Readers and friends often ask if I only drink flavored teas since that seems to be so much of what I review here. The simple answer is that the flavored teas are fun to try, but there’s also nothing like a strong cup of black tea. Today I’m sipping Irish Breakfast tea from Harney & Sons.

From the site, Irish Breakfast is 100% Assam tea.

It is available in a variety of sizes: sample for $2.00, 4oz tin for $6.25, 8oz tin for $11.50 and 1lb bag for $19.00, in addition to boxes and tins of sachets in various amounts.

When I opened the tea it smelled like a smooth mellow Assam.  I brewed and added a bit of sugar. I was impressed by the deep reddish orange color of the brew. The taste was as I expected, rich and strong. I know many of you would love to add milk to this one.  This was a great way to start the day!