A fantastic tea.
The fragrance is mysterious and dark. Unmistakably Pu-Erh, but the bergamot envelops it in an enticing perfume, lending the aroma to be a very, very deep incense of mosswood and citrus. For fans of standard black Earl Greys, this is a must-try if one is looking for a deepening of one’s interest in the interplay between tea and bergamot.
The Pu-Erh fragrance is strong with the initial brewing, but the citrus undertones all but disappear in the water, initially making me fear that the bergamot had been lost (as is the case with many Earl Greys, which smell strongly of bergamot but have nearly no taste of it in the brew). The water turns into a deep, blackened red liquor, but remains perfectly clear.
One sip, however, allayed my fears. This is a true Earl Grey with no pretense. The bergamot does nothing but support the tea—never claiming credit for itself, and always using its scent to enhance its partner. And the Pu-Erh makes this Earl Grey the “wine” equivalent to a black-tea Earl Grey “grape juice”—oh, the complexity of flavor! A true partnership of smell and taste. A deep relationship between tea and scent.
Every sip gets better, less assertive, more artful. Every re-steep a different member of the same family.
Flavors: Anise, Bergamot, Dark Wood, Moss
