Review: Pluckers Pick Homadola

Nov 17

Review: Pluckers Pick Homadola

Geoff’s Teaview Snapshot

"This Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe from the Homadola tea estate is absolutely superb. "

Geoff’s Teaview:	8.5/10
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When most "normies" think of tea, they envision a cream-and-sugar-laden, dark broth-like substance. The average tealitist pictures something with an unpronounceable name served from a cup resembling a futuristic shoehorn. Here's a little something that appeases both extremes and earns a satisfactory nod from floral fence-sitters such as I.

I first ran across the term "pekoe" while browsing a teashop. Thoughts of some sort of Hawaiian nut entered my mind. "Orange pekoe" made me think of a citrusy nut, further enhancing my tropical taste fantasy. Fast-forward a couple of years, my tangerine dreams were dashed when I learned that pekoe was a term that denoted tea grades. The "Orange" signified royal warrant. Kinda dull, I thought.

What could I do now but actually try something that earned a reasonable "grade"? Plucker's Pick had a Ceylon (read: Sri Lankan) black tea with a medium-high grade; a B-minus. Rarely a fan of black teas as a general rule, I was curious about the difference. What made one type of tar-ish tea better than another?

Consider me schooled.

This Flowery Broken Orange Pekoe from the Homadola tea estate is absolutely superb. I brought the water to a boil and infused the asphalt-black leaves for five minutes. The brew turned a deep auburn the moment the water hit leaf. I confess, I was a bit psyched by this.

The liquor went down smooth without any immediate belchy kick-back. I reckon not everyone experiences this with black tea, but I usually do. Not the case here. The aftertaste was faintly ash-like. By the second infusion, I put it through the ol' cream-and-sugar test. I'd have to say it rivaled even the best Irish Breakfast I had...in Ireland!

While not a black tea convert, this ranks about as high as any good white or green I've ever tried. Chock-full of flavor, but not chalky; lingering aftertaste, but not languid. I would shell out actual money for this and be happy I did. If not that, debit card.

— To purchase Pluckers Pick Homadola, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.