First tea of the morning here! This sample (pouch) came from Blodeuyn as a surprise bonus in our swap. I’m pretty much a noob when it comes to Darjeeling, having only tried one or two others before this one. Oh well, onward! The leaves of this tea are somewhat short and wide, and they’re a myriad of browns with some spots of silver. Dry scent is sweet hay and sunflower seeds in the shell. I used a teaspoon of leaf and let it steep for 3 minutes at 200 degrees.
The aroma is not terribly intimidating – it’s lightly toasted bread with tart fruit preserves and a touch of floral. The flavor is a lovely and light combination of bread and grains. Mostly I tasted lightly toasted bread, raw oats, sweet hay with a touch of mustiness, and a mild floral note. There’s sweetness here, but it’s a very light and clear sweetness, reminding me of honeysuckle nectar. Underneath all of the other flavors is a nice deep roasty quality, I would compare it to roasted nuts perhaps? There is a touch of astringency here as well, which is not terribly unpleasant. Overall, a very accessible Darjeeling.
Flavors: Bread, Floral, Hay, Honeysuckle, Musty, Oats, Roasted Nuts, Toast
except for the musty thing, this sounds like an interesting fall tea!