So when I said, in my tasting note for Internal Combustion, that there was a hotter/spicier tea in the Firebelly assortment… this is it.
This tea absolutely puts the “Fire” in “Firebelly”. It’s deceptive too because you smell the dry leaf and you do get the tickle and burn of the chili and ginger but you can also smell hints of the citrus and thyme. Steeped, though!? Yeah, it just taste like the burn of hot peppers. Every other quality is drowned out – which is a shame because the green tea base used actually visually looks pretty high quality. It is an ungodly level of spice though. Like, I think it would be physically painful to drink a full mug of this tea. I tapped out after a couple sips and the burn of that chili lingered for quite a while after. This is the tea that should be named Internal Combustion. The name Zest For Life is misleading – I was certainly expecting citrus zest and playful ginger and spices. Nope. Nope.
Nope.