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Monday, June 14, 2010

Georgia Tea Company Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Cinnamon Black'

Tea Information:
Tea: Cinnamon Black
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Georgia Tea Company
Purchase: Click the image below

Description: A black tea with cinnamon flavoring.
Ingredients:

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp (the plastic spoon I was eating my lunch with)
Water: ~12 oz hot spigot water
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes (using Steep.It)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: CINNAMON delicious cinnamon bark, like the cinnamon brooms at cracker barrel
Steeped Tea Smell: light cinnamon bark
Flavor: black tea and cinnamon bark, not cinnamon candies but the real spice, astringent
Body: Full
Aftertaste: warm, cinnamon, bark, a bit astringent
Liquor: dark brown

I won these teas in a contest that was run by Dan on Steepster that was great fun, and got me tea prizes! Dan will be running the contest monthly, so keep an eye out!

I find the labels on the tea samples to be perfect, they include the company name, tea name, tea type, and steeping directions. They are in clear ziplock bags so don't buy them and expect to keep them around for a long time, teas should be stored in tins (air tight and no light) for long term storage.

UPDATE: I have been informed that the samples that you buy on the web site, or any teas purchased on the site, will come in food safe, plastic lined, kraft bags which keep light out and keep the tea fresh for about 4-5 months. Tea is best stored in tins which are not clear and air tight, since light activates the steeping process and moisture as well. The sample bags I received were about 2-3 cups each, where purchased samples are larger.

So far the only flaw I have found thus far is no clear list of ingredients.

I could smell this one strongly when I opened the box, and since I love cinnamon I decided to make this my first sample to try, and had it at work with my lunch.

This is a down and dirty test, hot spigot water from the water fountain, steeping time using online timers, measuring spoon that is a plastic lunch spoon. For all the abuse the tea turned out well. I think nex time I will add a touch of sweetener and cream after a few more sips to tamper the astringency.

It can't compare to my love of Harney & Sons cinnamon black, but for those less sugar and candy inclined (did you think H&S was too sweet?) this would be the cinnamon tea for you.

Rating: 3/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing






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