Another Butiki to keep my company while I sort my cupboard out. Electronic and real, that is. I fear my actual cupboard count is going to be over 250 by the time I’ve finished, which puts me far away from being under 200 again. One day I’ll get there (but it won’t be soon, because I’ve got three more orders headed my way. Bad me.)
Anyway, the tea. I used 2 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in boiling water. It still feels odd to do that to a white tea, but I trust Stacy’s judgement in these things. I really enjoyed White Rhino when I tried it plain, so it’s great to have a little bit more albeit flavoured this time. I made no additions for my first cup, but I’ll probably try it with a little crystal sugar next time just to see.
The intial flavour of this one is butterscotch. It’s quite strong and sweet, although not nauseatingly so. It tastes like melted butterscotch chips, of the kind you sometimes find in cookies. A little bit like Werther’s Originals. There’s a darker undertone that really is kind of mocha-like. A little chocolatey, with a hint of coffee bitterness. I think that helps this one to stay just on the right side of sweet for me, and it adds a real depth of flavour and a degree of complexity that most flavoured teas just don’t have. I’m not getting much hazelnut, but I can’t say I’m really missing it. The butterscotch-coffee-chocolate play off is more than enough for me.
The White Rhino base is, of course, amazing. It does a great job of supporting the flavours, while providing a complementary sweet maltiness with just a touch of floral. It’s almost thick-tasting, adding just the right kind of caramelly texture. This one’s a real treat, and it’s another I’ll miss from my cupboard once its gone. Lovely, lovely stuff.
