Happy National Chess Day! Today the prompt is to drink a black tea or a white tea!
This is my black tea, provided from a long ago cupboard de-stash by Meowster. Thanks Meowster! I received the tea in 2018 but am sure it is far older than that. Steeped the 4g sample in 500ml 195F water for 3 minutes.
For its age, I’m rather shocked how aromatic this tea is. There is a strong syrupy fruity muscatel/raisin aroma mixed with a florality that is veering on perfumy. I also smell malt, baked bread, and honey… I could be happy just sticking this teacup under my nose all day.
The flavor is a lot more brisk than I was expecting from the sweet aroma. The malt and baked bread characteristics are the strongest notes, with the muscatel/floral notes rather mellow and subdued. There is quite a bitter bite of astrigency after the sip which may be stopping me from tasting the more nuanced characteristics of the aftertaste.
Based on the aroma, I bet this tea was standout while fresh. The flavor now is more bitter than I prefer for blacks and doesn’t hold up to the wonderful aroma, but it is a fine breakfast tea.
Flavors: Astringent, Biting, Bitter, Bread, Floral, Fruity, Malt, Muscatel, Raisins