10min steep because I was in the middle of rearranging my tea cabinet when I decided this was my brew of choice, but it’s still within the recommended allotment, so it’s all good.
It’s beautiful in the bag – big chunks of apple, golden threads of marigold leaves – and it steeps to an enticing gold that smells of citrus and warmth. Each sip is softly fruity with a heat that trails along just at the end (the pepper I’d assume); as the tea cools it becomes more prominently citrusy without losing the heat.
My only complaint with this is that the flavour isn’t exactly robust. I think I was more in the mood for a heavier mouthfeel or more lingering aftertaste for my first cup of the day, so I’ll have to try this again as an evening brew.
…
Second steep and I think I’ve figured out what it was needing! I added about 1/4 tsp of ground ginger to the basket and gave it a solid 15 min @ 212 – the fruit flavours have dropped back a bit, but there’s earthiness from the turmeric and pepper that slides into a heavy, lingering ginger aftertaste.
I’d give the mix + ginger a solid 84, but stand by my rating for the unaltered version.
