12 Tasting Notes
This is the one tea from Teavana that exceeded my expectations.
Much, much more complex and rewarding than the Golden Monkey the staff kept yammering about, and stood up to multiple infusions (of varying times/temperatures, thanks to my ever-wandering attention span . . .) without showing a trace of bitterness or unpleasantness. The floral notes are delightful.
It’s almost worth what they charge for it.
Preparation
I sprang for this during Teavana’s recent post-holiday clearance event, and while I ultimately found this a perfectly suitable and enjoyable tea, I wouldn’t purchase it at it’s regular (and rather ridiculous) price point. (My first Teavana store shopping experience was also rather uninspiring, but I suppose I’m digressing, and disappointment is probably what I deserve for daring to venture outside of the house.)
The post-steeping color was a gorgeous coppery brown, and the smell malty and slightly fruity. The teamaker’s notes about the lack of astringency are certainly true. In fact, the smoothness caught me off guard. Granted, I usually drink very strong Assams tanned with whole milk, but this tea is smooth and pretty when plain. The second steeping was more floral and even smoother, but still not the best I’ve had.
