Iris Wildthyme

I’m posting less frequently than I ought to be largely because I AM ATTEMPTING TO MOVE TO OXFORD and man, it is stressful. I mean, I’m IN Oxford, but most of my stuff is still up in Manchester, and I have to end my lease up there and get into a place here and it’s so stressful aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa tries not to cry But hey, I’m waking up at 5 in the morning to make bagels all day, so it could be worse. I’ve got a massive backlog of teas to note, so will attempt to, like, get back to posting normal, I promise.

But first, Iris, which is decidedly not normal at all. She’s a pretty ridiculous blend, actually. Even without the sprinkles, the colours of this tea are joyous: the leaves are a rainbow of orange and red and green and pink and blue, and a myriad of shapes and sizes. And then, to top it all off, RAINBOW SPRINKLES. The fragrance hits you as loudly as the colours do, a sharp and bold hit of citrus and pine: stick with it a moment longer, and notes of aniseed and rose waltz in with all the air of your tipsy auntie. When brewed, it’s as good dry as it is sweet, so take it as you’d take your gin. Sugar brings out the subtle aniseed notes that follow the bergamot that anchors the blend, while whispers of rose lend a soft roundness to the blend’s lively mouthfeel. It tastes like a crisp, complex mix of botanicals that positively demands to be made into a cocktail. I like to think that dear Auntie Iris would most definitely approve.