The Simple Leaf Black Frost

Description (from thesimpleleaf.com): Finally, the Nilgiris are represented in our lineup! We named this tea Black Frost. Black, because…well, it’s black tea. Frost, because it’s grown between 6,000 and 8,000 feet. And things can get pretty frosty when you’re up that high. Black Frost yields a golden liquor, and is rather strong (though not as strong as some of our Assams). We’d rather you didn’t add milk to this tea, since it is perfectly delicious without any additives. [more...]

Review: Black Frost has a delicious smell, strikingly similar to Assam, but milder and sweeter. The taste is quite similar to the taste, comparatively. It's slightly milder and smoother (I say this while keeping in mind that I am generally not a huge fan of Assam, despite having loved Mountain Malt). This tea, overall, is rougher around the edges than the Assam. It's not as refined, not in a processed sense; the Assam is more pleasant, better overall. This is good, but not as good, and I've tasted better Nilgiris, specifically Serendipitea's Korakundah Estate Nilgiri.

It's a beautiful amber color when steeped and the leaves unfurl quite incredibly. Like all of Simple Leaf's varieties, this tea is very pure and clean-tasting. It's got a high-grown, woody aroma and flavor, with very mellow undertones. I've had much stronger nilgiri, but this one is more adjustable, and tastes excellent whether you want it super strong or mild. I brewed a medium cup and love it.

I think this tea may be a bit too bitter for some people. It has a relative astringency and bitterness, but stronger than I think most people enjoy, especially if sugar is not added. I'd still prefer to drink it plain, but this tea would be very pleasant with some raw sugar. Honey may flatten the taste instead of make it more pleasant. That said, this is another great Simple Leaf blend, though surprisingly I still favor the Mountain Malt for black tea, and prefer Korakundah for nilgiri.

The Good: woody, mellow, high-grown taste
The Bad: a bit too astringent, has a significant bite that won't work for tea drinkers that prefer sweeter teas....sugar will correct this, though.
More Information/Buy: The Simple Leaf Black Frost