Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea

I rediscovered this at the back of a cupboard yesterday and was chagrined to see that it’s more than half full – the bunny has been neglected. But when I checked the steeping instructions I remembered why I set this tea aside: it confused me! 7 minutes with almost boiling water for a white tea? That seemed too complicated, so I decided to just try it Dragonwell style – tossing a couple tsp of leaves in the bottom of the mug, fill with hot but not boiling water, top up whenever the water gets low – and that’s working quite well so far. The liquor is a rich dark honey color, more like a light roasted oolong than a white tea. The flavors are also a bit roasty, as well as floral. It’s not getting bitter, but it is a little astringent. Hopefully this will be a nice & easygoing tea to last me through the day.

Ohhh, hello caffeine. Funny how it just hits me with some teas lately.

ETA: This did last quite well – I’d say I’ve refilled the mug about 6 times today, and it still tastes like tea, not just hot water _

Sipdown! I totally forgot that I had this one, but I found it hiding in my sample box. I used a bit of extra leaf in this cup so that I could use all the remaining tea. It smells of flowers and greens. I have to admit that I love the description and name of this one. sigh this smells amazing. This is a really great oolong and I wish I had more of it!

The leaves unfurl very quickly in this tea! It smells primarily of jasmine to me, with some orchid-type notes sneaking in. I do really enjoy this one. I accidentally oversteeped it and although it did not become bitter/astringent the flavoring of the leaves comes off a bit stronger than I’d like. I only have one more tsp of this one left, so I should probably enjoy it at a lower steep this time! It may be the fact that I just ate an orange, but the last notes that I get on this are fruity and kind of dry (dry? I don’t really drink wine, but something in this is bringing something like that back).

This was another tea that I got from the recent giveaway! This smells so very excellent. I really love oolongs, so I’m pretty exciting to try it! I had an awful, crummy day and I just need to relax.
This smells very, very floral and the leaves are beautiful. It is hard for me to distinguish this as magnolia. It smells quite similar to jasmine tea. This is very nice and much lighter than I first expected. The vegetal notes are there in the background.

This is my first time breaking into the tin of Jasmine Green. It smells divine. Not like soap, more of a true floral smell than a fake soapy-floral smell. I brewed it at recommended time and temperature, and poured it in a beautiful porcelain cup from Russia. The cup is gorgeous—blue and gold and white and lovely. I’ll enjoy using them, before I inevitably break the ones I have (one of them, alas, did not survive the trip home in the luggage).

The tea itself is a robust golden yellow, darker now on this third cup than the previous two. I always wonder why that happens—greens get darker the longer they sit. Anyway, back to the tea. It is very much jasmine, jasmine seems to overwhelm the green tea flavor. The jasmine pearls from Teavana that I have are more balanced between the green and the jasmine. The jasmine still retains that natural floral note, it isn’t overly artificial or like perfume. This is definitely a tea I’m going to enjoy drinking!

Steeped with four teaspoons to 1000 ml of water in the Breville at the below parameters. Incidentally, I discovered that I have been using too little leaf in the Breville for most pots of tea that I make. Teach me not to read directions. That may explain why so few teas really taste like they should. At least, I hope.

I can’t believe there are no tasting notes yet for this tea. Mine is #50/150—c’mon people! How do I know what I’m supposed to taste if no one is on Steepster telling me what it is I’m supposed to be tasting? So selfish :)

I suspect this has Ceylon as a major component. It definitely doesn’t seem like Assam or Keemun, from my limited experience with them. Or maybe some darjeeling. It has a bit of astringency to it at the end of the sip that reminds me of Darjeeling, and it seems more like an afternoon blend of tea (whereas their Holiday blend strikes me more as a morning blend). Maybe this a Yunnan base? I’ve only ever had one cup of Yunnan, a while ago, so I’m not as familiar with it. Now, really, I’m just pulling things out of the air.

Definitely an afternoon tea. It is a more delicate black, it isn’t as robust, though still somewhat lively. I like it! Not quite as much as I like some other Andrews & Dunham teas, but it is still quite tasty. I’ll try resteeping the leaves a bit later to see if there is anything left in them.

Resteep. Not worth it.

I’m tempted to start this review with “O Captain! My Captain!” But lets face it, in the poem the captain is dead, and that just doesn’t feel right for such a robust and lively Captain, now does it?

This is a lovely tea. Can Andrews and Dunham do wrong? I’m beginning to think not. Captain Assam is bold, smooth, and rich, but not overly strong, if you know what I mean. A bit of an astringency, but nothing off-putting. Tannic, as another reviewer said. I don’t think it is as malty as the Assam Banaspaty from David’s Tea that I’ve had previously and also loved. What a smart cookie my husband is, getting me all that Andrews and Dunham had to offer this Christmas. I do believe, until it is gone, this is going to be my new morning tea.

I’m not a smoky tea fan. I haven’t had a lot, and my first experience with a smoky tea was a very strong Lapsang Souchong with my grandmother. I still remember the scent, and the horror, to this day. It was with trepidation that I approached Caravan. This is the first of my Christmas teas to be opened, and I decided I should have it first—a sort of “suck it up, buttercup” moment.

On opening the tin I was assailed by the strong smoky aroma of the lapsang souchong in it. Not just smoky, but meat-smoky. Like smoked bacon. I don’t eat bacon. It isn’t my favorite smell. I had my doubts, given how overwhelmingly smoky the tea smelled. But I soldiered on, undeterred. On pouring the cup, I had my doubts again. The smoky smell was still readily apparent, if not as in-your-face as in the dry mix.

The taste? Lightly smoky, not nearly what I was expecting. Not quite as smooth as others have commented, it seemed a bit harsh, but the harshness fit the tea. It isn’t my favorite Andrews and Dunham, but it isn’t bad. I’m definitely going to have more, and I’m on my way now to have a second steep. I just have to get over the smoked bacon smell.

I really enjoyed this tea. So much so, that my super generous sample from Ricky is now gone! A perfectly classic milk and sugar tea. Smooth as can be. Perfection in the afternoon. A platonic ideal!

Ricky, the little Kusmi tin you gave it to me in is so charming that I put lip balm in it, and it is out on my vanity. So so pretty!

Many, many, many thanks to Ricky for sending a generous amount of this to me (in the most beautiful little Kusmi tin)!

I made some rugelach for the holidays yesterday, and wanted a completely classic tea to go with it. The one instantly came to mind. I knew it would be perfect even though I hadn’t tasted it yet because a) It’s from Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea and b) it is a Ceylon which tastes so good with pastry!

Yay, I was right! This tea is so balanced: medium bodied but good with a little milk and sugar. Classic tea flavor. I usually taste a lemony profile in Ceylons but I did not taste it in this one. This has a much sweeter round flavor to me – much more like an Assam without the boldness. Absolutely spot on with the rugelach. It did not compete with the buttery cinnamony puff of heaven-in-cookie-form, but rather supported it. Nice.

Ack! I’m the first person to write a tasting note for this tea! Oh the humanity! Words cannot describe how I have no words to describe tea without prompting!

I quite enjoyed this tea. It seems to be a good afternoon tea. It isn’t full and dark-tasting like an assam. It tasted clean, if that makes sense. Pure tea. It wasn’t astringent, and had a smooth mouth-feel, but not heavy. I think I’ll enjoy another cup of it tomorrow afternoon, and pay closer attention (I was, truth be told, rather distracted today with a holiday party and work and such). It still tasted good even after it had completely cooled. I bet it would taste lovely iced.

I’m beginning to think that while I enjoy flavored teas, my heart really belongs to straight tea, maybe with some jasmine thrown in for good measure. I think I get more out of them simply because I’m not struggling so much to taste the flavor that I think I should taste. Food (or drink) for thought, I suppose.

Steeped for three minutes at boiling, as per instructions.

I love it when I find part of a tin of really good stuff I forgot I had!
A whole pot at the ready on this second rainy morning in a row. This is as rich and grainy and (just slightly) smoky as I remember it. Mahogany personified.

Hopefully, Jackee’s ready to add a little punch to my vocabulary, too: blessing arrived in the form of a writing assignment with a bit of a knockout deadline. Time to get at it!

Just getting acquainted with this one—for some reason, I associate Keemuns with cooler weather, and there hasn’t been much of that lately. Jackee was worth the wait. Didn’t use a timer and I think I may have been a little impatient, but even so I’m getting that nice burnt sugar sweetness that I wouldn’t normally expect. Excellent.

This was the final tea of tea party today, and the final time I will be drinking Thomas Sampson, I expect. Not because we finished the tin, but because I have already boxed him up and am sending him to live out a more purposeful life with someone who loves and appreciates him more than I do.

Don’t get me wrong. My guest and I both loved Thomas, and today’s tea party was the first ever three way tie we can remember. This is one of the best Assams I have ever tried. Delicious.

But Jacqueline and her hubby actually shed a tear or two when their tin came to an end recently, and that kind of love should not be overlooked.

It isn’t fancy, there isn’t a card in the box, or pretty packaging, or other teas, but Jacqueline, know that I am sending him your way with lots of love, and the satisfaction of knowing that you and your hubby will give him a sense of having fulfilled his purpose in existing. Enjoy in good health and happiness!

Andrews and Dunham, is there any tea you sell that isn’t amazing? Or the best to be found of its kind? Bravo!

Oh Doulton, I can’t believe you sent me a whole tin of this, but I am so glad you did!

Many Indian teas and I don’t get along, or if I do drink them they have to have milk and sugar to soothe my tummy. That is why you won’t see Indian tea reviewed on tea party day much, because we adults take everything plain that day, so I just don’t serve anything I know I can’t drink plain!

But this….this….is…good…tea. It isn’t as strong as I thought it would be, but my mouth literally watered when I leaned over and sniffed the tea in my cup. And though a few people have mentioned a raisin-y aroma, I swear I think I pick up something fruity like a hint of grape aroma, perhaps muscatel or scuppernong – the aroma of which takes me back to when I got caught in a bear trap under my great aunt’s scuppernong vines when I was seven, but I digress.

I just drank three cups of this with no additions at all, and youngest, who really enjoys Indian teas, drank hers with hearty pleasure, adding milk and sugar. The pot is empty, but I need not fret. There is a whole tin of this delightful strapping fellow in my kitchen! This is the best Indian black tea I have tried to date. Thank you again, Doulton!

Just enough for one last pot; it’s still a good breakfast tea, but in the greater and grander scheme of things, it had a pretty narrow “sweet spot” range; Assams should be un-ruinable.

Regardless, the image of a stout and brawny gentleman facing his fisticuffiant opponent with chin up and elbows in fits the morning - writing about helping children deal with fears and phobias today.

Change of topic and blatant mewl for input: moms and dads, what are some unusual (or annoying) childhood fears that drove (or are driving) you a little nuts?

Made a huge pot this morning—needed something with a punch (on the label and otherwise) after a hard, hard Saturday. Left to himself in the fridge to chill, Thomas is, I believe, even a bit stouter than freshly brewed.

This afternoon I’m raising my mason jar in memory of a dear friend who loved tea, loved kids, loved to write, and loved her God. Jill, save me a place on your front porch in Heaven … we’ll have another cuppa together yet.