Sick, stuffy and tired might not be the best time to try a new tea, but looks like that’s not going to stop me. I’ve been trying to have this tea for a few days but one thing or another comes up. But now with the massive amounts of tea I’m attempting to have today (and succeeding nicely, thanks), I can throw this one in to the mix.
The dry leaves smell surprisingly spicy. Smoky and almost a little ‘whoosh’-y menthol-y. There’s also a darker sweetness. I’m getting whiffs of the rooibos but the wood doesn’t smell sour – it blends very nicely with the other dark, spicy, earthy smells going on in this tea. All brewed up, I can smell the rooibos more distinctly but it is combined with what smells like lapsang souchong and a warm spicy smell. I’m thinking it is the pine from the tasting notes but possibly the citrus is bolstering the spicy bit of it.
And wow, the taste is surprising. There is so much lapsang souchong in the smell that I was really expecting that to be the main taste but it isn’t. Instead it is fruity sweet with a warm spicy to it followed by a bit of wood taste that must be the rooibos. But it doesn’t have the moldy wood taste that normally sticks out of flavorings like a sore thumb. Instead, it all combines nicely – the rooibos wood flavor is like the trellis and the other flavors are little vines, twisting and weaving around and through it. Bright little flowers of citrus pop through the smoky clouds occasionally and spark thoughts of an Earl Grey.
This tea is nuts. There is so much going on but it is all so effortless. It doesn’t seem forced or clunky or unwieldy, but instead like beastly-looking dancers gracefully twirling on a dark stage.
And wow, with that I think I officially need to stop. The mental exhaustion is obviously too much for my simple mind. But yeah, I don’t think I’ve tasted something like this tea before. If you don’t like lapsang souchong, I’d say you wouldn’t like this. At all. Very woodsy and smoky. But if you like smoky, dark, intense teas? This one is pretty awesome.
So much love to takgoti for sending me this. So. Much. Love.
(ETA: Second steep – more citrus, less smoky, just as much love.)
Preparation
People who liked this
Comments
That sounds awesome.
If this tea tastes this good when I’m well? I’m seriously going to be in love. Wait, I’m already in love. The love will continue. Oh yes. It will.
Yay! I have this one from takgoti as well, and I’ve been a bit nervous to try it because of the lapsang quotient in there. But I’ll be brave and brew it up!
Auggy, this is an extra-beautiful tasting note — even for you! Got to try this tea, or try making up my own version of it. Can’t buy any more tea for a while. I bought a Pino Digital Pro water kettle, and it took all my money but worth every penny! And so light on my arthritic wrists! :)
@teaplz – Be brave! Go forth and brew! Though honestly, I’m thinking you might not be a fan because of the lapsang… you haven’t had much success with that, right? And this puppy has some good lapsang to it. Mmm. Plus the citrus makes it a little Earl Grey-y and am I remembering right that you aren’t a fan? On the other hand, I detest rooibos and I loved this so there is hope! :)
@Pamela – Aw, thanks! And yay for new tea equipment (even if it does leave a little less $$ for tea)! I’m just thinking about trying to blend something like this and I know I don’t have the skills – so many different things going on but they work so beautifully together… It’s definitely a unique tea!
That sounds awesome.
If this tea tastes this good when I’m well? I’m seriously going to be in love. Wait, I’m already in love. The love will continue. Oh yes. It will.
Yay! I have this one from takgoti as well, and I’ve been a bit nervous to try it because of the lapsang quotient in there. But I’ll be brave and brew it up!
Auggy, this is an extra-beautiful tasting note — even for you! Got to try this tea, or try making up my own version of it. Can’t buy any more tea for a while. I bought a Pino Digital Pro water kettle, and it took all my money but worth every penny! And so light on my arthritic wrists! :)
@teaplz – Be brave! Go forth and brew! Though honestly, I’m thinking you might not be a fan because of the lapsang… you haven’t had much success with that, right? And this puppy has some good lapsang to it. Mmm. Plus the citrus makes it a little Earl Grey-y and am I remembering right that you aren’t a fan? On the other hand, I detest rooibos and I loved this so there is hope! :)
@Pamela – Aw, thanks! And yay for new tea equipment (even if it does leave a little less $$ for tea)! I’m just thinking about trying to blend something like this and I know I don’t have the skills – so many different things going on but they work so beautifully together… It’s definitely a unique tea!