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Scott B drank TB75: Baker Street Blend by Upton Tea Imports

109 tasting notes

Brewing temperature was 208, to be exact.

Ugh, trying to get caught up on reviews with new Harney’s at home and two more shipments of tea on the way.

Another sample from Upton’s.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this unusual blend. It got some good reviews here and the samples are ridiculously cheap, so I took a flyer on this.

Dry leaves a mixture of dark brown, medium brown and olive green and are tightly rolled. I mostly smell the Keemun in the dry leaves. Liquor is copper.

This is my second cupping of this tea. I wished I had some notes saved from the first time, because I don’t remember it tasting like this. The only difference in brewing would be 208 water instead of boiling. Could it make that much difference? I can’t taste the Keemun or the Lapsang at all. The only thing I am tasting here is some 2nd Flush Darjeeling and I don’t like second flush at all-it’s dominant. I thought good old Sherlock liked Lapsang? I taste not a note of smoke. What happened to the Keemun from the dry leaf? This is just not to my liking at all. Oh, well it’s only a sample.

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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2 comments

TeaBrat
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hmm. I definitely got some smoke out of this although it was a bit on the lighter side. Maybe try to steep it longer?

Scott B
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I’ve been steeping on the lower end (caffeine) when seller gives 2 minute range of suggested steep times-This one was suggested 3-4 minutes. I suppose I can give it one more shot at 4 or so. Maybe I did 4 last time, because this tasted so different.

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Comments

TeaBrat
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hmm. I definitely got some smoke out of this although it was a bit on the lighter side. Maybe try to steep it longer?

Scott B
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Bio

Started drinking tea for health benefits maybe 5 years ago-exclusively bagged tea. Usually went for various Celestial Seasonings type of stuff. I bought a tea infuser at a gourmet shop once and then I realized there was almost no loose tea available. Eventually tiring of bags, I started ordering loose tea online and I have never gone back. Initially, I was exploring all the wild and exotic flavor combinations, but now I mostly drink straight teas. I still enjoy blended teas-but prefer those without “flavoring”. Hope to learn here and find some new teas I might not otherwise find. Am a vegan, so “milk” generally means “soymilk” to me. If it’s almond, rice, or coconut, I will mention that fact.

I am new here, and new to reviewing tea. Many of my initial reviews will be from memory and may not be very detailed at all. I hope to write more informative reviews on current and future teas.

I won’t let external factors affect my rating of the tea-such as slow shipping, too expensive, etc. I’ll mention any customer service problems in my reviews. I also won’t let my mistakes in not following the seller’s recommended parameters affect a rating. I can’t believe people who say “I forgot about it and oversteeped it” and then give it a rating. If I brew outside the parameters, I will wait until I brew it right before I give it a rating.

TEMPORARY RATING SYSTEM- Don’t hold me to these numbers and descriptions-like George Bluth, I like to tweak.

90+ It’s awesome, right?? I’ll probably try to keep it on hand.

80-89 – I really like this and will buy it again at some point, but there are so many teas to try!

70-79 – This is a pretty good tea and I may buy it again based on my mood, what tea store I am buying from, and what kind of deal I can get.

60-69 – This is okay. I finished the bag. I would drink it again if offered, but would not buy it again.

40-59 – IF I finished the bag, I recall this tea thinking “Why in the hell did I finish the bag?”

1-39 – Did not finish the bag. Maybe not even the cup. Tea was given away or discarded.

Location

Usa

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