Gongfu!
I was initially surprised by just how much the dry leaf smelled of fragrant, sweet sakura – though tinged with notes of dark, bittersweet chocolate. Once steeped, both of these notes continue to be present for much of the session. The cherry blossom hits the palate first and, though soft, I wouldn’t call this flavour weak or excessively delicate. In fact, it holds its own against a midsip that is much more dense and rich with notes of leather, brandied red fruits, and mahogany wood to go alongside the liqueur-like dark chocolate. In some ways, it gives the impression of what a cherry blossom truffle purchased from a very nice chocolate shop might be like. It’s so smooth, and very different from other floral-leaning black teas in my stash. So far, I’m incredibly impressed by how accurate the name inspirations of Settling Tea’s blends have been with the flavours!!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5082B6udZk/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJdwrthN4K8