Master Tea Blend

I've always struggled to find a tea that I feel is completely 'me'. Builders tea has too much tannin, Earl Grey is lovely but ubiquitous these days, and then there's a raft of teas that are too bitter, astringent, dishwater etc.

I thought I would have a stab at blending one just for me - my signature blend so to speak.  For a start, I did't realise how difficult it would be to find leaf tea (instead of bags) and I have had to resort to a couple of delis and specialist tea shops. Ouch, not cheap....

I decided I was looking for something I could drink as an alternative to coffee in the morning (i.e. a distinctive and smoky pick-me-up). So I thought I would keep it simple and find a good, fragrant bergamot Earl Grey as a base and hit it with an overtone of smoke - Lapsang Souchong seemd to be a good choice, roasted as it is over fragrant pine needles.

Some trial and error was involved.  I had to get the proportions right (I really didn't like Lapsang on its own - my mouth tasted like an ashtray afterwards.) But I finally hit on a good blend for me - 80% Earl Grey to 20% Lapsang.  A fragrant mix with a smoky overtone. Since I happened across this, I have been drinking it several times a day.  The good thing about tea leaves and an infuser, is that you can use one load to make 2-3 cups of tea through the day, so it works out pretty economically.

I might try replacing the Earl Grey with a more citrussy Lady Grey and see how that goes. And perhaps design a pretty, personalised jar to put it in....