Here, have a copy of the notes I took for myself while I was trying my sample of this tea:
1 rinse
10s: Petrichor and gentle bitterness. I can smell honey and light woodsiness but not taste it. Warmth and a bit of roughness in the back of my throat. Immediately relaxing, which I desperately need this morning. Texture is soft.
15s: A bit less bitterness, a bit more woodsiness, otherwise pretty much the same. Oh, and texture is getting less soft and more oily – I’m starting to feel it coat my mouth. There’s not much flavor, it’s just a very calming experience. I think I could fall asleep to this tea pretty happily.
20s: Mostly same but getting sweeter, especially around my teeth afterwards. I shouldn’t have started this one before work, wish I had more time to push it.
25s: My ears just popped. That was weird. Maybe unrelated. Anyways, getting a bit more astringency I think. No, wait, my left ear definitely feels warmer inside. What is going on here.
35s: I think I just hit a floral note? Both my ears now feel like they’re filled with warm liquid, and my mouth is getting a bit fuzzy. It’s naptime, but I’m hella late for work. This is pretty decent tea, and I have erred.
that’s funny stuff, about your ears popping during a tasting
Ha, yeah, it’s weird but I get that a lot with tea with lots of energy.