I did a rinse as suggested by the Verdant website under How To Brew.
Then I let my first steep sit for 45 seconds. This produced a light golden brown brew.
Steep One:
The initial flavor on the first sip was sweet, very sweet, like really good honey.
While the flavor of the black tea base is distinctive as a black tea for some reason I keep feeling as though I am drinking an oolong, there is some kind of oolingish kick and aroma in this cup.
I also am picking up already on the wine like flavors of this tea but not in a muscat or grape flavor way, more like a port or Mead.
As the cup cools I am getting a sweet spicy flavor but it is not so much a cinnamon as it is a black pepper flavor.
The aftertaste sits on the palate more like an oolong than a black however with a thickness but yet there is a black tea astringency – not sour or bitter but just astringent ever so slightly. The sweet helps to cut this.
Steep Two:
This steep brings forth a more spicier note to it. The cinnamon is trying to peek through but its not fully developed yet, it still has that peppery note to it.
The body is richer, fuller, and there is more astringency.
The sweetness is still present but more subdued.
Its a little on the tart side almost like a black tea that has been over steeped.
I do not feel I over steeped it.
I prefer the first steep at this point.
The oolongish flavor is mellowing.
Truly nothing TOO special about this steep.
Remaining hopeful for third steep.
Third Steep: Nothing remarkable
Perhaps I did something wrong. It started out SO promising I thought I had hit the mother load and would have to instantly go make a verdant order but alas it was a one trick pony for me. I feel sad as if I missed the boat here. Maybe I will grab a sample size of this to try again. That first steep though was really amazing.
