35
drank Napalm Ferret by 52teas
2238 tasting notes

On the eleventh day of Christmas, 52 Teas gave to me…Napalm Ferret!

This is one I was interested to try this year, but which I ultimately kept away from due to the cayenne pepper. I like 52 Teas Smaug, as the cayenne in that is quite gentle, overall. I really did not like Mayan Chocolate Chai, though (what a disappointment that was!), and I was worried my experience would be similar here. I’m glad to have the opportunity to try it, though.

The cayenne is quite strong. It catches the back of my throat on first sip, although there’s not quite enough of it to really burn. I like spicy things, so possibly we will get on after all. The banana is a very clear flavour, and that I like. Frank is good at banana, and it tastes natural and sweet here rather than artificial or candy-like. It tempers the cayenne a little, too, cutting off some of the sharpness of the spice and rounding out the sip with sweetness. I’m not really getting cinnamon, or green tea — the cayenne and banana almost completely mask those. I did brew this quite conservatively, though, mostly out of fear, so possibly a longer brew time would bring those flavours out. Something to try next time.

On the whole, this isn’t one I’d look to restock. I can’t help but think that a banana cinnamon tea with a green base would have been more to my liking, but then it couldn’t be called Napalm Ferret. I don’t mind cayenne, but it seems pretty unnecessary here. All of the other flavours have to compete with it, and naturally they ultimately lose. This is undoubtedly an interesting tea, though — and a brave choice for a Christmas box! Totally unique, great name — there are a couple of things to love, at least.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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