I requested this as a sample with one of my most recent Butiki orders. To be fair, I probably should have gone with a whole bag (because I knew I’d probably love it). Maybe I was hoping to give myself an excuse to place another Butiki order? Hmm. I wonder whether that was it. Anyway, I rather like guayusa, particularly for work mornings as the high caffeine helps to get me started. I generally need all the help I can get waking up!
I almost followed the recommended parameters for this one — I used boiling water, but only left it 5 minutes rather than 6. I pretty much always under do my guayusas on time, because I don’t like the earthy base to come through too much and either cause astringency or overpower the flavouring. 5 minutes is fine for this one to my tastes.
I can definitely taste blackberry – it’s very juicy and fruity, and wonderfully sweet; not at all tart or sour as actual blackberries sometimes can be. I can also taste the guayusa peeking out a little bit — it’s earthy and a little “green” tasting (but in a good way, like wet forest, rather than composty). I don’t mind being able to taste it a little, as it actually works well as a counterpoint to the sweet blackberry. I can’t really detect any lime, which is a shame, but the blackberry is such a great, clear flavour that I don’t really mind.
I’m a fan of Butiki’s guayusa blends. My favourites so far have been The Killer’s Vanilla and Good Morning Sunshine. It’s hard to say where this one sits on the scale — about equal with the other two, I think. Perhaps it’s time for a repurchase?!
