Originally when I walked into Teaopia I was looking to purchase their plum Oolong, but as soon as I asked the salesgirl she pulled down the Creamy Nut cannister and hooked me with this sweet smelling nutty tea.
Dry, this tea has a smoky, sweet, nutty scent that is actually quite heady. I don’t get much of the floral but this isn’t surprising.
First cup – I’m almost always disappointed with my first cup. Flavours aren’t really complex, and that smoky nutty taste is almost offputting. As a rule I end up pouring the first cup out. Possibly use of more leaves would solve this problem, but I think that would alter later infusions too much.
Second Cup – There’s that flavour to match the scent, but nicely diminished to managable levels. My second cup tends to be cloudier, and by far the darkest. If you have one of the toffee bits this is the cup it will dissolve in, bringing more of a creamy sweet. It also appears to be the cause of the cloudiness, as any of my second brewings without a toffee chunk are clear.
Third Cup and Beyond- This is it! The smokier flavours have mellowed and blend with the nuttiness. Hints of the floral notes are there, hiding below the other flavours. Usually at this point I can look forward to two or three more cups before it’s just too weak.
Overall this is my comfort tea for when I’ve had a bad day. The ritual of the first washing, and looking forward to that third infusion while reading a good book always helps to smooth out my considerable temper. Plus it’s much nicer to my thighs than a slice of cheesecake, but just as satisfying.
