The handle of the steeping basket of my Kati cup just broke off! Boo! Getting that thing out of the cup now requires a knife and hot fingers. :P
I really loved the sample I got of this tea before; the lavender and the Earl Grey were in a good balance, and the addition of the jasmine really rounded the whole thing out. I ran out a while ago but it was always on my list, so I ordered 2oz of it with my last Tea District order.
Upon opening the package I was a little concerned. This didn’t really smell like the tea I had before! The dry leaf smells very very lavendery, in a very herbaceous way, but there’s also a lot of other things going on in there that I can’t quite place (but don’t really smell like just bergamot and jasmine!). The brewed tea is similar: lavender, yes, but also almost spicy?
Um, what?? This is horrible!! WTF is this?? This is totally not the delicious Lavender EG I had before. It’s bitter and kind of like a spicy lavender, but overall just terrible to me. Like they mixed in a chai base instead of an Earl Grey. There is no hint of bergamot whatsoever. What on earth happened?!
ETA: I have sent this package of Lavender Earl Grey back to Tea District for replacement by another tea. They claim that there could be no error as far as the blend goes, so I’m going to have to remove my previously high rating of this tea.
Last cup from my sample pack of this one! :( I guess I’ll need to get around to ordering more from Tea District finally. I’d love to try other Lavender Earl Greys, but I know I’m definitely a fan of this one. Finishing up the pack I think I put a little too much tea in my mug, because it’s really strong. It’s also really lavender-y today, probably because a lot of the little lavender buds fall down to the bottom of the pouch, so there’s a lot in this steep.
Steeped for 4 minutes this time, the scent of this tea is strongly citrus and jasmine with an underlying layer of lavender. The citrus and jasmine combine together to form a bright, sharp aroma that smells like it should be tart. The taste ratchets that down a bit, and it’s well balanced with the lavender. This one ends up a somewhat floral/perfumed citrus-fruity tea, and it’s a great combination. The bergamot has a strong flavor without being very astringent, and the jasmine brings out the sweetness in the lavender so it’s not too herby. I think I have to bump my rating up even higher because I’m really loving this tea!
Had this one for my morning cup… The instructions call for a full tablespoon of tea per 8 oz cup, which I think is a little excessive, so I went for 2 tsp for my 12 oz Kati cup and the tea is plenty strong. I think I have about one more cup left in my sample pouch, which means I’ll have to order more since I like it so much! Good thing I have a groupon for Tea District that I haven’t spent yet.
