Irish Breakfast

Company: Fortnum & Mason
 
Review: Like a good Irish Breakfast, this tea froths up the minute the hot water touches the leaves. That's always a good sign.
Overall, it is indeed a good example of this type of tea. It's quite strong and takes well to cream. It really doesn't like to be steeped longer than an exact three minutes though. The aroma of it is quite woody, dark, and inviting. The body is definitely heavy, but at the same time, not quite as malty and buttery as I expect from a truly proper Irish Breakfast. At times it can range a bit bitter and the finish could be a bit cleaner. Still, a solid choice for a rough morning overall.
 
Pairings: Scones with clotted cream come to mind. A simple butter on toast or crepes would also be nice. Probably even good with an omelet doused in cheddar. Basically anything for hearty breakfasts would go well with this. What wouldn't go so well would be fruits and other less heavy foods.
 
Rating: 8 of 10