This one came from my Kusmi sampler, in one of the cute little tins they use for those. I’ve had no problem with the others, but I couldn’t open this one, try as I might. I had to get my Dad to take a look, and in the end he managed to pry it off with a spoon. It was a struggle, though, and a little odd. Anyway, this is actually the third time I’ve tried this one now. The first two were in my Timolino, and I didn’t log them because I was rushed and harassed when I drank them, and because I couldn’t recall the flavour very well later.
My third cup is getting a fairer reception. I was expecting an Earl Grey with a combination of citrus flavours, but that’s not really what it’s like. The base tea is a pleasant Ceylon, with its own citrus notes, and it brews up quite strong. I added a splash of milk to make it palatable. To taste, the main flavour I’m picking up is a fresh but slightly bitter lemon. After that comes the bergamot, but not as strongly as I expected, followed by a semi-sweet orange blossom flavour that’s actually very pleasant. There’s apparently supposed to be lime, but I can’t taste it at all.
While I like this one well enough, and find it a drinkable tea, I’m also a little underwhelmed. I wanted stronger, brighter citrus flavours on an EG/Ceylon base, and that’s not really what this is. It’s a half-hearted EG at best, and a little too bitter for my tastes. The initial lemon is nice, as is the orange blossom end note, but it’s fairly blah in between. It’s a tea I could drink any time of the day, but it’s not especially remarkable. There are definitely other Kusmi blends I prefer, not to mention other EGs, other citrus teas…
