Brewed 2 tsp of tea leaves at 208 degrees for 4 minutes, with 2 1/2 tsp of Teavana’s German rock sugar, no milk. The whole milk in tea thing kind of wigs me out, but I grew up in the South where you grow up with cheap ice tea in your baby bottle so take as you will.
First couple of sips I was wondering what is that sourness, but under it the usual caramelly malty flavor. For first half of the cup no astringency, but as I drink more it is beginning to dry my mouth out now. The flavor seems to deepen as it cools. Aftertaste has the astringency and still a hint of the sourness. Not sure what’s going on there. Could be aftertaste of the sugar, not the tea.
I’ve been working my way through a 3 oz packet of this, have only 1 or 2 steepings left in it. Almost all my tea is from Teavana at the moment, but I just placed an order with Upton so we’ll see. This Assam Gold Rain and their Golden Monkey are my top two at the moment — I have Copper Knot Hongcha and Nine Dragon as well. Will get to them in the days ahead.
