Ceylon!
at least that’s what i thought, initially….as it turns out, the base for this tea is from a plantation in my most beloved state of India: Kerala!!!! i could wax rhapsodic about why i love this place, but that would trigger a flood of positive associations and effusive ramblings which might overshadow the review of this tea. that is perhaps best left for another tasting note, or depending upon your tolerance for digression… the Cone of Silence.
my infatuation with Kerala aside, i thought the flavor of the tea in this blend was particularly nice. i don’t know precisely why. it didn’t have that ‘quasi-plastic raisin note’ i’ve been getting of late in the many different Assams i have ordered (which is totally irking me!) the best way i can describe the base here is that it has a gentleness & ‘oolong-like’ delicacy. very similar in taste to a Ceylon, but not as brisk. lightly sweet, smooth and clean, with the slightest floral tinge that surfaces every now and again.
the dry leaf is most generously scented with the fragrance of Amaretto, and the aroma of the steeped tea reminds me quite a bit of (don’t wince): Red Rose’s Cinnamon Streusel! probably more for the flavoring and not the actual tea itself. Cinnamon Streusel is delicious, by the way. in that flavoring, i also perceive Amaretto, but something decidedly more cherry. for the sake of parsing straws….
what i think more seasoned tea drinkers would appreciate about this tea are its subtle nuances, refined texture and the fact that you can tease apart the tea flavor from the flavoring. and yet, you get a sense of both. i added a tsp of brown sugar, but couldn’t bring myself to add any milk, because this tasted perfect without it.
apart from the exquisite almond and amaranth flavor, this tea is like a “Ceylon Oolong” if ever such a thing were possible.
also, i may or may not be suffering a slight panic attack from the cup of Grandpa’s Anytime Tea (a CTC, hold onto your pants!) that i just ingested. more on that later.
