Anuenue

This is a limited edition tea that is only sold in Hawai’i Lupicia stores.

The smell is sweet yet floral, like standing in a garden in Hawai’i. The taste is less strong, but I think the tea can be brewed longer than the recommended 2-3 minutes before becoming bitter. After a few sips, the floral taste becomes more apparent at the end of a sip—the fruity flavors still stay up front and are the first to be smelled and tasted. I think that this tea lives up to its description of a “rainbow” of flavors and being “mellow”. Each sip tastes a little differently and the tea leaves are very colorful. I think anyone would like this tea since it has so many different flavors in it and none of them are too strong to make the tea fit into one category over another.

This is tea as performance art, and is best brewed in clear glass so you can watch it as it brews. The act of watching is nearly as meditative as drinking. To drink is to touch instant clarity.

Found some tea I had forgotten about, one small sampler pack of “Hawaiian Flavored” tea from Lupicia… Haha, it just makes me laugh a little, right under the name “ANUENUE” it says that. It’s an individually wrapped tea bag in a foil type packaging, so even though I’m pretty sure it’s over a year old the smell was awesomely strong. It has an intense fruity smell kind of like candy. 2 steepings, the first one was very sweet, fruity and the second one more green tea flavor came out than fruitiness. I like this one, too bad the store is a plane-ride away.

Delicious!

I really enjoy brewing (and drinking!) this tea. The mere process of opening the bag and preparing to steep is so calming. The smell of the leaves before steeping them is a-ma-zing. Somewhat sweet and floral. The leaves themselves are quite a sight: a very bright and colorful array.

I’ve searched the internet for a description of what kinds of flowers/leaves are used in this tea, but haven’t found anything. Regardless, this green tea does not disappoint. It’s got a very subtle flavor ~ almost like blueberries (?). (I did have a blueberry bar, so that’s possibly influencing my taste buds at the moment).