When I opened this packet I was greeted with a familiar sight. My parents have a camellia sinensis plant that is often covered in these little buds. I’ve never drunk them though and was really excited to try it.
I prepared this using the gongfu method on the verdant website which produced a very pale brew with a faint pine and honey aroma. Thankfully the flavour was stronger than the aroma, with the first infusion producing a delicate sweetness with lovely woody notes and some kind of tropical fruit that I can’t quite pin down. I started enjoying this a lot more as it cooled and could see it making a wonderful delicate unsweetened iced tea.
For me the whole experience is let down a bit by the aftertaste which is reminiscent of chewing up paper to make spit balls back at primary school (don’t pretend like you didn’t do it too!). It is also such a subtle flavour that I think if it was drunk with food the enjoyment would be completely lost.
This isn’t a miss for me but it isn’t a hit either. Some sips I think “yes! yum!” but others are just “meh”. It is so unique that I’m really pleased that I got the chance to try it. Thanks Sil :D
Glad you enjoyed it more than I did. :)