Charleston Breakfast ~ Charleston Tea Plantation

Given our current political clim..hurricane I thought it would be highly appropriate to review a proudly All-American grown, manufactured and distributed tea. For years I have considered myself an ex-pat (…in exile?) and I am certainly one of the least patriotic (most ashamed of my nationality?) people you will ever meet. My hero growing up was T.S. Eliot and although I never really made it my mission in life to escape this backward land, I’m starting to believe it really may be necessary after all. Please someone get me out of here before i go mad.

During calmer times, I’ve touched on the history behind Charleston Tea Plantation, the oldest tea farm in the contiguous United States (out of two or three). Now owned by Bigelow (…whatever), Charleston boasts some fairly impressive styles. I give them full props for how difficult it is to continuously produce quality tea in a non-tropical climate zone. I’d love to visit Charleston Tea Plantation someday, but i have to wonder if I’d really be welcome. ^^;;

In aroma, Charleston Breakfast is an apple cider vinegar reminiscent of a FBOP Nilgiri or Assam. In flavor however, Charleston Breakfast is very different from an Indian Black. It’s bitter and tangy, without the expected malt. There’s also a noticeable a tangerine-like aftertaste that’s quite unique. For a CTC, its texture is decent, though closer to an OP mind you. Charleston Breakfast’s liquor maybe its most attractive quality: a fiery phoenix amber.

I’m not an especially big fan, but if you’re the kind of person who likes to drench your tea in copious amounts of sugar or milk, you’ll likely enjoy Charleston Breakfast.

1. Aroma – 93
2. Taste – 93
3. Texture – 92
4. Spunk – 94
5. Rarity – 98
6. Availability – 93
7. Appearance – 94
8. Organic/Fair trade – 90 (I honestly don’t know why this product isn’t organic)

Mean score – 93