Malty and brisk, with a spicy edge that comes from the Assam in the mix — that's the character behind Irish Breakfast Tea BOP. It's a black tea blend combining Assam from India with Ceylon from Sri Lanka, graded Broken Orange Pekoe, meaning the leaves are broken into smaller pieces rather than left whole. That break matters: smaller leaf pieces infuse faster and harder, giving the cup its strength and body. Expect notes of malt and spice up front, with lemon, orange, honey and milk rounding out the profile depending on how you take it.
Assam tea has been produced since the 1820s and Ceylon since the 1860s — both comparatively recent arrivals next to China's much longer tea history, though that says nothing about how they taste. Pairing the two is a common approach for a breakfast-style blend: Assam brings the malt and body, Ceylon adds brightness.
Being black tea, it's the most oxidised and processed of the major tea categories, which also puts it at the higher end of the caffeine range compared to green or white tea. Tea & Coffee packs this one fresh to order at its Kent-based factory.
To brew, use a filter or infuser with the loose leaf, pour freshly boiled water over it, and let it steep for about 4 minutes — a touch longer if you want more strength, shorter for something gentler. It holds up well with milk, and works with sugar, honey or lemon if you prefer it that way. Plenty of drinkers take it black to let the malt and spice come through unmasked, which given the boldness of the BOP grade is a reasonable way to meet it.
