****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
When this box arrived, I set up a little taste test: I brewed up all four varieties of Barry's that I could find (Classic, Gold, Irish Breakfast, and Decaf), then compared them all side by side. I and two of my tea-snobbish friends all agreed the Classic was the best (followed by Gold blend). The one flaw in the experiment was the Irish Breakfast blend was purchased off the shelf of a local store, and I don't know how fresh it was.Anyway, this is a very good tea, especially for a bulk-packaged bagged tea. DO follow the printed instructions and move the tea to a better container once opened, or it will soon taste like the cardboard it’s packed in. (I use a stainless steel tin.)I normally drink loose-leaf tea, but when I want the convenience of a teabag, this is my go-to.Incidentally, I weighed an individual bag, and compared it to a Twinnings teabag: Barry's weighed 3.48g, Twinnings weighed 2.17g. So about 60% more tea per bag. No wonder my Irish friends swear by this tea! :)This is a superb Assam that takes milk well and is excellent for making chai [ For chai, I break open the tea bags to cook the tea in milk] . Smells fruity and sweet as you open it. The quality difference from the lower "Barry's Gold" is striking in terms of rich flavor. I find it smoother and less edgy in terms of caffeine from PG Tips and other competitors, meaning that I can enjoy more without over caffeination. I wish they would name or label it to clearly indicate that it their premium.Excellent tea for black tea lovers. It is more pungent and rich than English teas, which is perfect for me. I'll switch it up between PG Tips when I want a more flowery and aromatic flavor, and will go with Barry's when I want something still great-tasting but a bolder flavor.We had been purchasing tea blends from Fortnum and Mason in London, which are absolutely brilliant but quite costly. I decided to search for a tea that was less expensive, but also had exceptional flavor. I happened upon Barry's Tea on Amazon. The ratings and reviews convinced us to give it a try. We are pleased with this tea and will continue to purchase it.Love this tea!!The flavor is exactly what I want in a cup of tea.I have tried both Barry's Classic blend and Barry's Gold blend over the past few months. Both are quite good, but I must say the Classic blend is my preference of the two and has earned a place in my rotation. I find Barry's Classic a bit bolder than their Gold blend; both are very aromatic and well balanced. The black tea fan can't go wrong with either one.I hear there's a debate among Irish tea lovers about whether Barry's or Lyon's is the better black tea. (I'm an American with a very prominent measure of Irish DNA. I, too, love a good debate.) Lyon's Original blend--a wonderful, malty blend--is among my very favorite black teas and is often the tea I choose for my first cup in the morning. All that aside, considering quality, consistency, and price point, the debate is moot for any number of reasons...both Barry's and Lyon's are blending very fine black tea.I absolutely love Barry's gold blend tea and I've consumed it for years as part of my daily tea times. So I decided to give the Classic Blend a try.What it lacks in originality (their gold blend as such a unique taste) it makes up for in being a very solid, delicious classic black tea. I now find myself varying my daily teas between Barry's teas and some Earl Grey blends. It is a worthy tea and tasty.5/5Item as described. Arrived quickly. Barry's tea is excellent tea. A bit expensive, but well worth it. If you have not tried Barry's tea, and you like tea, take a chance and buy some. You will not be disappointed.This was a gift was was very much appreciated.Too expensive through amazonits watery tea
