I always love getting a package of tea in the mail, and so it was awesome to come home yesterday to find my free samples from Tea Licious in the box. I must have been in a floral mood when I picked these out, because they’re all flower-scented of some kind. Floral scented Earl Greys are definitely of interest to me, so this was one of the three I received.
The scent of the dried leaves on this one is very rosey, with a sharp citrus aroma from the bergamot. I didn’t have any brewing parameters for this one, so I went with my new standard for unknown blacks, boiling/3min. It brewed up pretty dark, with a maroonish red-brown liquor. The brewed tea smells powerfully like rose, even moreso than the straight up rose-scented tea I have. I don’t get as much of the EG aroma, but I occasionally get a whiff of it through the rose.
First sip… ROSE. Wow, this is rosey. The EG takes a backseat to the rose in this one, though I can taste a hint of bright bergamot at the end of the sip, and its slight astringency made it into the cup. The bergamot is not distinct on its own but seems to be combining with the rose to make it “brighter” somehow. I don’t quite think this was exactly what I’m looking for in an rose EG, but I do really like this tea, especially as a rose tea, and would consider stocking it just for that reason!
