Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea

1 tsp for 250mL water @100C … with 1/2 tsp Tiger Assam added … drunk bare.

Yeeeaaaaahhhh. Oh, I love a smokey tea, and the first Caravan from Andrews and Dunham was one of the best I’d ever tried. Caravan Resurrected is very nearly as good, lacking only that odd, slightly salty note that made the original downright addictive. CR is strong and rich and quite smoky, but it’s not a powdery or choke-a-horse smoke. I added some Tiger Assam to heavy-up CR’s body, which tends light, as do many China black teas. Smoky but clean, with a crisp and slightly sweet finish. One of the best.

1.25 tsp for 250mL water@100C, steeped 4 minutes, drunk bare.

Like, omigod, the tea even came with, like, a blood-dripping A&D button I can pin on my jacket!

An excellent smoky China black tea. Not quite the same as I remember — it’s missing that almost savoury /salty note — but still a more nuanced smoky tea than many. The smoke scent is strong but not smothering, while the liquor itself, a light brown with some reddish tones, is mineral and sweet and sparkling — not carbonated, obviously, but giving definite bite. Smoky notes in the finish. A very light body. I may try making this stronger tomorrow.

My husband and I finished this sample up! This is a good basic Assam. I love Assam teas because they are blendable! Great tea. I love how it doesn’t get too bitter.

This is a nice, hearty black tea that is just perfect for the morning! It has a strong taste and scent to it. It goes great with milk and sugar. I love that it has a smokey, toasty taste to it which becomes more like a chocolate taste. The smokey and toasty flavors are not very strong and are only there initially. good tea overall! I wish I could have bought this before they ran out. I received this in a swap :)

Iced

Iced!

Thanks to Batrachoid for this sample.

Dry leaves smell very smoky.

It is quite bold and smoky tasting. Great for waking up in the morning. Malty, and a good assam IMO.

Here’s another one courtesy of Auggy’s Spoil Ang Rotten Parcel. After the days c25k jogging and the shower, I was just craving a cup of tea. Any tea. Seriously, the lowest quality floor sweepings that you could have presented me with, steeped builder’s brew style would have been like nectar from the gods at this point. No reason to do that, though, when I’ve got all this good stuff.

Also, I don’t care if it’s a Christmas blend.

Unfortunately A&D, while producing generally good stuff, is one of those companies that doesn’t seem to feel it’s necessary to elaborate on what’s in their blends, and they’re actually worse than most, as most companies at least put the producing countries of the teas used. With A&D, all we seem to get is that it’s a blend of black teas.

Well, yes. I can see that!

I think this is a big part of the reason why I haven’t bought any of their holiday blends. I rather want to know what I’m buying, you know? When I don’t even get a hint about it, I just seem to lose interest. Even though I know for a fact that the one from last year was really good. (I can’t remember who shared that one with me… I think it may have been Ricky)

Another game of Guess The Region, then. With added difficulty! O.o

The leaves smell sweet and malty and there are some decidedly long and golden bits in there, so that leads me directly to Yunnan. The maltyness also makes me think of Assam, although I’m not sure about that one at this point.

The aroma of the brewed cup confirms the Yunnan for me, but also the Assam. There’s definitely something in there of that sort. It’s all sweet smelling and honey-ish.

I’m not getting anything smoky or floral out of it, so I’m ruling out Fujian and Keemun. Still, there’s a part of me that insists that there must be something Chinese in there somewhere, and no amount of reminding it that Yunnan is China will make it settle down.

The flavour is very golden Yunnan-y and quite sweet. There’s a little bit of that hay note that I don’t normally care much for, but it’s being carried up and camouflaged by something else. I find myself coming back to Assam again, here. There’s a certain dark grey feeling to it that just reminds me of that region for some reason, even though I haven’t really had anything of the sort for a pretty long time.

I think that’s it. Assam and Yunnan. I’m giving up on the idea of a third, Chinese ingredient. I just can’t think what it could be. Only what it definitely isn’t.

So how can two teas produce such a pleasant result, when neither of them are really anywhere near my list of favourites? Curious!