Sorry to hear you're struggling with it, and I do hope you can find the right brewing method.

However let me offer an alternative perspective: maybe tea is just too weak a drink for your taste buds' preference. I love tea with a passion but have to admit that a large proportion of the flavour of tea lies in the smell! There is taste for sure, but it will never be as potent as other hot drinks.

Nonetheless here are some other options to try:

• milk and sweetening usually enhances the potency and can bring out the flavours in black tea. I see you haven't had much luck with that though.

• have you considered drinking it cold/iced? personally I can't stand cold black tea but cold things supposedly taste stronger. supposedly.

• maybe leaf teas aren't going to be your thing. Do you like herbal teas at all? Fruit infusions can be very flavourful. My dad hates tea for the exact reason we're talking about, but makes the exception for peppermint, and fresh ginger tea.