Metropolitan

Looks like I’m the odd one out. I almost didn’t order this due to the less-than-stellar reviews, but I’m so glad I did! It is very fragrant and heavy on the clove and plum especially. A little floral but not overwhelming. That plum note is so syrupy, like candy, and the clove is very present but not to the point that it feels like your tongue is falling asleep. Plus the orange peel contributes to that candy vibe. The description mentions that EG lovers would love this, and while I’m an EG fan, I don’t see much of a similarly between the two flavour profiles.

This one tastes strongly of prunes (plum), which I was force-fed as a child. I cannot find the will to love it or even like it much (A+ prune flavour). The citrus and spices do remind me of seasonal things though so that’s nice.

If this had not been prunes I may have enjoyed the interplay of stonefruit, clove, and bergamot a bit more, but alas…

I’ve been spending the morning catching up on my Steepster ratings, which means you’re going to be seeing a LOT of posts below this one from my work with the Sororitea sisters. I tried to grab a snippet from each post which indicates the general feeling each tea evoked. (Or a snippet that I think is funny. I like to believe I’m funny.)

This post, however, is a full post. A STEEPSTER EXCLUSIVE, JUST FOR ALL THE FANS OUT THERE, Y’ALL. REPPIN’ THE ORIGINAL STEEPSTER.

I bought a bunch of teas from August Uncommon on a whim. I had a lot of overtime money from work, and hey, gotta blow it on tea. Better than, like, um, hard drugs or more shoes. Or whatever it is other people spend their money on. (I don’t know how “hard drugs” or “more shoes” were the first options that came to mind. Am I okay?)

There’s a part of me that felt despair about ordering from August Uncommon. Am I cool enough to be ordering anti-establishment, edgy teas? What if it turns out I really am just a tool of the system? The Celestial Seasonings of human beings? (Reppin’ some fine grocery store blends!)

My first pick from my samples was “The Metropolitan,” which according to August Uncommon’s site, “feels like sparkling conversation on a city terrace.” It also (among other things) tastes like “neroli flower.”

I’ve never had “sparkling conversations” on city terraces (REPPIN’ THOSE ‘BURBS), or tasted a neroli flower. But I enjoyed this VERY STRONG brew. If you want an end-of-day wind-down, this isn’t for you.

It’s mostly a very tart fruit/berry flavor with with citrus notes and spices. It doesn’t back down.

If I were going to liken this tea to a movie franchise, it’d be The Fast And The Furious.

Vroom vroom. Caffeine + a low tolerance for sweetness.

PS — How many things did I “rep” this post? At least three things.

This is a queued tasting note.

Very floral and lavender-y with strong, brisk bergamot notes and then undertones of both the plum (semi-sweet) and clove. I still think that the flavour notes of this tea are a little cacophonous but it’s growing on me slowly but surely.

Slowly is the key word, though.