Who does not know the strong black tea called English Breakfast. But its name has its justification - it is really recommended as a breakfast tea. This is due to its distinct taste and relatively high caffeine content, which even a die-hard coffee drinker would not disdain. But did you know that it has at least two lesser-known relatives that are even more powerful?
Many tea lovers won't hear a bad word against these "breakfast teas". They are hearty, full of flavor and also contain a good dose of caffeine. That's why these teas are so popular with the morning meal. There are three most common types of breakfast teas. These include, of course, English, Irish and Scottish one. But how do these teas differ from each other when they are all pure black teas? Although they may seem almost identical at first glance, their flavor profiles and strength are definitely not the same
Breakfast tea is black tea or a blend of black teas that people most often enjoy with their first meal of the day. The main reason is that they are characterized as full, robust and high in caffeine. They can also appeal to coffee drinkers who need a kick in the morning. Their strong taste can be softened with milk or sugar. Or both.
The difference between English, Irish and Scottish breakfast tea
All three types are a mixture of black teas from different regions of the world, but the proportions in which they are mixed are not the same. Thanks to this, their taste, strength and overall mouthfeel differ significantly after drinking them. These tea blends typically consist of black teas from the following locations:
- China
- Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
- Assam
- Kenya
- Indonesia
English breakfast tea
The origin of this probably the most famous type of breakfast tea is not entirely clear. Paradoxically, many sources suggest that, despite the name, it may have been created in Scotland by the Scottish tea purveyor Robert Drysdale, who was credited with creating this English Breakfast style tea in 1892. He was given this name to make it clear that it is recommended to be consumed with the first meal of the day.
It originally contained only a mixture of Chinese black teas. It went perfectly with the traditional English breakfast, which included heavy dishes. Today, English Breakfast consists mainly of Ceylon and Assam tea. It may also contain Kenyan black tea or Keemun, which is a Chinese black tea with a slight smoky flavor. Overall, this mixture has a clear taste, is slightly astringent and typically also sour, so it is customary to soften it with milk.
Irish breakfast tea
Irish breakfast or Irish breakfast tea can consist of the same black teas as English one. However, the main difference is in their ratio. The Irish variant usually has more Assam tea leaves in the blend. This gives the blend a reddish hue and a rich, malty flavor profile.
Therefore, the Irish Breakfast blend is a bit bolder and stronger than the English Breakfast. Dairy products are very popular in Ireland. The manufacturers assume that most consumers will also want to add milk to it. That is the reason why this blend of black teas is relatively very strong.
Scottish breakfast tea
The lesser-known Scottish breakfast tea often appears in third place. Although this blend is not as popular as its two sisters we have already described, the Scottish Breakfast Tea Blend is blended from the same types of black teas. In addition to Assam and Ceylon, it can also consist of black teas from Indonesia or China.
It is believed that the Scottish Breakfast blend was originally created to overcome the soft water in Scotland. Because of this, this blend is also the strongest compared to the other two. It tastes similar to the Irish Breakfast blend, but features oak notes. Therefore, if you need a really strong cup of tea, reach for Scottish Breakfast! Like the English and Irish Breakfast, it can be supplemented with milk and/or sugar.
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