was instantly smitten with the shop at Northern Tea. The bottom half of the building is divided into two parts. One half is a shop, the other a tea room.

The shop is well stocked with plenty of variety of tea available on the shelves. Alongside the tea there is a wonderful selection of tea caddies and accessories, such as infusers and tea sticks, and teapots and mugs. (But more about the shop later on ... I have lots to say!).

Due to my visit being held over two days, we decided to do a initial tea tasting on the Thursday, then a second on the Friday morning, along with a tour of the factory.  Of course, I would of been happy doing it all in one day, but spreading the various activities over the two days was far better as it allowed me to really take it all in amongst the excitement. (By this time I really was excited!). Plus, it made the trip have a real holiday feel, too! (And I will readily admit that once one steps into a world that is so jam packed with tea - both in its physical state and having the ability to talk tea with someone equally if not more passionate then me, you become slightly unwilling to leave that world!).

Naturally, the first thing James and I did was enjoy a pot of tea! I was asked what I would like and I requested Earl Grey, as strangely, despite Earl Grey being one of my all time favourite blends, I've never tried Northern Tea's and it was delicious. I had deliberately avoided having tea on the train. Not only is the blend used on my train not to my tastes, I am also exceptionally clumsy and would not of wanted to have risked spilling half the contents of the cup down my jumper - hardly a way to make a great impression!

Before we started the tea tasting James kindly gave a presentation about tea. I learned the basic facts about the tea plant (and  a little bit about coffee, too!) but what really caught my attention was James's extensive collection of photographs from his many tea travels. A photograph he showed me, of a tea plantation in Kenya took my breath away. It's lush green colours, standing proudly against a bright blue sky is perhaps something that will stay in my mind for the rest of my life.

We also spoke about the conditions that those who produce the tea - mainly the tea pickers - work and live in. We must not forget that there are ethical considerations when it comes to tea production. It cannot be simply about our enjoyment of tea - we have to consider those who pick it for us and how they are looked after by the people who employ them. I was heartened to learn that some receive a very good wage. It is very easy for us to put the blinkers on and not see the bigger picture.

Further on in the presentation I also saw photographs of all the different types of machinery that is used in tea production! I was quite astounded though by a photograph of a group of women hand rolling a tea. It was then that I suddenly realised the sheer hard work that is involved in producing tea.  I don't think I had a true understanding of what is involved in its production. And now I can fully appreciate what is involved. I must say, at this stage, I felt more than a little humbled.

Once the presentation was over, James prepared the tea ready for the tasting process.  I cannot remember exactly how many tea's were going to be tasted on the first day but I think it was around thirty.  James boiled the water and measured out the tea exactly (I was given the job of measuring the tea the following day with less success ...). 

As you can see in the photograph below the tea is placed in the little pots and water is added. This was done four tea's at a time to avoid the tea's further up the line from stewing. The lid is put on the pot and James set the timer for three minutes. 

 (The tea's are put into pot's and infused. Then, they are drained and poured into tasting cups. The water bowl is used to clean your spoon in between tasting tea's).

During the brewing process it was explained to me how I should taste the tea  - and it involved slurping! Yes, slurping. The actual slurping was quite difficult for me for two reasons. Firstly, it went against all the table manners that were installed in me from a very young age from my Dad and I also genuinely feel very uncomfortable in my own skin and felt a little self conscious. What if I made a mess? What if I spilt the tea? What if I looked ridiculous?

I need not of worried. Because, quite frankly, once I learned the art of slurping, holding the tea under your tongue to fully experience the taste, I couldn't of cared less about those self doubts that tend to hold me back. I was having fun and I mean serious fun tasting all these delicious tea's. I wasn't going to let anything hold me back from fully enjoying this brilliant opportunity. James was hugely encouraging and it would of been a tragic waste not of learned all I could from a man with nearly thirty years experience in tea.

Time to put those self doubts on hold! I was diving in!

The most important thing I learned during the tasting process was the only real, true way of defining a tea's aroma is to smell the wet leaves. I have learned that yes, you can get an idea of an aroma of a tea from its dried state but to REALLY experience the scent of a tea is to smell the wet leaves.  And it's nice to be actively encouraged to do so! And what a joy it was. One of the most vivid aroma's I remember was a green tea with cherry. The lovely, rich aroma was stunning.

As well as smelling the wet leaves, James explained to me that there are several ways of assessing the quality of the tea. Yes, you do have to consider the aroma of the dried leaves, but alongside that you need to be looking at the colour of the tea and the appearance of the wet leaves.

What is also so very important during a tea tasting is always to remember to try the lighter flavoured tea's first, so we started off with white tea and ended the tasting on a sturdy Lapsang Souchong, cleansing the spoon in between each tasting.

To view the tea in their perfectly white porcelain bowls is a wonder. It's a virtual palette of different colours ranging from almost translucent white tea, to a golden Darjeeling.  A quite stunning image that sticks in the mind.

I will admit, and this will probably seem strange to you, the reader, but as I was stood looking at all these tea's I was utterly proud to be a tea lover. And, indeed, honoured to have been given the chance to attend a tea tasting. I think I may even of been slightly overcome at one point!

As much as I love my family, tea to them is just something they drink. So, I guess, what made me truly happy was being able to talk tea and receive enthusiasm and understanding when I waxed lyrical about the tea's I loved. There was no eyes glassing over, no delicate attempts to change the conversation.  In a way I felt as though I've found my little place in the world!

 (James Pogson with all the fabulous tea's.)

After tasting each tea I felt comfortable to say if I liked the blend of if I were less keen. Mostly James and I agreed on what we liked, but there were also differences, which highlighted the fact that taste is very personal.  One person may love a tea, another will dislike it.

And there is no right or wrong either. You can give two people the same tea and it could taste hugely different to each person. 

Throughout the first day of tea tasting, several members of Northern Tea's staff popped into the room and I have to say I was greeted warmly by everyone. There is a great team working there and I was made to feel extremely welcome.

By the end of the first day of the tea tasting I was literally walking on air. I felt excited, happy .. basically a wide range of emotions.

In the second part, which will be uploaded tomorrow,  I will be talking about my purchases, fruity tea's and the factory ... oh and coffee!