When we bought our house it had been empty for several years. The previous owners had allowed their herb garden to run wild, and the most pervasive species was the lemon balm (also called lemon mint… never plant this stuff except in a pot!) For years, every time I cut the lawn it smelled of lemons, and that stuff took over and grew everywhere, until I gave up and tarped the whole lawn until it died. That’s a long way of saying that while I like lemon, I don’t like herbs that are similar to lemon, including lemon myrtle. It gives me flashbacks.
And really, this tea is all about the lemon myrtle. It’s sharp and aggressive, with the jasmine only managing a vague protest in the background. The oolong flavor is missing, but I expected that. I found it undrinkable plain – I could not get over the idea that it tasted of lemon oil furniture polish. Sweetened slightly (with honey) it was a little better, and I finished it, but I will not be trying this again. This was a free sample, and while I didn’t like it, I appreciate the offer to try a tea I wouldn’t usually buy! I have found some great teas that way.
