Goodmorning Steepster. If it is a good morning. I doubt it.
It’s one of those mornings where I first woke up and went, “OMG it’s light outside, I’m late for work, why did the alarm clock not ring?” and I’m halfway out of bed in a state complete panic before I remember, “Oh wait, I think it’s sunday…”
And then went back to sleep which turned out to be stupid because I proceeded to have a strange dream about nuts and woke up with a massive headache. Lovely.
This calls for a good plain black, and while I had initially thought Lapsang Souchong, I changed my mind and decided that I might as well finish off this tin instead. Apart from the Pu Ti Cha which is for even more special occasions than the Pai Mu Tan, I’m officially run out of Teaspring teas.
So what do we think of it? I can’t remember what I thought the last time I had it but the rating I’ve given it seems to be a bit mediocre. The aroma reminds me of english breakfast. It’s the same sort of prickly tea smell with honey notes that you also get in the average Ceylon. It has a bit of that special Ceylon smell. I wonder if that prickly bit is what people mean when they say ‘peppery’, although it doesn’t remind me of pepper at all.
Teaspring describes it as having a peppery note and a sweet finish. If the prickly that doesn’t remind me of pepper at all is the peppery note, then I’ve found it. If it isn’t, then I’m stumped. Not sure about the sweet finish, though. I’ve got a finish that’s different from the initial flavour, yes, but I wouldn’t call it sweet. I’d call it… slightly grassy. Slightly green. Mostly though I’ve got the peppery stuff in the aftertaste.
It’s a pretty strong black, this. Dark in the cup too and with plenty of flavour. LOTS of flavour. It’s just a shame that it’s not a flavour that shouts, “HEY! DRINK ME!” At least it’s not shouting very loudly. I might as well have had a Ceylon or a good quality english breakfast blend.
I’m pushing the rating up a bit, though, because it’s better than that when put in the right comparisons. But I can’t give it more than this.
