Thanks so much DigniTea! I know that some of Harney’s plain black teas are the briskest for some reason… sometimes when they cool they get almost undrinkable (well, I haven’t had those teas in a while, maybe my steeping skills have improved.) A CTC blend from Harney’s might become borderline deadly if not steeped correctly. The dry leaves here look like little bundles…a bit different from most CTC teas I’ve tried.
Steep #1 // 13 min after boiling // 1 1/2 min
As I’m pouring, the cup is immediately dark, so Harney’s suggestion of five minutes at boiling is a little out there. The flavor is surprisingly not as brisk as I thought it would be. It’s bready and malty but not very astringent, even as it cools. It’s as tough as you’d expect any CTC to be. It has a sweetness to it!
Steep #2 // 2 min after boiling // 2 min
Another good cup to go with some reading. Not astringent again! This is definitely a good CTC. I would have never guessed that a CTC from Harney’s would be less astringent than their other black teas. I think I have some resteeping to do!
