Leafull

I bought a pack of 5 teabags of this and I’m not sure where I’m at on the sipdown progress. Things have a tendency to disappear in my cupboard.

This has a very rich caramel scent to it when dry. It looks like CTC. Once steeped it’s very strong. The caramel flavor comes out, but there is a bitter tang from the tea that is a little distracting, but passes quickly. It would likely be delightful with cream and sugar. It’s a good cup, but not one I’d restock. If I remember, I’ll do a shorter steeping with the next bag.

Went to a shop in Tokyo called Leafull Darjeeling House. They primarily focus on straight teas, differentiating between the different seasons and flushes, which is impressive, but isn’t quite my thing. They did have some flavored teas in their “Aroma” line, one being Sakura. I was really excited to try all things sakura and was trying not to buy every sakura tea I came across, so I was glad to see a 5 tea bag size of this. Enough to have a few cups and appreciate the tea without overwhelming my cupboard.
Sakura is such a light flavor, but it come across prominently in this cup. The green tea is just background and blends in with the taste of the sakura leaves. It becomes a little less interesting as it cools, so I should make a point to drink this cup a little less leisurely. I’m kind of surprised I’m enjoying something with such delicate flavors when I usually favor teas that are bold.