To me, this tea smells amazing. The cloves and rose build on extra dimensions to the cocoa – giving it the profile of a fine dark chocolate. It reminds me a bit of Mexican hot chocolate (just needs chili?).
To taste (with milk) the flavours don’t mix the same. It still has the air of enhanced bitter dark chocolate but the clove note is its own deep, dense thing. The rose is a dusky mid-note that blends a bit (but who can ignore rose?). Strong personalities, all three – it’s a darkly seductive blend that I’ll have to think about a bit more (leaning in favour since I love rose and clove, but it’s a lot.)
Also Darjeeling as a base? Yeah, I can taste that too underneath those domineering three. it provides some extra tannins to the cocoa, emphasizes the spice, and adds a muscatel quality which I think builds the rose. Such a moody, neatly crafted tea.
Flavors: Clove, Cocoa, Dark Bittersweet, Dark Chocolate, Floral, Muscatel, Rose, Tannic
