I have spent the day sipping tea and sorting Perler beads in front of an open window. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, kinda hard to believe it is going to be frigid in a few days. Recently I discovered that Pu Erh no longer gives me migraines (still not sure why it did in the first place, but whatever) and conveniently The lovely Snooty Tea Person was having a Boo Erh giveaway, which luck would have it, I won. So that means I have some new delicious Pu Erh teas to taste, and here is the first one! Perhaps I will make this ‘reacquainting myself with Pu Erh’ week.
Pu Erh Hazelberry by Adagio Teas is a blend of Pu Erh Tea, Strawberries, Cocoa Nibs, and Natural Strawberry, Creme, and Hzelnut flavors. When I opened the pouch the first thing that popped into my mind is ‘this smells like Crunch Berries!’ and that was a delightful surprise, because I love that cereal. Once I started sniffing the loose leaf picked up notes of earthiness under the initial strawberry, along with a mellow creaminess. There are also notes of the beloved ‘market aroma’ I associate with Pu Erh, sweet hazelnut, and a hint of mineral. There is a lot going on with this tea’s aroma, it is an odd combination, but also very appealing.
While the tea is steeping I notice the aroma of strawberries and chocolate drifting around with the steam, so glad the breeze is carrying the aroma to my nose and not out the window. The mineral and earthy aroma is much milder than the leaves, as is the ‘market aroma’ but they are still present and have a more mellow tone. As I pull the steeped leaves away from my nose I notice a tart strawberry aroma mingling with the sweetness. The liquid is sweet and fruity with notes of earthiness and cream, it is very smooth. I cannot wait to taste it.
There is a lot going on with the flavors in this tea, not surprising when there is so much going on with the aroma. First is a blend of minerals, mildly metallic, earthy taste that is bright and ‘sparks’ in my mouth. It really does feel like little electric sparks going off in my mouth, and really that is not bad, it is a fun feeling and makes me wake up and pay attention. For a midtaste there are nuts of creaminess and hazelnut that mixes with sweet strawberry. There is no real tartness from the strawberry and its sweetness lingers for a pleasant aftertaste. The mouthfeel is sharp and very brisk, and it leaves the mouth feeling a bit dry. As it cools the Pu Erh taste becomes more pronounced and the flavors fade to the background. Oddly it still reminds me of Crunch Berries, which I like! This tea does a good job of blending the earthiness of Pu Erh with the sweetness of strawberries, I wish the chocolate and hazelnut were a bit stronger, but that is my only complaint. Stay tuned for more Pu Erh goodness!
For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2013/12/adagio-teas-pu-erh-hazelberry-tea-tea.html
