Black Tea

The most forgiving tea there is, and the most varied. Plain, well-made everyday leaf alongside flavour compositions that taste like baked apple, burnt sugar, smoked orange or cherry chocolate — with no sugar in any of them. If you drink coffee and are curious about tea, this is the shelf to start on.

How to choose

For a reliable morning cup, start with the Essentials line — English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Black Gold. Straightforward leaf, honest price, takes milk without complaint.

For tea that tastes like something, look at the flavour blends. These are dessert flavours built from real botanicals, and the fastest way to convert a sceptic.

To taste terroir, the single-estate teas are unblended and speak for one place.

Questions

How much caffeine? Roughly 40–70 mg per 8 oz cup — about half a cup of coffee, arriving more gently.

What temperature? 205–212°F, 3–5 minutes. Taste at 3. Bitterness usually means too long, not too much leaf.

Can I add milk? To most of these, yes. Malty and smoky blends improve with it; delicate fruit blends usually do not.