What-Cha Irish Breakfast Black Tea

I had hopes for this Irish blend....especially after tasting What-Cha's English black blend tea and finding it quite lovely and complex.  Dry, this leaf is intriguing, with it's deep dark assam leaves mixed with twisty ceylon and the green touches from the Nepal tea that create this blend.  The smell from the cup....well, this is not your typical Irish Breakfast tea.  What-Cha has taken the concept of a tea that has a notoriously heavy flavor profile (which is why we who like Irish Breakfast teas love them to begin with!) and updated it with a briskness that balances the bottom notes with youthful abandon. There is beautiful deep malt and cocoa as bottom notes that are joined  by mid notes of a green wood spiciness and a lingering apricot top note that gives this tea a long malty sweet finish.  The true beauty of this blend's finish is held in the buoyant briskness that the ceylon brings. The deep lovely malt and cocoa notes are not lessened by the briskness...they are enhanced....brought to a fuller, rounder mouthfeel than most Irish blends possess.  There is a touch of astringency to the cup, but it is just enough to make you look forward to the next sip.  Which is hard not to do.  If you are a black blend drinker, give this one a try.  It is a captivating alternative to what you're used to.

You can find this tea here.