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This is not a popular tea. Nevertheless, I it’s been on my shopping list for years because I love bergamot and I love florals. I recently bought a pack of sample tins from Kusmi (the “Russian” set) and this was included, so I finally get to try it.

I think the dry leaf smells nice, with plenty of bergamot, the balance of some other citrus, and some light florals in the background. The steeped leaf, too, smells pleasantly bergamotty and floral.

Unfortunately I guess sometimes you just have to listen to the people. I don’t find this one as distasteful as some people, especially as it cools, but it isn’t as lovely as I had hoped. The bergamot edges on a pith-like bitterness that I never enjoy, and the florals are a bit perfumy tasting. It is growing on me a bit, but it certainly isn’t a tea I would reach for often. I wonder how it would cold brew?

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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Bio

I am tea obsessed, with the stash to match. I tend to really enjoy green oolongs, Chinese blacks, and flavored teas with high quality bases, especially florals, bergamot-based teas, and chocolate teas.

In my free time I am a birder, baker, and music/movie/tv addict.

Here are my rating categories, FYI:
100-90: Mind-blowingly good, just right for my palate, and teas that just take me to a happy place.
89-86: I really really like these teas and will keep most of them in the permanent collection, but they’re not quite as spectacular as the top category
85-80: Pretty tasty teas that I enjoy well enough, but definitely won’t rebuy when I run out.
79-70: Teas that I would probably drink again, but only if there were no preferrable options.
69-50: Teas that I don’t really enjoy all that much and wouldn’t drink another cup of.
49 and below: Mega yuck. This tea is just disgusting to me.
Unrated: Usually I feel unqualified to rate these teas because they are types of teas that I tend to not like in general. Sometimes user error or tea brewed under poor conditions.

Location

Ohio, US

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