A sample from Roswell Strange. I’ve read a lot about Liquid Proust’s teas on here, and I’ve been intrigued by them for a while, so it’s great to have the opportunity to try one! I’m not a particular fan of Earl Grey purely because bergamot scares me a bit – but I do like peach. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor is a medium golden-brown, the scent strongly peachy.
I have to say that I’m really impressed with this one. The initial sip is almost entirely peach, and it’s a fresh, natural, realistic-tasting peach. I’d be hard pressed to tell this from peach juice initially, truth be told. The bergamot emerges in the mid-sip, and fortunately it’s at a really pleasant level. Not too weak, not too strong. A kind of goldilocks bergamot for me! I like the pairing of peach and bergamot much more than I thought I would – the bitter orange vibe contrasts really well with the sweet peach, and takes this tea to a whole new level. It’s neither bitter nor sweet, orangey nor peachy, but somehow wonderfully suspended between the two.
The other surprise here is the formosa oolong base. I’ve never tried an Earl Grey with an oolong base before, so this is a new experience for me. My first impression is favourable, though; the fruitiness of the oolong works well with the peach, and provides an extra depth of flavour without being overpowering. I think on balance I actually like the pairing of bergamot and oolong more than I do bergamot and black tea, which is a bit of a revelation.
In my opinion, this one is really well done. It’s an inspired pairing, and so unique – I’ve never come across anything like it before, and I doubt I will again. Pure tea alchemy! On the strength of this one, I’m definitely up for trying more Liquid Proust blends – thanks again to Roswell Strange for introducing me!
Hey, I know the owner pretty well… he said I can send out free samples of his teas, just let me know what you’d like to try if you’re interested.