Fortnum and Mason Assam Superb

The Assam region is in the north of India, and lies at a fairly low elevation.  The low elevation and the heavy yearly rainfall and tropical temperatures in the region bring about a larger, broader leaf than other varieties, and the climate patterns also make the Assam region quite prolific, producing far more tea than other parts of India and China.  Interestingly, the vast amount of tea coming out of the region broadened interest in tea across social classes in Britain.  Prior to the discovery of the Assam sub-variety in India, China was the main source of British tea, but the discovery and development of vastly cheaper tea from the prolific Assam fields meant that tea was no longer just a drink for the upper class.  The Assam sub-variety was reputedly discovered in 1823 by Robert Bruce, a Scottish adventurer, though the leaves had long been steeped and consumed by local Singhpo tribesman.  Bruce died in 1824, but was instrumental in introducing the tea plantation system to India, and Assam tea to Britain.

Fortnum and Mason Assam Superb is a blended offering, featuring a fairly homogenized mix of teas from various estates within the region.  It's a good blend, with a fair bit of golden tips, and brews up a typical cup of Assam, with a thick body, and lots of malt.  Malty flavors and a huge thick body are the hallmarks of the Assam subvariety, and as you might expect, a homogenized blend from the region tastes very typically of those characteristics.  Some single estate Assams have notes of dark fruit, jam or raisins, but the Fortnum and Mason feature notes of mild caramel, malt, oak, and honey. 

Falling back on comparisons to Scotch (of course), this could be likened to a high quality blend; not as distinctive or flavorful as a single malt (single estate), but pleasant and more than serviceable (and usually cheaper).  Score:  90 (A-)

I've gotten a bit behind on reviews, but I have two single estate Assams to review, courtesy of a order of sample sized pouches from Upton Tea Imports.  Coming soon!

Fortnum and Mason Royal Blend

Fortnum and Mason, often abbreviated Fortnum's, is an iconic British department store, well known for quality tea blends and fancy (and quite expensive) stocked picnic hampers.  They also claim to have invented the Scotch egg, which is sort of like claiming you invented the hot dog...it's plausible, but unlikely.  If you've never had a Scotch egg, and have the chance to try one, go for it.  It's a hard boiled egg encased in a layer of pork sausage and an outside layer of breadcrumbs.  The "Scotch" part of the egg is a nod to the snack's origin as a treat for the working class rather than coming from north of Hadrian's Wall, "Scotch" (and "Welsh") having been used to mean "cheap" or "poor" by the English at one time or another.  Working class fare or not, the Scotch egg is delicious, and I often wonder why it hasn't caught on in the States.

Today's review is Fortnum's Royal Blend, a strong malty blend of Assam and Ceylon teas first created for King Edward VII during the early 20th century.  Edward VII became King following Queen Victoria's death in 1901, so we can't properly call this tea blend "Victorian,"  but it's close.  The actual historical period is "Edwardian," which it turns out is the brief period between Queen Victoria's death and World War I.

The tea is a blend of a strong, malty Assam and a lighter Ceylon, and in all actuality, is not that different from several different breakfast teas I've had.  The Assam lends notes of malt and oak, and the Ceylon balances out the Assam with a little bit of a floral or grassy note.  It's a strong and pleasant, if not unique cup of tea, and offers a nice, old fashioned looking tin and a bit of a history lesson.  On the whole, I'd probably go for Scottish Breakfast, which has similar flavors but offers a touch more complexity, but still, not a bad cup of tea at all.  Score:  80 (B-)