Kenilworth OP

Tea: Kenilworth OP
Vendor: Plucker's Pick
Price: $6.00 / oz
Source: Ceylon (aka Sri Lanka)
Vendor Description: A rich, hearty aroma that brews golden-brown. This mid-grown tea is full-bodied and strong with complex overtones.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is slightly a brown hue, but mostly black in color. There is not much aroma to it, and it feels very much like most other Ceylon teas.

1st Infusion Parameters: 3g, 5oz, 208F, 3 min

1st Infusion: This tea produces a rich red hued tea. It has a very smooth characteristic Ceylon araoma to it. The tea is very full bodied and has a nice light sense of astringency. There is a light tang to the tea which pairs with many Ceylon teas. It doesn't feel very unique though.

Rating: 3/10

Conclusion: This tea is a very solid and characteristic Ceylon tea. That said, it doesn't really stand out in any way, and feels like just another Ceylon. There doesn't seem to be much difference in taste between this and the Homadola for example. It is a bit pricey for just another Ceylon.

Homadola FBOP

Tea: Homadola Garden FBOP
Vendor: Plucker's Pick
Price: $18.00 / 3.5 oz.
Source: Sri Lanka (aka Ceylon)
Vendor Description: A fresh, sweet tea with a light aroma.This low-grown tea brews to a golden shade with hints of orange. A mild and mellow flavor.

Leaf: The leaf for this tea is very uniform in size and color. It is a very normal shade of black with hints of a gray color on the edges. It hints at being similar to a silver striped. The packaging for this tea was quite nice. The tea comes packed in a mylar bag packed in a tin packed in a box.

Infusion Parameters: 1 tsp (2.21g), 5 oz water, 208F, 3 minutes

Infusion: The infusion has a very golden honey color to it. There is a very light aroma to it that is characteristic of a ceylon tea. The flavor is well balanced and smooth. At a ratio of 2.21:5 it is light, but not too light, and not overpowering. It has a medium body to it with no astringency. There is a light bitterness on the front end, but just enough to give the tea a nice body and flavor.

Rating: 9/10

Conclusion: This is a very enjoyable black tea. It is smooth without being to strong. The flavor distinctive and noticeable, but not overpowering. At it's price it is on the upper end for a ceylon tea, but not prohibitively so.