I bought this because it looked weird. I love weird teas. Unfortunately I was a little disappointed when I got it. It says on the packaging, but not the website, that this is red chili pepper- not the red bell pepper I assumed it to be. Yeah, yeah. I know what happens when I assume. Speaking of the packaging… I bought the bag, not the tin. When sealed, it’s definitely protected from the elements buuut… once opened (it needs to be cut) it is not protected at all. I’m sorry, but a company that expects me to pay more for the same amount of tea to be protected from the elements for the entire time it stays in my cupboard is quite underhanded. That annoys me.
Anyway, back to the tea. Steeped as suggested except that I didn’t bring the water quite to a boil to preserve the health benefits. The liquor is a dark brown w/ reddish tones and the aroma is earthy and toasty.
Now if you freaked out as soon as I said chili pepper, don’t. This is not as spicy as 52teas Mayan Chocolate Chai. The chili leaves plenty of room for the depth of the oolong to come out. It would; however, pair wonderfully w/ a chai spice mix to make an oolong chai.
