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Angrboda

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Angrboda drank Earl Grey Supreme by Harney & Sons

I am so tired today. I’m not sure this really counts for Sample Week. Oh, it does live up to all the criteria. It’s only the one cup and I haven’t tried it before. However, it was chosen specifically so that I wouldn’t get a sample that I’d end up writing whole little novels about, which I’m not sure whether or not disqualifies it. So I’ve decided that it counts if I don’t do another sample later tonight, and if I do, it didn’t count.

Being an Earl Grey and all, you know?

So what we’re expecting here is a strong black tea and a grey and dusty taste of bergamot. And hopefully not just some random lemon-y citrus, which ironically I would actually prefer tastewise, but would take off points for if it was being passed off as Earl Grey. Authenticity and whatnot, you know?

The aroma is somewhat creamy and smooth and kind of vanilla-y sweet. Still grey but leaning into a more silvery colour. (Synesthesia. I has it.) Okay, that’s a good sign, then.

Flavour, not so much. Here we have the dustyness, and something kind of lime-y as well. I’m not getting much out of the base at all here, so it feels a bit like I’m just having a week generic black with citrus juice in it. I find it disappointing that something with such a promising aroma can be so absolutely uninteresting in flavour.

Nope, this is not a winner.

And now on to other things.

2011-06-30 12:12:42 -0400

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Jillian 2011-06-30 16:53:57 -0400

Hmm I’ve never considered earl greys to be dusty, maybe it’s just a crappy tea base. ;)

Dax Pamela Dean 2011-06-30 20:12:49 -0400

@Angrboda … you have such a funny relationship with bergamot! I feel sad that you don’t sense the heady, euphoric rush that some folks, like me for instance, get from it. I’ve been known to rub an Earl Grey teabag on my upper chest when feeling depressed, not to mention hanging one from my upper lip. I purchased some bergamot essential oil recently in a tiny, expensive bottle, and have been strangely hesitant to open it. Maybe it could release some new obsession, or even an addiction ……. Nah … I must be short on drama these days, to be writing such silly thoughts!

Angrboda 2011-07-01 10:57:46 -0400

Jillian, bergamot is generally a dusty flavour for me. It’s the same sort of experience that I get from really strong floral scented teas. Like licking a dust-rag. I think the synesthesia probably isn’t helping either. If my brain assigns an unflattering colour to a flavour I’m less likely to appreciate it, I think.

Dax, I had a brief interest in aromatherapy a few years ago. Unfortunately the couple of books I had on the subject didn’t survive the recent move, so I can’t look bergamot up for you. I had this little scent-lamp of sorts, like a tealight holder with a small bowl of glass over it. You would put water in the bowl and a couple of drops of oil and then when the tealight underneath was lit, it would heat the water gently and release the aroma. Sort of like a very unhandy incense. :) Anyway, yes, the oils cost a fortune! I liked buying them, though. Like so many of my brief interests, I loved getting and owning the things for it, but never actually did anything with it.
I do remember, though, that with very few exceptions, you shouldn’t use aromatic oils directly on your skin because it’s so concentrated, but get a carrier oil to mix it into. There were a few options, the only one of which I remember is jojoba oil

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Bio

Angrboda felt her bio needed to be re-written, but she failed to consider what she wanted it to say instead.

Um…

Okay. Ang prefers black teas and the darker sorts of oolongs. She has to be in the mood for green and white and she enjoys, but knows little to nothing about, pu-erh.

Her preferences with black teas are the Chinese ones, particularly from Fujian, but also Keemun and just about anything smoky. She occasionally enjoys Yunnans but they’re not favourites.

She is sceptical about Indian blacks as she generally finds them too astringent and too easy to get wrong. She doesn’t really care for Darjeelings at all.

She likes flavoured teas as well, particularly fruit flavoured ones, but also has an obsession with finding the Perfect Vanilla Flavoured Black.

However, she thinks Earl Grey is generally kind of boring. Cinnamon and ginger are also not really a hit, and she’s not very fond of chais. Evil hibiscus is evil. Even in small amounts, and yes, Ang can usually detect hibiscus, mostly by way of the metallic flavour of blood it has.

Ang is not super impressed with rooibos or honeybush. She doesn’t care for either, really, but when they are flavoured, there have been known to be surprising exceptions to this rule.

Ang has a number of teas that she regards her Standard Panel and will always try to have on hand.
-Lapsang Souchong, any brand really, but preferably AC Perchs.
-Blackberry flavoured black or similar, any brand.
-Late Summer Blend, AC Perchs
-Raspberry Oolong, AC Perchs OR Red Fruits Oolong, Le Palais des Thes
-Caramel, Kusmi OR Toffee, Le Palais des Thes
-Something orange flavoured, black or pu-erh, any brand.
-Tan Yang Te Ji, Teaspring OR Bai Lin Gongfu, Teavivre
-A good Keemun, any brand.
-The Perfect Vanilla Black if and when she ever finds it…

Angrboda is almost always open to swapping. Just ask her.

The Formalities

Contact Angrboda by email: iarnvidia@gmail.com
Contact Angrboda by YIM: angrboda@ymail.com
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