2020 Osmanthus Black
One River Tea
5.1g, 200-205f brita filtered water, 130mL gaiwan
I can’t find any descriptions on their site about this, but it was included as a free 7g sample with the other teas I ordered. A loose leaf black tea with dried osmanthus leaves. The smell is very sweet and familiar, something almost citrus like, though I’m not sure why since I don’t remember ever smelling osmanthus before. The only thoughts I can discern after reading about the smell of osmanthus described is it smells of peaches and dish soap, like an Hermes perfume from the Jardin line (most of which are quite expensive soapy kind of smell).
5s: very floral. Slightly sweet with a slight sweet aftertaste. Leaves smell like a very floral black tea.
10s: hints of smoke. Other than that, similar to before.
Stopped taking detailed notes since this one was fairly linear. A very floral tea (in an almost chokingly floral sense smell wise), slightly sweet, but simultaneously falling flat for me. Wouldn’t purchase. Both of my friends who tried it liked it though.
Flavors: Floral, Osmanthus, Smoke, Sweet