Plymouth Tea: Armada Blend

I love being a tea blogger. Firstly, there isn't anything nicer then being able to write about something you love very much. Secondly, you get to try some great tea's and through that have contact with really nice, like minded people.

Plymouth Tea kindly approached me one afternoon asking if I'd like to try some tea to sample, which of course, I would never refuse. The email pinged into my inbox whilst I was away for a few days and made the getaway even more pleasant.

There is something really nice about a family run business and that is exactly what Plymouth Tea is. It's aim's are relatively simple but extremely effective - they want to provide tea drinkers with a luxury tea that is of a high quality, and, can be served at a afternoon tea or taken alone at home, whilst at the same time providing the best tea drinking experience that the tea lover can possibly have.

I am proud to support new, independent and family run tea businesses. It is vital to offer tea drinkers something other then the most well known brands that saturate every supermarket. And I'm proud to be able to review their Armada Blend.

For those from abroad who may not be familiar with British geography and history, Plymouth is a city on the South Coast of England. It has a strong naval heritage. Sir Francis Drake, for instance, who was second in command during the Spanish Armada, when Spanish and French ships tried to invade British waters, was said to have played bowls on Plymouth Hoe before the ships arrived. In September 1620 the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, taking the first pioneers to the new world, heading for New England.

On a personal level, my grandfather was in the Royal Navy and my own father spent part of his childhood in Plymouth, and I have visited several times.

So, this was a tea that touched my heart. But would it make the same impression on my taste buds?

I was kindly sent three tea's to sample. Not sure what to try first. I simply closed my eyes, reached into the box and pulled out the first one. That was the Armada blend! (My techniques when it comes to tea is sophisticated!)

The Armada Blend is a tea lover's delight, and for me, it's extra special as I'm making a very enthusiastic return to Assam tea. For a long time I found Assam tea very strong (I normally take my tea unsweetened and black - as you all know!) but as I get older my tastes change and after recently drinking a cup of Assam I really appreciated it strength and flavour.

Armada Blend is a medium strength tea. It's not as full on as Breakfast tea but is slightly stronger, and more robust then the typical afternoon tea. It's a good balance of the two.

The tea can be purchased loose but I was sent some samples in bagged form. I excitedly popped the kettle on this evening, eager to try.

I LOVED THIS TEA! And to write that in capitals means I really loved it!

As I said just earlier, my relationship with Assam tea has been up and down. I loved it in the old days when I had milk and sugar in my tea, then found it unpalatable when I took my tea black. But, after years of taking tea without milk, it seems my tastes have changed and I am now falling back in love with Assam.

What I love about this tea is that it does lack the strange malty type elements that you can get with some blends of Assam tea. It's very smooth, it has strength but not overpoweringly so, but does linger for a while in your mouth which is something I really love.

I found this a wonderful tea to relax with in front of the television. It has a lovely depth of flavour, strong enough to give you a feeling of oomph without being difficult to drink. I found after the first couple of sips that it was a tea that was both refreshing and comforting.

Regular readers will know how much I love Earl Grey - the best of the blends - but sometimes it's nice to get back to basics with tea, unflavoured and pure, and this is simply one of the nicest Assam tea's I think I've had.

It's just so evenly balanced and wonderfully blended that it's incredibly moreish. I found it warming. It's of a very high quality and lacks the bitterness some Assam's can  have. It's just a brilliant cup of tea. I cannot wait to try the other blends.

Last year I was advised by my doctor to look after my bones after being diagnosed with a condition that could affect them in the future, and I have been advised to add a bit of diary back into my diet. So, I have started to have a couple of cups a tea a day where I add milk. And if I add milk, I add a bit of sugar, too! A nice treat.

The second cup of tea I brewed I decided to try this with a dash of milk and a tiny bit of sugar. And it really was a wonderful treat. It is strong enough not to be diluted by the addition of milk and sugar and was very indulgent and just a bit naughty .. but, we all deserve a treat once or twice don't we?

Personally, I prefer to take this tea black, but, a couple of cups a day with milk added makes this tea change into a slightly different tea. So it's good to take anyway you like it. There is a suggestion to add lemon to this tea so I may just try that too this weekend. Variety, as they say, is the spice of life!

I simply cannot wait to try the other blends I've been sent. Reviews coming soon!

It's companies like Plymouth Tea that make me really excited. This is a really wonderful tea, and I sense, from the contact I've had so far, it's a wonderful company too.

Yesterday I saw a report on the news that tea drinking is taking a downturn. Well, I'm sure that wouldn't be the case if people could try Plymouth Tea.  

I must send out my thanks to the team for sending out these samples. I am very privileged to have been able to try this tea. And here's to the other two blends! 

Shibui Tea: Tropical Green ... And DIY Teabags!

A little white ago, John from Shibui Tea very kindly sent me some wonderful samples from their range of tea. I will apologise to John and everyone at Shibui Tea for the time it's taken to appear but it's been a rather hectic month. However, I'm back on the blogging track and today fancied green tea.

Within the packets of samples, came these brilliant DIY teabags, which are officially called Tea Filters. I decided it would be fun to give them a go, and opted for Green Tropical as I fancied something fruity today.

Firstly, I filled the tea filters with a good quantity of tea. I will admit I probably slightly overloaded the bag, but, can you ever really have too much tea? I don't think so!

After I filled the filter, I simply pulled the string and it sealed it rather like a little money pouch!

Then, I simply popped the filter into the hot water and let it infuse for a couple of minutes.

I really enjoyed using these filters, it made loose tea even easier to use, so if you don't want the hassle of using a infuser or haven't the time to have a pot of tea, then this is a nice, quick and easy way to have good quality loose tea with the convenience of it being in a bag. In fact they are so easy to use, why not make up a few pouches so if you are out and about, and perhaps heading to a cafe, all you need to ask for is a pot of hot water and you can have brilliant tea on the move! (Well, that's what I'd do anyway ....).

I really, really do love these filters. They are a fantastic invention!

The first tea I decided to make was Tropical Green. 

Tropical Green is a wonderful, richly flavoured green tea. I am going through an incredible tropical phase right now, which started when I had a recent sore throat and bad chest and decided I needed some Vitamin C so have been solely drinking Tetley's Boost range, which includes a tropical flavour.

Shibui's Tropical Green is available loose, with the option of purchasing in a caddy, and also in their pyramid range too, so you have an incredible choice as to how you purchase your tea. Personally, so smitten am I, I'd get it loose and get a box of their filters!

This is a perfect day to unwind with. I'm still feeling run down, not quite myself and trying to shake off a troublesome cough, so to be able to enjoy a nice cup of tea that soothes you, makes you feel relaxed and is tasty is a treat.

The flavour is very smooth and the strongest flavour for me is pineapple, which I just happen to love. It's nicely sweet and lacks any sort of sharpness or bitterness.

Following the pineapple there is a very sweet flavour that comes through which comes from the peach flavour. It's mouthwatering and just luscious. And incredibly moreish. And for afters, there is a quick, sharp, snappy after bite of ginger which just makes this tea perfect.

Tropical Green is a ideal blend of sweet and snappy. The green tea is a wonderful, strong base that compliments the added flavour. Overall, this tea has a richness to it, without sitting heavily on the stomach, and is ideal for making as a cold tea in the warm summer months.

I'm really impressed so far with Shibui Tea. Thankfully, I have several samples which I can't wait to sample.

As for Tropical Green, I think this is a ideal tea for those who are stepping into the green tea world. It can be quite daunting, quite hard to brew and can taste slightly strange for the new tasters. But, this is sweet and tasty enough to be a great tea introduction to the wonderful world of green tea!

Twinings: Apple, Cinnamon & Raisin Tea

I have to admit that when I think of tea, fruit tea isn't in the forefront of my mind. I do like fruit tea, but it tends to have to be of a very good quality (Bluebirds Strawberry Lemonade is my favourite, and one not to be missed!) and normally I just tend to avoid it as it usually lacks any type of oomph.

But, on a recent tea shopping trip in London I stumbled on a tea that I've wanted to try for ages and simply not been able to get my hands on. This tea was Twinings Apple, Cinnamon & Raisin Tea.

This is a tea that in the UK isn't readily available. It's actually part of Twinings International range and in the UK is only available in their shop on the Strand or online, though abroad it could be a bit more easily available.

This evening I decided to make a cup in a new mug. This mug was purchased during my recent visit to London's Her Majesty's Theatre to see Phantom Of The Opera. It's a magic mug, when hot water is added the Phantom's mask appears, when the tea cools or when the cup is empty his mask disappears!

Apple, Cinnamon and Raisin Tea is a wonderfully aromatic tea. It fills the air with a simple sweetness, and instantly reminds me of apple pie. For a weight watcher this is brilliant. It's like having a traditional, nanna baked dessert without any of the naughty points! The aroma swirls around the kitchen, it's simply delightfully scented.

Each individual flavour makes this tea special. It reminds me of building bricks, the flavours have a foundation, a middle layer and a top layer. And each flavour develops with each sip.

Firstly, you get the very strong flavour of the apple. It's extremely refreshing and though this could possibly be considered a autumnal tea, as my friend Julie just pointed out, it's equally brilliant for summer time. The apple is mouthwatering, very fragrant and I will happily admit that one thing Twinings do very well is apple based tea. It tastes very natural indeed.

The raisin is the second flavour that comes through for me. It's very rich and warming and it's as if there are acutal plump, tasty raisins in your cup. It's a very well balanced flavour that compliments the apple perfectly. The sweetness of the raisin balances out the slightly sharp apple flavour, making for a nicely satisfying tea.

And after the sweet flavours of the apple and raisin you get a slightly sharp aftertaste of cinnamon that packs a punch.

All the flavours happily compliment each other.

But the star of the show has to be the apple flavour and even after the cup of tea has long been demonished (and you're thinking of making a second!) the apple flavour remains, fruity and inviting.

This tea could be considered seasonal. It's perfect for those autumn nights, and I could just imagine handing cups of this around on Bonfire Night or Halloween. But, strangely, it's great for this time of year, too. It's light and refreshing and incredibly moreish. It's just delicious.

I will never be the worlds biggest fruit tea fan. I like my tea to be a bit more full bodied. But this tea is one of the exceptions. I can't say how lovely it is, how well the flavours are blended, and how comforting this tea is. I was really, really impressed and when I'm next on the Strand I will certainly be buying a box, or two, or maybe even six or seven!

Hello Everyone!

Hello Readers!

I have just noticed that it's been an awfully long time since I updated this page. And for that, I'm sorry.

Most of this summer has been taken up with medical issues which has meant I've been running to and from hospital. That, coupled with the extreme heat we've seen in London this summer, has meant energy levels were running low and it's meant there hasn't been much chance to blog.

But, thankfully, all tests are done with and life is returning to normal.

Of course, it hasn't all been hard work. A personal dream of mine came true - I finally got to see Phantom Of The Opera. My brother kindly brought me a ticket for my recent birthday.

And I have lots of tea to try!

So do come and check in, there will be reviews coming up soon!

Thanks for your patience!

Laura x.

Whittards: Afternoon Earl Grey

Today is a first for Laura's Tea Room - I am writing my first review of a Whittard's tea!

Recently, I found myself in London and after visiting Twinings, we walked up to Covent Garden and I popped into the Whittards shop which can be found in the center of Covent Garden. On the surface level it looks tiny, but there is a extensive downstairs part of the shop.

On the top level there are lovely gift sets and biscuits, but it's downstairs where it get's interesting - they have tea's in huge caddies that can be brought loose and also a wide selection of boxed tea too. Not having much money left to spend I decided to try at least one tea and I opted for their Afternoon Earl Grey tea.

The tea comes in a box of fifty standard round bags. Inside there is a secure silver foil packet. The outer box is attractively designed. It's pretty and traditional.

You may be wondering why Whittard's haven't appeared on here before. There is a reason of course! Many years ago, when I first started drinking tea black, I went out for the day and purchased a tin of their Christmas tea. I was new to tea and a baby when it came to drinking tea without milk. I brewed up a pot of the Christmas tea, took a sip and was almost sick. It was not Whittard's fault it was mine. Christmas tea's, as you may know, are full of spices and things like cloves. It was way too strong and shamefully, I was put off from trying Whittards. It was a error on my part and now I'm wondering what lovely tea's have I missed in the interim!

So, I was stood in the basement of Whittards a couple of weeks ago wondering what to try first, and my eye was caught by this lovely, delicate tea.

The tea consists of a black tea from Indonesia with a light bergamot flavouring.

I couldn't wait to fire up the tea maker and get going with this tea. I put three bags into the pot and brewed for three minutes, however, I soon discovered this wasn't enough, so have changed the process slightly and now use four teabags and brew for four minutes.

Afternoon Earl Grey is not the kind of Earl Grey to knock you out with it's strength so if you like a hearty Earl Grey this may not be the Earl Grey for you, but, even though I love Earl Grey very strong, I appreciate this is a afternoon tea, so it's intended to be lighter version. After all, afternoon tea's are intended to be taken with cakes and all things delicate and this tea reflects that very well.

First of all, I enjoyed the depth of flavour I had with the black tea. It's delicate but tasty and is not at all bitter or overpowering. It's a very refreshing tea, light and airy but with a solid base.

The bergamot flavouring is very delicate and is very evenly balanced.  It not in your face like some bergamot flavourings can be, but it certainly makes it's presence known. I do think that perhaps it could be a little bit stronger, but it enjoyable none the less.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this tea. It's almost a more feminine spin on Earl Grey. It's very refreshing and it's lightness is very enjoyable. In a odd way you feel as though you are not overburdened with bergamot which I can feel like sometimes when I drink a lot of Earl Grey.

Obviously, this is perfect for afternoon tea, to serve up to your friends in your best china! But it's just as nice to take in your old battered mug as well!

This is ideal if you like your tea a little weaker, or if you find many of the standard Earl Grey's too strong. It's also a great starter tea if you are stepping into the world of taking tea without milk, as many black tea's and many flavoured tea's can me quite overpowering when you first ditch the milk.

After a bumpy start with Whittards I am now more than impressed and I certainly look forward to trying more of their wonderful tea's.

And, there are quite a few branches here in London so I'll be spoiled for choice.

Shibui Tea: Earl Grey Pyramids

A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by a lovely chap called John from Shibui Tea.

Shibui Tea is a small family business that can be found in Edinburgh, Scotland, and John kindly asked if I'd like some samples of his new ranges, and I, of course, said yes.

I was kindly sent several samples of all sorts of tea, from red tea, to green tea to the more traditional black tea's. This evening, I decided to pop on some music (some great fare from The Small Faces. "Wouldn't it be nice to get on with me neighbours?" Steve Marriott is currently asking!) and try one of the generous samples that John sent to me.

In a  post I wrote this afternoon I was bemoaning the chopping and changing in established Earl Grey recipes so I thought it was timely to review a Earl Grey. And as readers know, my heart does rather belong to the Earl!

Shibui Tea's wonderful Earl Grey comes in a pyramid teabag. I really liked the texture of the teabag. It was smooth and silky and contained a generous amount of tea. I love the idea of pyramids, I find there is nothing nicer to feel the fabric of the teabag and just feel the tea, too! Tea is such a wonderful thing that we should not restrict ourselves to the taste and smell, it's also nice to feel too!

I infused the teabag for about four minutes and enjoyed the citrus flavour that the tea emitted. Very fresh, very summery and delicious.

Once I was settled on my comfy bed, I took my first sip and instantly knew that this was a Earl Grey that I was going to enjoy very much. 

I know that I often say this when reviewing a Earl Grey, but although it looks a simplistic tea on the surface it's one of the hardest tea's to get right. Often it's either totally devoid of flavour, or, it's overly perfumed and artificial making your cup of tea turn into a bitter mess that is undrinkable. There are very few tea's that get it right, let alone give you a wonderful, perfect cup of Earl Grey. So far, the only company who have got it right is Northern Tea. And now, happily, I can add Shibui to the list too!

This Earl Grey is evenly balanced. Firstly, it brews to a gorgeous mahogany colour. Rich, dark and inviting. It does not have that strange oily skin on the top that I have encountered in some Earl Grey's, obviously from the use of cheap bergamot oil. It's smooth and robust.

This strikes the right balance between having the traditional flavour of Earl Grey whilst retaining the actual flavour of the tea. Many brands over compensate with the bergamot and other flavours but this allows you to experience the nice flavour of the tea behind the flavouring. And the tea is of a lovely quality too.

So what of the flavouring? It's evenly balanced, present yet delicate, you know you're drinking Earl Grey but it feels totally natural, not at all artificial. It doesn't resemble the perfume department of Debenhams which Earl Grey can tend to do.

The bergamot brings a light, fresh citrusey tone, it's not at all heavy or hard to drink. It has a comforting element about it, making it a versatile, all year round tea. Brilliant for warm summer days, but equally as comforting when the nights draw in.

After finishing the tea it left my mouth feeling refreshed. I thoroughly enjoyed this Earl Grey.

In the eighteen months since I established this blog I have tried lots of Earl Grey's, which swing from absolutely glorious to absolutely foul. There doesn't seem to be many in the middle tea's. Earl Grey, for me at least, is a tea of extremes. One or the other!

I loved this tea and it certainly is one of the best I've had. You simply do get the best of both worlds in this tea. A lovely flavour coupled with a rich black tea which is strong and holds it's own against the bergamot flavouring.

It is quite fashionable for Earl Grey's to come with cornflowers in, but I find, at times this makes it a bit too strong. This tea doesn't have cornflowers or anything else except bergamot and that is what makes it so nice. It's simple but effective.

If you are hunting for a really good tea, and especially if you prefer your tea in bags, I'd highly recommend this wonderful Earl Grey from Shibui

Personally, I can't wait to dip in my box of treats to try some of the other marvelous tea's John kindly sent me.

In the meantime, if you are hunting down for the perfect Earl Grey do visit their website. Don't miss out on a great tea!

And So The Earl Grey Saga Continues ....

Yesterday I visited London for an appointment. Afterwards, being in the local area, decided to pop into two teashops. One, Twinings, the other Whittards at Covent Garden.

I was quite excited by the prospect of visiting Twinings - I hadn't done so in ages. I found some great tea's. Intensely Tropical one was one fabulous purchase. I also managed to get some of the Earl Grey Classic blend and one or two other ones I liked the look of. All will be reviewed on here in time.

As much as I enjoyed the visit, I felt it lacked the sparkle of previous visits. There was something different in the shop, it had changed. I think it was because there were less of the individual, unique tea's that they used to stock, instead rows and rows of tea that is available in most commercial supermarkets and shops filled the shelves.

In the shop I was chatting to the female sales assistant, who was really friendly and who knew her stuff. Then, I will admit, down to me, I raised the thorny issue of THE Earl Grey.

Readers may not be aware of the Earl Grey issue so I'll give you a run down.

About five (could be more!) years ago, Twinings changed the recipe of their Earl Grey. They changed the recipe, the packaging and the name, it's now called "The Earl Grey". This massive change caused such a do in the tea world. I was just stepping into the tea world around the time the change occurred and I was hugely surprised at the fuss and anger the changes incurred.

The Earl Grey was described by some of the readers of this blog, in emails to me, as 'weak as water', 'tasteless' and 'bland'. So, instead of buying "The" Earl Grey, readers admitted to me that they brought the international range, known as "Classic Earl Grey" (you'll know it, it's in a yellow box) from Twinings website. Yes, it was an expensive way of buying Earl Grey, but, it was tasty and flavoursome, and identical to the previous Earl Grey sold in the UK.

I happen to agree. So, it was with excitement that I headed to Twinings to stock up on the Classic range. But, to my horror (and surprise) it's not longer sold in bags, just in small caddies. Online the tea is only available in a decaff version.

So, it seems, Classic is being restricted, at least in the UK. I'm not sure if it's being phased out totally, or if it's just an availability issue. Either way, I was disappointed.

Upon chatting to the friendly shop assistant about the thorny issue of Earl Grey, I confided in her that I relied upon the Classic version as I didn't enjoy what I could get in the UK. She replied that they had acted in response to consumer feedback. I get that, brands are always asking customers to participate in surveys and market research to help keep them on top of their game. But what has gone terribly wrong?

The issue of Twinings Earl Grey is indeed the issue I receive most emails about. Some offering genuine ways to improve the tea, other's just wanting to rant to a sympathetic ear. So I have to question have they truly listened to their customers or did Twinings simply decide to modernise the recipe and the brand?

I hear again and again of people's lack of interest in Earl Grey. Many, myself included, have found wonderful Earl Grey's else where, quite often in loose form, that are fully flavoured and affordable in price. I have heard stories of  one reader who goes on holiday to America each year and stocks up on the classic range whilst out there.

On the other side of the arguement, of course, is that whatever supermarket I go in, Twinings Earl Grey is always at least half empty, so it does sell. Is it then a case that us tea obsessives (or lovers, if you prefer that term) are just simply too picky?

I don't believe we are. Earl Grey is a blend that is very hard to get right. Too weak it's awful, too high a amount of bergamot and flavours leaves it unpleasantly perfumed. But The Earl Grey is so pale in comparison that I often have to use two bags to get a decent brew.

There is ground though to keep everyone happy.

Please, Twinings, bring back the non-decaff International Classic Earl Grey. At least give us Earl Grey lovers the option of either buying Classic or the new The Earl Grey. If you are limiting the classic range I feel you are making a mistake as so many tea lovers rely on your little yellow box of Earl Grey to keep them happy.

I know times - and trends  - change. However, I feel with Earl Grey it's such a traditional tea that there is room for every kind you can imagine.