I cringe at the thought of how old my container of this tea is. I think I bought it in 2006 or 2007 when I was working full-time at a contract job. My container is still mostly full, probably because the lemongrass is cut fine enough that the tea was difficult to strain through my teeth, and I hadn’t discovered the delightful Finum strainer yet (My favourite tea at that job was Golden Phoenix.). Now, I may be wrong and I may have purchased this on a more recent visit to Victoria, but… I’m probably right, and yet I’m still going to drink this stuff.
Dry, the tea still smells a little citrus-y, and a lot lavender-y. Wet, it has a smoky smell that essentially smells like old lavender blossoms and pu-erh… so, old lavender blossoms. Sipping on it is still delightful, though. There’s a bit of sweetness from the rosehips, a lot of citrus from the lemongrass and orange peel, and the smokiness comes out as lavender. There isn’t enough lavender to make it soapy, even though the tea has… been well aged.
I remember I used to think this needed sugar, but evidently my palate has matured. This is good, and I’m excited to finish what I have (!! I know!) and plot for a new order from Silk Road. Maybe I’ll go visit, or maybe I’ll bribe someone to come visit me! Or maybe I’ll just stay at home in my PJs and order online. Tough decision. :)
