This was yesterday’s pre-bedtime cup. I nearly reached for a black tea again, and then thought the better of it. That’s probably not a habit I should get into on a week night, for the sake of my sanity. I’ve no complaints about this one though, I mean it smells totally delicious when all you do is open the bag. Last night it put me in mind of apple pie, that wonderful autumn staple. I think it was the apple/cinnamon combination that did it. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 4 minutes in boiling water. No additions.
Steeped, this tastes less of apple pie and more of cider. Excellent news! I think it’s the sharpness of the apple, contrasted with the mild but warming spices that differentiate it. Apple pie would be mushier, sweeter apple flavour. I didn’t get much in the way of champagne at first, but as I sipped I did start to notice a sort of heady grapey flavour that did remind me of sparkling wine. It’s not effervescent, obviously, but it’s one of those rare teas that manages to seem like it is, even if only lightly.
The overall combination is, I think, a really good one. Cider and champagne are two things I probably wouldn’t have thought to put together, but it’s a flavour combination that works. I like the warming, wintery spices, the sharpness of the apple, and the almost-bubbly sweetness of the champagne. It’s a truly great thing. I’m going to try and save a cup of this for new year – or, failing that, to drink as my last ever cup of Butiki tea. It’s a true celebratory tea.
