Andrews & Dunham Damn Fine Tea

Despite waking up this morning feeling tired, I didn’t want a tea with much bite so I chose the mellower Napal. I don’t think I used enough tea leaf so both steeps were on the weak side. I kept getting floral today and thinking violets with a honeyed sweetness.

I had a yucky headache last night which is all got today but I think is the cause of the continuing tiredness into midday. I might have some Yunnan after lunch for a bit more of a caffeine punch. Massive backlogging of teas from the past week will be coming later as well.

2nd steep: 5 min, 200° F, more than a pinch of fresh leaf.

Backlogging.

Yesterday morning, the husband and I shared a pot of Napal with homemade apple, raisin, and spice oatmeal. Delicious.

2nd steep: 4 min.

Backlogging
Napal looked at me this morning and said no more yucky black tea for you today now that you’re feeling more perky. What can I say? He basically told me I had to drink him. Then he went a bit floral on me. He was a most lovely golden brown color today though. 2nd steep: 4 min and a pinch of fresh leaves.

The Napal continued its successful quest to please my taste buds. It is a bit drying at the end of each sip yet there is an underlying note of candied, think olden days confectionery type candied, in this steep. Perhaps I will only steep it for 4 min on the 2nd steep next time.

I went to my cupboard intending to have a nice ordinary cup of DFT’s Ceylon. I needed the caffeine, it was regular, nice, and easy. But then the Napal looked at me and said, “You drink me. You drink me now.” I looked at it and complied. It was right, it was bolder, stronger, and perhaps tastier. I think I need to add a pinch more of fresh leaves and steep a 2nd cup. The Napal concurs.

Two yummy cups of Napal this afternoon. I think I’ve decided that I like the Napal better than the Ceylon among the Series 1 teas, with the Dragonwell being my favorite by far. Green teas used to be my least favorite before the tea thermometer.

Like yesterday, 1st steep while planning my day, 2nd steep while studying. I used a little less fresh leaves in my 2nd steep, about 1/4 tsp maybe, then yesterday’s Ceylon and found this worked quite well for perking up the flavor of a 2nd steep of black without making the tea bitter due to the longer steeping time (6 min today).

Three lovely cups of Napal today. One this afternoon, first steep. Two this evening, second steeps – one was from the husband’s cup earlier. No more tea tonight, although I still want some.

The husband and I started this morning off with a cup of Napal each. A&D DFT Napal comes in a bold orangey-red and brown tin. The tea leaves range in colors from greeny-white-brown to light-yellowy-brown to medium reddish brown to a predominating deep brown. They smell musty strongly tea. The tea is a light-medium yellowy-amber. It smells warm and tea-y. The wet leaves smell a bit of smoke, sweet, and slightly spiced. This tea tastes more strongly than the Ceylon and has more depth of taste as well. I like it a bit more too. DFT is three for three for me. I plan on ordering Series 2 before it sells out. The husband quite like this tea too, saying it was damn fine and he could get used to drinking more tea (in his robe on a rainy morning). The second steeping was weaker but still flavorfully drinkable. I do not think it would take a third steeping.

2nd steeping: 8 min.

So the whole toss in a cup and pour some water over it thing worked out really well for the Dragon Balls yesterday, I thought I’d give it a shot with this one. It was quite yummy, bringing to mind steamed green veggies, maybe asparagus or Swiss chard (♥), but man, a lot of these leaves float! I ate a few (slightly bitter (like turnips) but not bad) and eventually most of them decided to go hang out at the bottom, but ultimately I think I prefer my tea with fewer obstacles.

My tea experience tonight has been brought to you by takgoti and sophistre. Takgoti because she said this smelled like turkey and I’m morbidly curious about that and sophistre because her Ryokucha log made me think of my trip to the Daibutsu in Kamakura where I picked up my first yunomi, so that’s what I’m drinking this out of. A Chinese tea out of Japanese tea cup. I don’t get kicked out of the tea lovers club for this, right?

So, trying to find the turkey smell is first. I’m sniffing but I don’t really find it. Part of me is sad, part of me is thankful. Part of me goes – I can smell briney and buttery when I’m smelling from my nose not in the cup and I can see how that could translate to turkey… or roasted chicken. But this whole sniffing for turkey thing has lead to a lot more sniffing than I’d usually do so my mouth is watering a bit. Paying attention to this tea, it smells really nice. I’ve already mentioned a little salt and butter smell going on, but when I get closer there’s a pretty vegetal smell, too. Not like boiled vegetables but not raw either. Just sweet and green.

Okay, this is really enjoyable tea. There’s a little salt-like tingle on the tip of my tongue that I seem to get from most Chinese greens. Actually, I take that back – most Chinese greens give me a big salt taste. The fact that this is slight makes it enjoyable, not unpleasant. The taste is sweet and green and a little salty and maybe nutty. The tea is not delicate tasting but it’s not overpowering either. Hearty but soft maybe? Anyway, I like it.

I have a feeling if I had last night’s Dragonwell after this one instead of before, it wouldn’t have fared as well as it did. This one is yummy.

I seriously had a dream Monday that I was brewing up this tea. Woke up ready to drink it but sadly, my order had not come. No clue why I was dreaming about this tea though. This is the tea from Series 1 that I expect to like the least. I’ve only had one other experience with Dragonwell and it wasn’t fun. But that has somehow translated to this being the tea I want to try the most. I’m not sure if I am trying to torture myself through tea or if I am hoping that damn fine dragonwell will be happier than the one I had previously.

The leaves smell both grassy/vegetal and a little salty. Makes my mouth water just a bit. Brewed some up and – oh, yes. The is nice. This isn’t even nice for a Chinese green (my least favorite type of tea). This is just plain ole nice. Fresh and a bit buttery with a little not-quite-salt at the end. That not-quite-salt taste seems to be a hint of astringency that hits on the middle/back of my tongue after a sip. That single factor is what can ruin a Chinese green for me if it is too strong, but it isn’t in this tea. It gives a nice counterpoint to the fresh smoothness at the front of the sip.

And now my cup is empty (wow, that was quick) so I get to find out how it resteeps!

ETA: Second steep @ 4:30. Not quite as fresh/butter but still good. Not as great as the first cup, but that might be because I just had some cereal.

Backlogging.

I mixed the last small bits of leaf of this one with A&D’s EG. It balanced the overly bergamoty EG without adding bitterness.

This tea has been my go-to when I’ve wanted a better quality cup of standard black tea. It mixed well with honey when my throat was sore. It’s also the first A&D tea that I’ve finished off the tin of now.

Would I buy this again?
3 – maybe. This tea was a limited number release which is sold out so that’s a moot point. But it was a good reliable tea and while I likely wouldn’t go out of my way to order it specifically, it might be something I’d throw in an order if I were ordering other things.

2nd steep: 5 min.

Backlogging.

Half Ceylon, half A&D EG. Very little of this tea left so tea dust made for a strong cup.

Backlogging.

With EG. Again. =)

2nd steep: 5 min.

Backlogging.

Part of my current EG combo steep, using a ratio of half of this tea to half EG.

2nd steep: 5 min. A bit of Tiger as the fresh leaf.

Sooo ugh, I’ve accumulated over a week’s backlog again. And I feel that I’ve had some tea that I’ve forgotten about and didn’t make it on the list.

As for this one, drank in the morning. Consistent. Added the Tiger as my bit of fresh leaf for the second steep. I don’t remember liking it or disliking it much.

2nd steep: 5 min.

Backlogging. Two days ago.

Halfed with A&D’s EG. My mug came out strong that morning.

Backlogging.

A single simple mug of Ceylon. This tea tin is getting empty. This has been a v good standard tea for me.

(I’ve decided to backlog in sets of three, with three sets total, so the second set is coming later today.)

Backlogging. Last Sunday morning.

I wanted something plain and good = Ceylon. =)

Backlogging. Thursday morning.

Mixed in combination with EG and the Tiger equally in an effort to recreate a previous mix. The effect was not quite the same.

Backlogging. Sunday the 19th = my 30th birthday!! Happy birthday to me!

Out for a fancy dinner, dessert, and drinkies the night before with my two best girl friends, I wasn’t feeling the greatest the next morning. So a plain Ceylon for me was tasty and soothing. I had been planning on drinking something special but felt I should save it for when I was feeling better and better able to enjoy it. This Ceylon has always reminded me of a nicer, better quality version of the standard black bagged teas my dad used to make me when I was sick. Just one steep with a bowl of cereal with raspberries and almond milk.

Backlogging. Last Tuesday morning.

Drank mixed half and half with A&D’s EG for a nice decent cup. Decided to punch things up a bit on the second steep by adding the Tiger as my fresh leaf boost.

2nd steep: 5 min.

Backlogging. Last Thursday morning.

Cause it goes so well with A&D’s Earl Grey. Mixed half EG and half Ceylon.

2nd steep: 6 min and a pinch of fresh leaf.

Backlogging. Last Monday morning.

I’d imagine I was looking for a plain basic yummy single mug of black tea to start my day. =)