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Ah! A cup of real tea!

Ah, okay, that’s much better. There’s still an almost chalky texture, but it seems more deliberate this way. I’m not thrilled with this, but it’s a reasonable cup of tea.

This is bizarrely musty. I don’t see or smell anything wrong with the leaves so I doubt it’s literally musty, but the taste/texture is extremely off-putting. I think I may dump this cup out and try again with hotter water.

Interesting! It started off harsh — just what I’d expect from lemon verbena, which I generally find to be an extremely strong and spicy flavor — but it sweetened and softened as it cooled. There were three of these sachets tucked into the box I just got from Harney & Sons, which is a nice little bonus. I’m not sure I’d want this as an after-dinner drink, but as an early-evening-and-dinner-will-be-late drink, I like it.

Ooh! Surprisingly smooth — I know rooibos is usually smooth, but this is smoother than that. Like picking up a nectarine when you were expecting a fuzzy peach: that smooth. And definitely peach, in a sort of sweet and gentle way. Really, just a lovely tea!

Okay, this one can definitely get bitter if it’s left to steep too long. Not a good steep-in-the-mug tea! Although it’s worth noting that even oversteeped it has a sweet tang which lingers longer than the bitter does after sipping.

Eh. Unimpressed so far.

I had this for dessert last night: three flowers in a small punch teacup, continual topping up of the water. This was a bit weaker and the tea itself didn’t turn as bright green, but it was still very tasty — I think I like it a little better a bit weak, actually. The flowers started out floating on top of the tea but eventually sank to the bottom of the cup (and were very pretty to look at as I sipped). Interestingly, given the lesser coloration of the tea, when I washed out the cup this morning the flower petals had streaks of green staining them!

Reading up on chrysanthemum teas, I hear that they aren’t generally soporifics; apparently it’s just coincidence that I conked right out after finishing my last cup of this last night! I guess it was just plain old soothing.