I actually drank this one for the first time on Friday afternoon, but I ran out of time to write notes. Hence, we’re having a reprise this morning. The scent of the dry leaf is a little overpowering, so I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this one all that much. It’s definitely molasses, though…and “cake”. I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it 3.5 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a medium golden brown. No additions.
To taste, the apple flavour actually comes out really well. I was half expecting it to be completely drowned in all the sweetness, but it’s not like that at all. It’s a fresh, crisp apple flavour, not flowery or floral in the slightest. The molasses comes out in the mid-sip, just like a freshly opened bag of muscavodo sugar. It’s not as sweet as I anticipated, which is a good thing, but rich and treacly and almost thick tasting. The combination is actually putting me in mind of toffee apples, bonfires, and autumn. An atmospheric tea if ever there was one!
This one is definitely a welcome change from the normal run of teas I drink at work, and a pleasant, easily drinkable cup. A treat for a cold morning!