There’s a little herb cottage nestled in the heart of the Maryland Renaissance Fair called “Herbalist Delight” – you can bag up as much loose herbs as you want for pretty cheap there.
I took home some of their Black Currant Tea, took me a while to get the steep right:
Loose leaf, fragrant purple leaves, stems, and berries – twisted bruisey color about 1cm long. Oder – sweet, round, like dark fruit – somewhat pungent. Take 1 spoonful to a cup, steep 3 minutes. Color – amber honey. Flavors – bittersweet plum, like brown sugar without the sweetness. Feel – round, full, thick like coffee – heavy and velvety. Tannin – slightly sour, dry after taste, coats your tongue. Finish – tart, weighty, slow – think like thirsty rocks in a damp cave – somewhat gritty. Kind of tingles like the after-bite of blueberry pie. Overall impression – it’s a little like drinking a blackberry briar patch.
Flavors: Black Currant, Blackberry, Brown Sugar, Dark Bittersweet, Plum