Queen of Kyoto

Cold Brew!

I did not like the dry leaf smell of this one, so I was nervous. However, the cold brew ended up more enjoyable than I expected it to be. I do appreciate that this isn’t just a generic cherry blossom flavoured sencha and that there are other layers to it, because I’ve seen that type of blend very over done for these sort of romanticized “Japanese Spring Time” type of teas.

Firstly, it was floral but definitely didn’t taste of actual sakura/cherry blossoms. More jasmine than anything else, in a fresh yet still a bit heavy and heady kind of way. Those florals were nicely balanced by subtle notes of actual cherries and just a hint of apricot. I think I expected something sweeter overall, but it was almost like these two stone fruits combined gave off more of the taste of a fruit leather/preserved fruit instead of something lush or juicy/tart. It worked with the grassier, umami of the green tea and the more mellow vibe of the tea – but it was just kind of unexpected.

I wonder if those flavours would pop a little more as a hot tea. Excited to find out.

This is the April Wanderlust monthly tea from my supscription that I meant to post before the 2023 week blackout.

I don’t have too much to add on this one. I had some hopes and dig the corresponding theme to the Kyoto season, and I think this is a spring tea, but I’ve had better Cherry Blossom tea. Cherry comes through, and since there is no actual cherry blossom, it comes off as a little generic. There’s cool layer of texture and the aprioct and rose adds more sweetness that could have just been tart. I have only brewed it twice, and honestly lost interest after cup two.

I’m not ready to rate it yet, but compared to the other wild flavor combos, I found this one pretty conventional. I may be too harsh, so we’ll see what I conclude. I’ve got more of this sample to go and I would recommend it as a good tea for sure, it’s just not as distinct as the other blends from the company. Now, I’m enjoying my oolong stash and honestly just want to get certain teas from certain places. That will probably change come summer when the harvests are in, and I’m missing some Bohemian Breakfast at the moment.