Nepal and the Blacksmith

Just another pretty street.



A while ago I reviewed Blacksmith Blend from the Tea Smith and couldn't identify the flavors. Well, here I am, many cups later, and I still can't. However, it is a good sturdy black, strong, but not overwhelming and quite smooth. You try some and tell me what you think.


On a very different note, today I was trying, finally, some of Andrews and Dunham Damn Fine Tea, the Nepal from their first offering. This is such an attractive tea – a gorgeous combination of white buds with shades of green and brown leaves. It smells good, too, with a combination of chalk and cocoa with a good whiff of hay. I tried to brew it for 3 minutes at 212, but somehow wound up doing it for 4 and I think the tea suffered from it, as it would up a bit on the tannic side.


The brewed tea had that wonderful fresh scent of laundry blowing in the wind that I associate with really good, fresh tea. It was a very pretty light golden amber. This tea, not surprisingly reminded me of a first flush Darjeeling, shading over into a second flush. It is a light tea, without a lot of nuances, but it tastes just fine. I don't think it is as worthy of the hype or the price it has gotten, but it is good. It also comes in a nifty tin. I don't know if it is still available, as A&D has come out with their fourth lot of special teas. Check them out at http://damnfinetea.com/