I was excited to try this limited edition, serious-sounding tea. I usually drink tea with flavors, chai, or in blends, so this is not necessarily my area of expertise. However it was a very enjoyable cup. I had the baristas as Davids Tea brew this for me, so I’d like to think the steep temperature and time were right on the money. The leaves are beautiful, long, skinny, blue-brown spirals (the “twirl”) and the scent was much more earthy than the tea brewed up to be. The wet fragrant was almost buttery, as was the first few hot sips. The flavors at the core of this tea are sweet-tart berry flavors, I tasted currant most prominently, although there are also some sour-grape notes as well. For a straight tea, the sweetness and fullness of the flavors were stunning. I’d recommend this even to a more novice taster who simply liked fruity black teas. The texture and mouthfeel are very smooth, an easy on the tongue and throat. In the aftertaste, especially as it has cooled, there’s a touch of something more mineral or astringent, not quite the full tanin bitterness of black tea. It is a delicious green and black tea hybrid. Definitely worth the try during its limited release.
Flavors: Black Currant, Fruity, Grapes, Mineral, Pleasantly Sour, White Grapes
