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Discovering Adagio teas, episode #3 (out of 12).

I just love the smell of hazelnut in the afternoon!
it already smelled great right after opening the zip bag and I absolutely don’t mind that this smell comes from flavourings.
And after steeping it smells even better! Just like a delicious hazelnut cake or a pancake with hot nutella.
And the taste is also very full, complex, malty, not as sweet as could be expected. Delicious pastry tea really full of hazelnut flavour.

Discovering Adagio teas, episode #2 (out of 12).
My second Adagio tea and first from a small sample bag. And I just love the idea of a zip bag. So practical.
As I expected, this one is rich and malty, with typical to Assam teas wet cardboard in the background. It tastes a bit bitter (steeped for 4 minutes), but I certainly don’t mind a little bitterness in a decent tea, and a bit astringent, with solid, malty base and threshold sweetness.

Discovering Adagio teas, episode #1 (out of 12).
Recently I made my first order at Adagio Teas (UK). I liked their tea selection and the fact that they sell 30 g samples. I definitely prefer small packages, because they allow me to taste more varieties. 50 g bags are fine, 30 g bags are even better. I’m planning to avoid the tea shops that sell only 100 g packages or bigger (hear it Denmark!).
So my first pick is the only large tin from my order, Irish Breakfast (blend of Ceylon and Assam black teas). Filled above the rim, so it’s not easy to scoop the tea without spilling, but I’m not going to complain.
Lovely dark brown-red colour.
Distinct wet cardboard flavour, typical to Assam teas. As a beer judge, I would find it a sign of oxidation and an off-flavour in beer, but here it’s different, of course, and expected. Apart from that, the aroma is rich, dark, malty, woody.
Very smooth taste, with only trace of astringency (I steeped it strong), slightly sweet and caramelly.
Very good tea, in my opinion much better as a blend than just a sum of its parts. Looking forward to my other Adagio teas.

Rich malty and earthy aroma.
The taste is rather mellow, round, malty, with only slight astringency and no bitterness.
Not bad for a private label, but nothing spectacular either.

Received as a gratis sample from Carstensens Tehandel.
This tea looks totally kitschy with those pink hearts, but this is so in line with the name that I actually like it.
It smells very strongly and a bit sweetish with strawberry, partly natural, partly artificial.
And it is bit sweetish, but fortunately only slightly. Here in taste the strawberry seems much more natural, and the base black tea is of really good quality.
Not exactly my proverbial cup of tea, but I find it much better than I anticipated.

My eighth and final teabag form Carstensens Tehandel.
I already know their black walnut tea and I like it, so I was very curious to check the green variety.
And it has wonderful, very strong nutty aroma, both from walnuts and from hazelnuts with just a bit of coconut and almonds added. I know it’s in part artificial, but I don’t care, s long as it smells brilliant.
And I really like the taste. It’s very rich and complex, with various shades of nuts (I can even sense the green peel of young walnuts). Great winter warmer indeed.

My seventh teabag bought at Carstensens Tehandel.
Very warming aroma, with fruity rhubarb and cream flavouring equally in the foreground and base green tea in the background.
And so is the taste, very balanced, not overdone with adjuncts, but at the same tim full of character. Great dessert, mellow tea.

Sixth teabag ordered from Carstensens Tehandel.
Very fruity, mellow, summer aroma. No toasted rice here.
Ad very nice taste. One can mainly sense the base green tea plus a trace of toasted rice and a bit of fruits in the background.
Very good tea, not overdone with adjuncts.

My fifth teabag bought at Carstensens Tehandel.
Very strong fruity (pineapple and mango), flowery aroma, honey-like, sweet and rich.
Sweet taste, mainly fruity, with various petals constituting the solid background.
Very good tea, would probably taste perfectly in summer as coldbrew.