BOH English Breakfast Tea Review
I’m English and I eat breakfast. But that’s never a guarantee that I’ll like English Breakfast tea blends! Known to be bold enough to stand up to our hearty eggs, beans, sausages and hash browns (I could eat 100 a day), the English Breakfast blend is a classic.
BOH very kindly sent me a box of tea samples to review and share with you, so naturally I started my day with this tea. Here’s what I thought of BOH English Breakfast Tea.
Classic English Breakfast Tea at A Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Blend: Malaysian black tea
- Flavour: Smooth, robust black tea with bright floral notes
An interesting English Breakfast blend, for sure! While there’s the usual robustness and richness that works so well with milk, there’s also a bright floral note (when consumed black) that’s very pleasant.
Full Review - BOH English Breakfast Tea
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Type: Tagged paper filter tea bag
- Tea: Black tea
- Origin: Blended from BOH Tea Plantations in Malaysia
- Flavour Notes: Smooth, rich, robust, floral, bright, warm
- Aroma: Strong, floral, tannins, rich, sweet
- Milk or Lemon: Milk and sugar
- Where to Buy: Amazon or BOH Official Website
Individually foil-wrapped for freshness, these English Breakfast tea bags have a strong black tea aroma with prominent tannins. But there’s also a floral note too, almost like a Darjeeling black tea. That’s unusual for an English Breakfast blend as usually tea blenders pick hearty African and Assam teas.
It brews into a very dark black-red colour that’s begging for a splash of milk. The aroma is rich with more pronounced floral notes and also some random sweetness is hiding away in there! I did take a sip of it without milk, just to review it thoroughly.
Black, it’s smooth, rich and robust with bright floral notes pinging around my mouth and lingering into the aftertaste. You could drink this black but it’s not designed that way.
Adding milk improves it, bringing out those classic English Breakfast tea notes. It’s smooth, rich and warm but also quite light. I wouldn’t describe it as full-flavoured.
Overall, an interesting tea choice for an English Breakfast tea. Those that like lighter teas will enjoy it.
How to Brew BOH Tea
I poured freshly boiled water over the tea bag and let it brew for 3 minutes. I’m not certain if this tea can handle long steep times, so don’t start making your jam on toast and forget all about it. It might not forgive you.
Milk and sugar are a must for a traditional English Breakfast blend and you can’t go wrong with them here. The tea slurped down a treat with my toast (pictured) and I can’t see it going horribly wrong with any kind of breakfast meal. I’d dip some pop tarts in it without hesitation.
Why BOH Tea Plantation Malaysia?
I discovered BOH Tea on Amazon a while ago and fell in love with their tea designs and story. They grow tea across various plantations in the Malaysian highlands, including their famous Cambodian Gold blend (keep an eye out for that review on the blog).
They’ve been growing tea since the 1920s and have an impressive legacy. As for awards, they’ve won quite a few in Malaysia and around the world.
They are missing some common UK certifications, like the Soil Association and Euro-Leaf green logo, but I’m not worried in the slightest. BOH are a respectable and high-quality brand.
The tea inside the tea bag was good – standard. It smelt and tasted fresh and bright so I’ve no complaints here!
Summary
Yes, you should try this tea. It’s not your bog-standard English Breakfast. The floral brightness and smoothness are noteworthy and will give you an extra oomph in the morning when you drink it. You can check it out on Amazon below.
Tea Recommendation
I’ll be the first to admit that I enjoy an Earl Grey as much as an English Breakfast blend with my morning cereal! I’m also quite partial to a hearty Assam. If you like the sound of BOH English Breakfast tea but prefer loose leaf, I recommend What-Cha’s India Assam Kanoka Hand-Made Tea.