129/365
This one brewed up kind of cloudy, which perhaps isn’t a surprise since it’s pretty old now. The leaf was pretty stuck together in the bag, but given the ingredients I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise either. I’m just surprised it’s kept so well, since it seems kind of sticky…
Anyway. The initial flavour is a lot of base, but it’s a great base so I’ve no complaints about that. It reminds me a lot of some of the “golden lion” teas I’ve tried, as well as last week’s Himalayan Golden Black from Nepali Tea Traders. It’s malty and sweet, but not in an overpowering way, with a light background floral that’s reminiscent of a darjeeling. There’s also a touch of pepperiness in the aftertaste.
Initially, that’s all there is to this tea. I think it needs to cool a little to really shine, because that’s when the honey flavours start to develop. I wouldn’t say it’s mead per se, but more of a light honey with an edge of beeswax. It’s sweet, for sure, with a thick-tasting syrupy quality, but the honey flavour itself is fairly delicate and remains mostly in the background.
I like this one. I thought it might be overpoweringly sweet, but it’s actually pretty subtle. I’d have liked the base and flavouring to have been a little more balanced, and I’d have loved to be able to taste more honey, but it’s pleasant to drink all the same. Happy to have this one in my cupboard!
