At a glance
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Fifteen tea bags of the boldest tea in the Essentials range
- Organic South Indian black tea
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Tasting notes: bracing tannin, full body, a hint of bittersweet cocoa
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Takes milk well — it has the structure to stand up to it
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Ingredients: organic South Indian black tea
How to use it
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Near-boiling water — around 205°F / 96°C. Black tea of this weight genuinely wants it that hot.
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Three minutes for a strong cup. Push to four if you are adding milk and want it to survive.
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Lift the bag out at the end. Tannin keeps building, and this tea has plenty to give already.
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Milk is fair game here. Unlike a delicate tea, this one is not diminished by it — that is rather the point.
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Keep it to the morning. A cup this strong late in the day is a decision you will notice at midnight.
How the Essentials range compares
| Tea |
Character |
Leaf |
Water |
| Bright Green |
Sweet lemon, honeysuckle, mild |
Japanese kukicha green |
~175°F / 80°C |
| English Breakfast |
Bracing tannin, bittersweet cocoa |
South Indian black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Black Gold |
Malty, caramel, shortbread |
Yunnan black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Earl Grey |
Silky bergamot, note of orange |
South Indian & Ceylon black |
~205°F / 96°C |
| Decaf Black |
Tannic, strong body, nutty pecan |
South Indian black, CO2 decaf |
~205°F / 96°C |
✨ Temple Tip — if it is too much, use less leaf, not less time
The instinct with a strong tea is to cut the steep short — but a rushed steep gives you thin tea that is still harsh. Use a shorter fill or a bigger mug and keep the full three minutes. You lose the bite without losing the body.
Questions we get asked
Is this stronger than Black Gold?
Considerably. Black Gold is malty and smooth; English Breakfast is tannic and bracing. If you find this one harsh,
Black Gold is the same everyday role played more gently.
Is it a blend?
No. It is a single organic South Indian black tea, which is unusual for a breakfast tea — most are blended from several origins.
Does it need milk?
It does not need it, but it holds up to it better than almost anything else in the range. Try it plain first so you know what you are adjusting.
How much caffeine?
A full-strength black tea, so at the higher end of the range. Not one for the evening.
How should I store it?
Airtight, away from light and strong smells. Black tea holds its character longer than green — roughly a year.
More black teas — and everything else worth steeping — in Tea & Teaware. Brewed in the two-cup glass teapot it makes three honest cups instead of one.
Strong, plain, and honest about it — the cup that starts the day properly. #TempleOfDesire
