Joseph Wesley Black Tea

Tea of the morning……

I got my package of samples from Joseph Wesley. You can tell that much thought has been put into the presentation of the samples and the enclosed materials. Also, he included a hand written note and an extra sample. I ordered the Assam, the Classic Chinese, the Dian Hong, the Keemun and the Bai Lin. He included the Darjeeling for me. I can’t wait to try them all.

This is good. I am getting a little roastier flavor than I would expect from a tea like this. Notes of cocoa, maybe a hint of smoke if I really look for it, maltiness, and a good heartiness that is quite nice. A very complex cup for a classic black tea. I did resteep for a little longer the second time around, and it was also very good. I am not sure if this will be on my list to buy from him, as I have a few others to taste, but it is exactly what I like in a classic black tea.

Usual mug method with just a little cooler on the water for the first steep at 4 minutes, and boiling for the second at six minutes.

Sad sad day. I was expecting my delivery of samples from Joseph Wesley earlier this week. Despite tracking saying it delivered, it had not! So, this weekend the package finally arrives. With a note INSIDE from USPS saying they’re sorry, my package was lost and or damaged in the mail…. etc. It was obviously repackaged. … blegh.

I was so depressed, you have no idea. I’d been looking forward to trying these teas out since before I ordered them. I got a sample of each variety : I only received 3 samples and 2 labels. The rest, I assume, were “lost” in the mail. Love our US mail!

I email Joe (apparently he answers the emails himself. You can FEEL the heart from this company!) and he’s sending me new samples to replace what was lost. Such a fast response! You can tell they care about every cup of tea their customers have. :D Pretty incredible company. I love the simplistic approach they take to tea. It’s been so much easier getting my boyfriend interested in tea when I approach him with sites like Joseph Wesley. He appreciates the straightforward and simple mentality.

So this is the only tea I received that still had the label attached. So, I’m impatient, and eagerly got myself a cup together. Despite the fact that this tea may or may not have been upended on the floor of some mail-room.

This is almost iconic black tea. Simple, easy to drink. My boyfriend said he would love to drink this instead of black coffee “when you just want some caffeine”.

Personally I love it. It’s an easy-drinking black tea, with an plenty of flavors to dwell on. My favorite part is the sort of after-taste it leaves on the tongue after a sip. Herbal, slightly tangy, really fun actually. What’s more to say? Classic black tea. :)

Backlog:

This is the third tea that I’ve tried from this company, and I love it too. I have been very impressed with everything that I’ve tried from them.

The leaves are gorgeous (I love that the the beauty of the leaves is important to Joseph Wesley. Of course, the true test of a tea is in the flavor, but, when someone takes as much care as this company has in selecting the highest quality, artistically crafted tea leaves, it turns the cup of tea into a true artistic experience – as it should be!) and the aroma of the brewed tea is rich and rewarding.

Chocolate-y notes with caramel-y undertones. Notes of malt. That freshly baked bread kind of taste. Hints of fresh plum and flower in the distance.

A delightful first-thing-in-the-morning tea … but also perfect for any time of the day. I just love this tea! Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/12/07/3-classic-chinese-black-tea-joseph-wesley-black-tea/

Backlog:

I am simply in awe of this company. The black teas they offer are so good. And they not only taste good, but the leaves are absolutely gorgeous. These are artistically crafted teas using nothing but the camellia sinensis leaf. No extra ingredients to make the tea look pretty. It looks good on its own.

This tea is a bit more astringent than the previously reviewed Bai Lin Congfu Black from this company. It has a nice malty tone. Sweet with a very enjoyable “bake-y” sort of taste and that ‘chewy’ sort of texture. Whispers of smoke in the distance.

Bold and strong. Caramel-y and somewhat earthy.

Another MUST TRY from this company. Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/11/25/4-dian-hong-congfu-black-tea-joseph-wesley-black-tea/

Backlog:

I have tried three different teas from Joseph Wesley Black Tea and I loved all three. (The other reviews will be posted soon! Yeah, I’m still behind.) It would be hard for me to choose a favorite from the three that I tried. I could curl up in a cup of any one of them and be a happy tea sipper.

I love this company. They celebrate the beauty of tea. The artistry of it. Tea is something that should be celebrated … and I like that Joseph Wesley embraces that.

A beautiful dry leaf. Dark brown with lots of golden tips. The aroma is earthy.

The flavor is remarkably smooth and rich. Imagine warm, silky caramel. Yeah … that’s what I taste here. Luxurious and decadent. Indulgent! In my full-length review of this tea (see it here: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/11/16/no-6-bai-lin-congfu-black-tea-from-joseph-wesley-black-tea/ ) I compare tasting this tea to licking the batter from a beater after mixing up a chocolate cake: you know you shouldn’t be so indulgent but you can’t resist. This tea … tastes like that. Indulgent … but what makes this better than the chocolate cake batter is that it’s guilt free!

A must try.

I drank the last of my sample today. For some reason I thought I’d had all of it but apparently not?! Anyhow, it lost some of its character over time. I guess it doesn’t age as well as Scotch heh (see previous review).
Oh well, I expected that! Sipdown achieved. And it was still quite a delish cuppa

Well. Ahem. Uhh. It seems I’m feeling shy all of a sudden. Like a lanky teen with a crush on the sophisticated exchange student in class and a wardrobe to match the Queen’s.
I swear. This tea is just phenomenal. So layered and complex I don’t even know where to begin. I fear that I’ll just end up stuttering and asking for it’s autograph instead… so I’ll just throw out some basic descriptors, for now: cigars. boys club. smoke. malt. very mild astringency. lingering menthol effect long after the sip. Smooth like silk covering patchy terrain. Oh and let’s not forget the intoxicating aroma. and how I feel as if I’ve just consumed a tumbler of 50 yr old scotch!

Thank you so very much for the sample Joseph Wesley. You are incredibly generous and I could not be more grateful!
Folks, this here is a company who knows how to deliver impeccable customer service and has a superb product that I would recommend to anyone. Bravo!

I’m confused. The flavour profile reminds me of Darjeeling, very much so, and not at all of Assam. But the label says Assam… Hmmm.
Mind you, it was a superb cup. Crisp and light, with just the right hint of that white tea flavour I love in a good Darj!

This was a pleasant cup. I quite enjoyed it. A little smokey, a touch of hay, and a nice coppery background with a bare hint of malt and astringency.
Perfect for sipping on while I study for my exam on Friday!

Thanks for the sample Joseph Wesley!!

This has lost all the smokiness. Sadness. I actually suspect that I received another tea, as it was never quite like the original sample I had. Still very tasty of course

I tried this cold brewed. Tasty, but nothing surprising. It lost all smokiness. Not that this batch had much to it. First time around, my sample was so complex you could write stories about it. This batch is much simpler. Barely any smoke or layers to it. Still damn good tea though. Even cold brewed.

Thank you for the free sample Joseph Wesley! This is lovely, truly!!
I am usually on the fence with Chinese black teas, but this, well this is delicious. Definitely getting a cigar association as the Snooty Tea Person pointed out below, but like s/he said, not a strong one. Mild and pleasant!
Beyond that there is a sparkling element that I find with really good teas. Is that mineral, is that what that taste is? Hmmm.
It has some depth to it, and LOTS of complexity. I’m getting Barley, a tiny bit of hay, and a big wallop of cacao right before the end of my sip. The aftertaste is of barley as well.
Now, I know this is damn good tea because every time I take a sip, it’s like reading that book you just can’t put down, I want more more!! but then, I really need to savour this as well… so I’m taking really tiny sips in hopes that I can fool myself into thinking that it will last longer that way.

The dry smell packed with Keemum Congfu is a whoa of saltiness. This is one of those teas that actually makes you think of meat–charred, but deliciously so. All that smoke produces the effect of the well-done-est burger you’ve ever had in your life. In the cup, it quiets down a bunch, like you’re getting the roasted veggies that came along as a side dish: caramelized carrots and sweet ‘tater fries.

Once you sip that first infusion, however, it becomes clear that this isn’t a stand-in for Five Guys. The deep amber liquor contains a smooth mouthfeel that could be rather conspiratorial–a mischievous wink and a nudge from… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/11/09/snooty-tea-review-joseph-wesley-black-tea-round-2/

For our Dian Hong Congfu, the dry leaves greet you with a smell of sulfurous dried peaches, the ones you bought last summer and left forgotten in the back of your pantry until now. They’re still edible, but you might not want to serve them to anyone else–just in case. Once steeped, the hot water resusci-tea-tes the fruity scent and your peaches get a bit more lively. Happy zombie peaches.

The first infusion is a sweet golden cup to go along with your newly revived fruit basket. It hardly needs sweetener or milk, because that peach just… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/11/09/snooty-tea-review-joseph-wesley-black-tea-round-2/

The dry smell of Bai Lin Congfu is heavy on the dust. Strangely though, it’s a clean sort of dust–the kind you’d find at a well-run bakery. In the cup, this quiets down a lot, bringing you more of the saccharine fruit notes to come.

Our first infusion, all dressed up in a amber-red liquor, brings us Honey Nut Cheerios. This is all well and good, unless… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/11/09/snooty-tea-review-joseph-wesley-black-tea-round-2/

Joseph Wesley’s Lapsang Souchon blows heavy smoke in your face upon first whiff of the dry leaves. Not quite as heavy as if you’re standing next to Grandpa Joe and his massive Cuban cigar; this is when he’s stepped out to the bathroom and left his jacket behind, which you put on so that, just for a moment, you can feel like the Old Spice guy.

And yet, once in the cup, this baby comes out as light as you please–we go from Old Spice to Posh Spice, all grown up and nestled in the arms of David Beckham. The liquor is tarnished gold, like a pale ale, and the aroma gives you nothing but… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/11/05/snooty-tea-review-joseph-wesley-black-tea-round-1/

The Classic Chinese doesn’t just smell “classic” when dry. Book fiends will get lost with their noses in it, with the leaves’ aroma of ancient dark halls filled with heavy scrolls; a library from the dawn of storytime. This quiets noticeably in the cup as it transitions into the warm, rich notes we get from our Chinese blacks.

Unlike finicky Darjeelings, go against your first ins-tea-nct and let this one steep for a little longer, and be sure the water is max temperature. A languid 5 minutes will do the both of you good, as you’re rewarded with… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/11/05/snooty-tea-review-joseph-wesley-black-tea-round-1/