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Product Details
A classic blend with a dash of Victoriana.
This historical blend is inspired by the type of tea enjoyed in Victorian London when Walter Whittard opened his first shop in 1886. We've chosen the strong, rich leaves of the Indonesian Camellia assamica tea bushes, blending the whole leaves with those processed using the CTC ('crush, tear, curl') technique for a hearty, full-bodied and flavoursome brew.
CTC was first developed to speed up the process of oxidation, strengthening the colour and flavour to mask the brackish London water. Londoners soon acquired a taste for the invigorating new brew and our expertly crafted 1886 blend has a real taste of authenticity - moreish and malty, we love it with a splash of milk at breakfast.
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Tea Type
Black Tea
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Origin
Blended
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Taste Profile
Refreshing, Rich
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Tastes like
Dark, strong and designed for a dash of milk
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Food pairing
A good hearty breakfast
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When to drink
A brew for eggs and bacon
Brew the perfect cup
Add one teaspoon (around 2g) of loose leaf tea per cup and always use freshly drawn and boiled water. Allow to brew for 3-5 minutes according to taste. Can be enjoyed with or without milk.
Reviews
(11)
(11)
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Heritage at its best
by Mark on 21st February 2018
This fantastic tea knocks the spots off the good old English breakfast for me. It’s depth of flavours and strength is a clear winner for the best brew of the day!! |
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Fabulous blend!
by Charlotte on 19th February 2018
This is my favourite black tea and I’ve tried a fair few! It’s super strong with lots of flavour. You can see why it is still in store from when Whittard set up shop in 1886. |
 Good, Strong Tea
by Boyan Penev on 30th January 2018
I bought a package of 50 teabags when visiting a friend last autumn. and opened it a while ago. It is a good heavy black tea. Maybe not the best flavor ever (could be due to the teabags), but a solid tea nonetheless. |
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Love it
by Jorden on 11th November 2017
This has always been a favour of mine. This is a everyday for me. I prefer it as loose tea then as tea bags because I fill you get more favour. |
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The best
by Jo on 12th June 2017
This has been my favourite tea for a long time. We used to have a Whittard's store in my home town. I was absolutely gutted when it closed and I had to bulk buy it in. I was recently gobsmacked when going out to lunch in a nearby town where my sister lives. A small cafe served Whittard's tea but not just any tea it was 1886. Needless to say that this has now become my favourite too. Would definitely recommend this tea and it's traditional taste. |
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The Best Find
by yrr on 20th November 2016
I have sought the perfect blend for some time. My shelves are filled with packages of tea that just didn't hit the spot. This blend did it, and now there is no turning back. A full flavored tea with glimmers of spice and a malty finish. I only hope it stays in stock, it would be sad to have to start the search once again. |
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Amazing
by Bexhill on 4th November 2016
An incredible blend, still the best blend I have ever tasted as a tea fanatic. No wonder it has endured the test of time for a 130 years! Its a taste from a more sophisticated time, at least in terms of the art of tea. |
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Excellent but
by Chris Poile on 16th October 2016
Very good tea have drunk no other for years, unfortunately can only buy online now day so whittards lose out on other sales. Also tea is much dustier since packet size was reduced from 125g to 100g. |
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Teabags
by Alison on 6th March 2016
I love this tea, don't drink much tea and no coffee so this is my treat but where or where has the teabag version gone?? |
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Great tea
by Robert on 7th February 2016
Great tea but seems to be no longer available at shops or online? |
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Really good
by John Carter on 17th November 2015
nice and strong and plenty of variety, will order again |
Taste Guarantee
Taste Guarantee
We’re confident that you’ll love our products as much as we do. Our Taste Guarantee means that if anything fails to meet your expectations you can return for an exchange or full refund – just remember to enclose the original receipt if you're returning it by post or popping in store. That way you're free to try something new, without the risk of disappointment.
Origin
Blended
Ever since our founder Walter Whittard weighed out tea leaves behind his high mahogany counter, we’ve been experimenting with our own inventive blends. The Chinese were the first to try blending tea leaves with fruits and flowers and it takes time, skill and imagination to master the art. It’s all about creating the perfect balance of flavours: we blind taste at least 20 different variations before settling on the perfect recipe. Just as some musicians have perfect pitch, an expert tea blender needs to have some pretty perceptive tastebuds…
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A note from Whittard
“At the moment I’m really into white tea blends, like Chelsea Garden and White Chocolate Tea. Both are amazing with anything creamy. Fondant fancies add a touch of kitsch!”
- Kat, Regent Street Store Manager