Fully oxidized, heat-proof, built for the boil. Three cups for three different mornings.
The short answer
The xxxtea black tea collection is three cups: Yorkshire Gold for the weekday mug, Harney Earl Grey Supreme for the bergamot, and Vahdam First Flush Darjeeling for a slow weekend. Brew black tea at a full 212°F boil for three to five minutes, then take the leaf out.
The weekday
Rounder than PG Tips. Disappears into the morning without asking.
Assam, Rwandan and Kenyan leaf, built for the kettle and the mug rather than the pot. Four minutes at a full boil.
The perfume
The Earl Grey most people spend years trying to improve on. Then stop.
Whole Darjeeling and Nilgiri leaf, cornflower petals and a bergamot that has not changed since 1983. Three to four minutes; longer and the bergamot turns soapy.
The weekend
First pick of the year. Floral, muscatel, almost wine-like.
Light-oxidized off the Himalayan slopes into something closer to a green. The muscatel lives in the first three minutes and then leaves, so set the timer.
212°F
Black tea is the one leaf that wants a full rolling boil. Then the window: three minutes for Darjeeling, three to four for Earl Grey, four for Assam and breakfast blends. Past five, the tannins take over. Pull the leaf and the cup stays honest.
Laced. Bound. The longer it steeps the less it asks.
On the spoon. White linen underneath. Already marked.
Just above the water. String still taut. Not yet.
Every other black we have reviewed. 18 in all.
Two teas, one verdict, and who each one is for.
FAQ
Three to five minutes, depending on the leaf: about three for Darjeeling, three to four for Earl Grey and flavored blends, four for Assam and English breakfast. Past five minutes the tannins dominate and the cup turns flat and astringent.
Yes. Black tea is fully oxidized, which makes it heat-proof, and it wants a full rolling boil at 212°F. Cooler water under-extracts it and the cup reads thin and slightly sour. Warm the mug first: cold ceramic drops the temperature 10–15°F on contact.
It steeped too long. Bergamot oil lifts off above about four minutes and the cup turns soapy. Brew Earl Grey for three to four minutes at a full boil and pull the leaf.
