I started my (finally) early morning off with some sergeant Darj. I am loving up on the Darj and HAD to have a cup of it lastnight right before bed. So I re-steeped the leaves this morning.. .which then lead into this tea. I got this as a sample with my very first order from Verdant, and I figured it was definitely time to review it. Having sipped this previously to get a feel for the tea, now is the time to ensure it gets a good review before my next two orders show up! giddy with excitement
Dry: oh my gosh sweet smelling leaves. Was there contamination? I don’t think so.. but these leaves smell like sweet rock sugar. Maybe my nose is playing tricks on me. Tricky nose.
Liquor: I am doing a gongfu style brewing with a little tiny 5 oz tea pot I found. I put in two tsp and a bit of leaves. I have to admit I sipped on the rinse and it has carmel chocolate notes…and I have a bit of a cooling sensation on the first half of my tongue and roof of mouth. Also – no tea dust really! It’s lovely!
1st (2 sec): It smells grainy. Also like fresh linen. I don’t know where that came from, but it’s there. I kept sniffing trying to place it.. then all of the sudden fresh cotton popped in my head and it was like yes. That is it. It’s still very hot, but I am taking micro-sips and getting TGY. Malty and roasted TGY. Oh yes and I found some dulce de leche too. Mid-to outer edges of the back of my tongue. Thick and sweet. This will be a long one folks as I am not even half way through my first cup and it’s getting long. oops! oh… I just huffed the end of the cup and it reminds me of the smell of the Nestea or nesquick.. instant ice tea crystals. Really weird. But good. It brings me back to childhood when I used to drink that garbage. I really like that smell though.
2nd (4 sec): The smell is still roasted TGY… same with the taste, but I can taste a berry hint that is lingering in the back of the throat and building with each sip. Little glimpses of cocoa and salted caramel. Weird! I was browsing on facebook and just noticed DT came out with a salted caramel tea. Coincidence to my tasting here? I think not. Shoot. Salted carmel is a secret love of mine. hides credit card and drinks more of the lovely tea
3rd (13 sec) Steep turned out to be way longer than anticipated. I am definitely getting a sparkly cooling on my mid-tongue. With an orange flavour in the back of my tongue to accompany it. Still salted caramel. Oh yummer.
Ok..I will keep sipping on this for as long as it will let me. I need to do some homework instead of getting absolutely tea drunk on this stuff whilst watching the ferry boats and cruise ships come into the harbour on this lovely sunny day. sigh But mmmmm carmel.
Thank you so much Verdant for this lovely lovely sample. It is now on my list.
Edit: I am onto my 10th or 11th steep of this stuff (which I now just let sit for minutes at a time) and it just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter with a thick full-mouth feel. Delicious. I keep saying I will dump out the leaves, but then find myself saying.. well just one more cup, I bet it can’t have anything good to offer anymore. But every time it does. I’ve said that 3 times now.. I’m just brewing up some more water for my 4th.
Next up is the Autumn Tieguanyin from Verdant as well… I guess it will have to wait =\
