Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Tea Review 28 - Adagio White Assam

White Assam
Adagio Teas

White Assam. Who knew? Certainly not me.

I should preface these remarks on White Assam by saying that there are few things I like better than a good, robust black Assam. It's the sort of thing that makes me want to thump my chest, pinch the senoritas and shoot holes in the ceiling.

But White Assam doesn't go there, as you might have guessed. What you get for your 180 degrees and seven minutes steeping of these long, thin leaves - mostly grayish, with a smattering of white - is something quite different.

The last time I brewed White Assam half of the leaves hung suspended in the water and half sunk, which created a nice effect that reminded me of stalactites and stalagmites in a cavern. The leaves produce a light reddish-brown brew with a delicate taste and perhaps just the faintest overtones of fruit and malt. Overall, I though the taste was closer to a nice Darjeeling black, but what do I know?

Available, as most Adagio teas are, in four sizes. In this case, a sample size ($4) all the way up to a half pound ($38). Not for bargain hunters, but well worth it.

Recommended.

Contents: Sample tin
I paid: na

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