Second Cuppa

Tata Trouble: The Tea Workers who Bring You Tetley Tea

Tea is an experience. It’s part aroma, part flavor and part feeling. Imaging the feeling you’d get while sipping your morning or afternoon cuppa knowing the plantation workers who brought you your tea were underpaid, exploited, living in squalor, and even plucked by slave traders.

These are the allegations that have been brought upon Tata Global Beverages, the parent company of Tetley. I’ve reviewed a few Tetley varieties for this blog — my favorite being Blend of Both — and I have one more in the works.

This news has me questioning not only Tetley’s integrity but the integrity of many other name-brand tea companies that use Assam in their blends. This is nothing new, just something many of us tea drinkers have long ignored. Do some Internet research, and you’ll easily find information regarding the long history of poor working conditions and exploitation in the Assam region.

Somehow I missed the story when it broke earlier this year, but it has been reported that plantation workers face abuse and poor living conditions on the Nahorani estate — owned in part by Tetley’s parent company, Tata Global Beverages — in the Indian state of Assam. More information can be found in recent articles by The Guardian and The Telegraph, and the following video produced by The Guardian:

In response to the allegations dated March 7, 2014, Tata Global Beverages declared its commitment to the ethical treatment of people throughout its supply chain and promised an investigation into existing labor practices and working conditions of the tea gardens in question. Once the investigation is complete, Tata promises to take action based on recommendations by its legal team.

So what can you do to put your conscious at ease? If you feel strongly about the proper treatment of workers who helped produce your tea, one thing you can do is purchase Fair Trade Certified products. The Fair Trade designation indicates the manufacturers commitment to fair labor and environmental sustainability. Though it may cost a buck or two more, Fair Trade tea will provide a level of certainty, allowing you to experience the peace and tranquility you want from each sip.

Reviewed: PG Tips The Rich One

PG Tips launched its Premium Range of teas a couple of years ago, though I’ve had a hard time ordering them stateside. I did recently get my hands on The Rich One, which I’ve incorporated into my tea rotation for the last couple of weeks.

The main selling point for this and the other premium range of teas, which also includes The Strong One, The Fresh One and The Mellow One, is the process in which the tea is produced. PG Tips claims to have discovered a new technique where fresh tea leaves are picked and pressed to release their juices; the juices are then added back to the final oxidized tea leaves at the end of production.

The Rich One is a blend of African, Ceylon and Assam teas that definitely offers more complexity than your standard PG Tips. I did run into issues with the first couple of tea bags; they seemed to produce a more vegetal, green tea aroma than subsequent tea bags.

Now I’m consistently getting a citrusy aroma, full body, and a strong and somewhat bitter flavor. As you would expect, The Rich One pairs well with milk and sweetener.

Though I can’t quite put my finger on it, I get a disconcerted feeling about this tea. It’s like the process of extracting the tea’s oil and placing it back somehow leads to an unnatural, fabricated result — a frankentea if you will.

All said and done, however, it’s been a pleasure to drink.

Aroma:	Vegetal, Citrusy
Body:	Full
Flavor:	Strong, slightly bitter
Color:	Dark Amber

Lipton English Breakfast Tea Review

If there’s one segment of the tea market I know well, it’s English Breakfast. I have a pretty good idea about what to expect from these teas, and Lipton missed the mark with this one.

Lipton English Breakfast is a blend of Ceylon and Kenya teas, which is not unusual for a breakfast blend. In this case, however, the result is very light in body and very bright in flavor with a lemon-like pungency.

Overall, I don’t mind this tea. It’s fine for an afternoon lift, just don’t call it “English breakfast.”

Aroma:	Citrusy
Body:	Light-Medium
Flavor:	Smooth, astringent
Color:	Amber

The Republic of Tea Emperor’s White Tea Review

Dear Republic of Tea,

I recently tried your Emperor’s White Tea. Actually, I’ve been drinking it every afternoon for the past several days. It’s the first white tea I’ve tried that wasn’t blended with green tea or infused with flavor other than tea.

The steeping instructions you provide on the packaging (“just short of boiling” for 30–60 seconds) although contrary to other information I’ve read regarding water temperature and steep time for white tea, produced a satisfactory result.

Judging by the grassy aroma, I was worried the tea would have that pungent grassy quality typical among green tea varieties. This was not the case at all. No, your Emperor’s White Tea has a light, mellow flavor with a tiny hint of berry sweetness and a mild astringency.

Because of the low caffeine content, I don’t worry about staying up and peeing all night. And the tea bags make it easy to take this quality white tea on the road.

So thank you Republic of Tea for selling such a fine white tea product at a fair price.

Yours truly,

-Citizen Leo

Aroma:	Vegetal, sweet
Body:	Medium
Flavor:	Smooth, slightly sweet, mild astringency
Color:	Light Yellow

Thompson’s Family Teas (Punjana) Signature Special Tea Blend Review

The same company that produces my beloved Punjana Irish Breakfast Tea (now re-branded as Thompson’s Family Teas Irish Breakfast Blend) actually makes several varieties of teas. Thompson’s Signature Blend has been part of my daily tea routine for the past couple of weeks, and this is what I think of it.

Signature Blend is a very strong tea. As such, a steep time of 2–3 minutes works fine. Over steeping can lead to bitterness. I can plunk two tea bags in my four-cup teapot and still get a strong brew in 5–6 minutes. I add milk every time.

Although Signature Blend and Irish Breakfast blend share some aroma characteristics, Signature Blend is more smokey and earthy while Irish Breakfast Blend is noticeably sweet and citrusy. Signature Blend feels good in mouth with its full body and biting finish, making it a perfect morning tea.

Aroma:	Smokey, ashy, sweet
Body:	Full
Flavor:	Earthy, tannic, bitter
Color:	Dark Amber