Ever seen the name of a tea and been instantly sold on it? You just find the name either so whimsical or evocative that not trying this tea would be a crime, well that is how I felt when I saw Graveyard Mist. I love graveyards, they are fascinating places to explore. So much history and usually beautifully designed architecture, you can learn a lot about people from their burial practices. Well that sounded more grim than I intended it to! Anyway, when I lived in the mountains almost a decade ago the house was right next to an old church and an equally old graveyard (I think the oldest grave site was from 1790). At the time I was working night shift so a lot of mornings I would come home to a misty graveyard to wander around. And now to the actual tea review!
Graveyard Mist by 52Teas is a blend of Spearmint, Marshmallow Root, Chinese Sencha, Yun Wu, and a hint of Malt. Everything about this tea seems ethereal, from the cloud white roots to the delicate green leaves. The aroma of the leaves is wonderful! Very sweet from the Marshmallow Root, which if you have ever had Marshmallows made from real Marshmallow, you know it is a treat. There is also a very slight vegetal aroma and also very mild mint aroma. Both are more of an afterthought as the Marshmallow steals the show.
After brewing the leaves, ah, there is that promised spearmint! The Marshmallow sweetness becomes light and is replaced with the aroma of of light, vegetal, green. Very evocative of clean mist over a green field (or in this case green graveyard) and it is very pleasant. The most remarkable feature of the aroma is how refreshing it is, in retrospect I wish I would have brewed this in the morning.
The flavor is mild and refreshing. The sweetness is subtle and yes, it tastes like marshmallows. The spearmint is also mild and feels like a palate cleanser with each sip. The green teas taste mildly vegetal with absolutely no bitterness to speak of. Everything about this tea is mild, subtle, and refreshing. The name Graveyard Mist captures it perfectly. Sadly the other tea drinker in the house, Ben, did not like it. I handed the cup for him to taste and his response was ‘too minty.’ I had hoped that the mint taste was subtle enough to sneak under his radar, but alas. So avoid if you have a strong loathing of mint.
