Murchie's Tea & Coffee

I’ve enjoyed this tea for years, not on a daily basis, but as a nice counterpoint to my usual cup of Assam or Irish Breakfast. It makes excellent iced tea, so I always brew a big pot full to enjoy later in the day.

I started looking for a green and black blend after realizing how much I like the flavor combination in Tazo Joy tea. My sister ordered me several options from Murchies & this is the first I’ve tried. I’m still playing around to find my optimal steeping time, but I really love it so far. It has the deep richness I love in black tea with the more floral, fragrant notes I associate with green tea.

This is really good iced. Like really, really good. I wish I’d figured that out an ounce ago!

I’m getting low on this and, as I’m making an order of Murchie’s 1894 blend for the book/tea club, I made a cup of this to see if I should re-order it.

Sadly – no. Not this time. It has some really good notes, and there is an interesting taste where the green and black mix together, but I just can’t make myself fall in love with this tea.

Maybe I’ll add some green tea to my order instead. :D The prices for 2oz are just SO GOOD.

I’m just sitting on the computer researching things, so I thought… hey! Library Blend!

Man, am I glad that I did. I love this tea. I can taste the black AND the green! And the black is only slightly bitter. I think I oversteeped it, and I’m not sure if I used the right temperature with the green in it, but that just gives me an excuse to steep it again! It’s bold, with mellower undertones and a very pleasant floral fragrance!

Goodbye, goodbye!

That’s one less Murchie’s tea in my cupboard. I’ve learned my lesson. It’s not really for me now that I’ve seen what else is out there!

#teasnob

(Woo – down to 125. Maybe I can get to 100 before my Verdant order arrives! I think it ships at the end of the month so that gives me some time).

It’s not Christmas (obvs), and it’s not a really great morning tea (in my head it’s more for afternoons or evenings), but I like it, and I want to have it now. I only have about 2-3 cups left! :O

Thanks ozli for the huuuuge bag of this. Hello Christmas Tea: ILU!

Even though we’re not doing a big Christmas thing this year, I am doing a turkey! His name is Frank. So today I’m getting everything prepped and straightened out. I’m looking forward to a nice Christmas dinner, and watching K open up all her presents (or try to).

We don’t have a tree and my bf and I basically bought ourselves a small gift, but the baby will be spoiled. We’ll have a few people over for games, and a batman marathon in the background! My roommate even surprised me with a mystery gift and it’s from DavidsTea!!!

I hope everyone is having a great Christmas. And that they find tea related gifts in their stockinged.

Very nice. This is a really pleasant blend, even though it’s not hit-you-in-the-face sweet like some of the teas I’ve been drinking. It may be one of my favorites from Murchie’s. It’s a big swirl of oranges and Christmas spices… Mmmmm. Sgoertz gave me this sample as it was one of her favorites – I can see why.

I might try this with milk later when I resteep it.

My favourite Murchie’s tea so far. It’s far better than their Golden Jubilee blend, and I think the grapeyness (or muscatel, if you will) makes the difference.

There is a Murchie’s not far from me that I’ve walked by many times without going in, as it always seemed to be full of naff “British” pottery. So I only got around to drinking this tea, which a friend gifted, this week when my supplies of David’s Tea were running low. Well, more fool me, because it’s FANTASTIC. If you’re a fan of Starbucks’ sickly-sweet liquid chai mix, there’s probably not much for you here, as this is a peppery, fiery, spicy chai that will tickle your nose and warm you up with a forcible kick. It tastes of REAL spices, rather than “spice mix.” I think it’d be just awesome with some frothed almond milk.

Had this yesterday, one of my fave Murchie’s teas. The flavouring just works so well with the black tea.

Oh man, this is a great tea. Apricot flavour is mellow but distinct and it smells amazing. Plus, you know, caffeine. gimme

Horrible

So I thought I’d drink this to see if I can tell the difference between this and Ceylon. I think this one is more tannic, while the Ceylon was sweeter and possibly creamier. More practice required.

I saw this chart from the aptly named tumble site: http://fuckyeahilovetea.tumblr.com/post/33309787977
Idk about accuracy but it looks helpful.

I think 3 min is the right amount of brewing tea. I’m sipping away at this straight and it’s pretty good, although a little mild.

Thought I’d drink this over my DT Darjeeling just so I could use it up.

The first few sips made my mouth pucker up and my tongue do that ‘thbt thpt’ sticky-outty thing, sorta like a dog chewing on peanut butter…

Getting past that, I get dank smoky wood. It’s potent! And I used 1 tsp for my mug at 4 min. Added cream, and it is much improved!

Now I’m gonna read in the near dark as the baby fell asleep on my bed and I don’t want to move her or leave her alone long enough for her to roll off. :)

Oh! I think I’ve been underleafing all my teas! When it says 1 tsp per cup, I’m thinking of my giant 14oz mug. Not as a cup in baking! (duh) I’ve also used pretty much the same quantity for a full tea pot. Soooooooo, whoops. Strangely enough, I seem to still get a lot of flavour, but curious how things will taste if I do it right.

It’s time for the great Darjeeling Tea-Off of 2012!

I thought I’d try Murchie’s Darling Finest Blend to compare to the one from David’s Tea that I’ve already been enjoying. Both were brewed for 4 minutes exactly and nothing was added in.

The Murchie’s blend seems bitter to me again. Perhaps the black tea they base their blends on is just more sensitive to steeping than I’m used to. It seems to me that the flavour in this would be improved with cream/sugar. Not that it’s bad; its just not as rich/complex that I would want to drink it black all the time.

I will try to brew the Murchie’s blend for less time next time and see if that brings out more flavours. Unless it does, David’s blend is by far the winner here. It seems smoother, mellower, and yet far more flavourful. It even smells richer. :) I wish I could describe it better, but I’m sure that’ll come with time, and reading other people’s descriptions won’t hurt.

I won’t rate it until I try it again – just to be fair!

I mostly forgot to drink this; damn.

Yummm. I love black currant teas.

Drinking this with milk and sugar because I feel all post-pizza-y. And whiny, like I deserve a coffee. But I have been drinking too much coffee! And now Kelly is on 2 weeks holiday to bring me coffees all the time… oh noooooooooo /o\

It’s raspberryish in that tea way, and I love black tea… so this is pretty much as I expected. Not as good as a raspberry earl grey, but good for those mornings when you rrrreaally just want to crawl back into bed.

Lil early? Nah. I was Xmas shopping online this morning – well, browsing and adding to my shopping cart, anyway. ;)

After a weekend of having coffee in the mornings, I needed a STRONG tea to get things going today. This one. The orange really kicks me in the ass & de-fogs the brainz.