First sample from the Steepster Select box I won! Woohoo!
I chose this as a sample because I was at a nice folksy-hipster restaurant the other day and they had a wide assortment of loose leaf tea. I always try to get a pot to finish my meal with, and I wanted to try their Organic Darjeeling FTGFOP from the Makaibari Estate. It was TREMENDOUSLY delicious, and so I bought some…don’t know what it is, but it tastes like low quality tea…I’ve been messing with the temperature and duration, but have yet to find a combo that yields as good a result as I had in the restaurant. I went back the next day and ordered another pot, and it was just as delicious as the first, so I don’t know what I’m doing wrong….but I digress….
Anyways, this brewed up a beautiful red. Initial scent was of pine nuts or chestnuts? I’m not sure, but something a little nutty. Since this is my first actual Darjeeling (well, second I guess…), I don’t know what to expect or look for. Tastes like black tea to me! Haha. But in all seriousness, I’m not really picking up the muscatel notes. The Darjeeling I had in the restaurant was almost malty and grapey…it was fruity, with the mouth-feel of eating grapes. I swear, I understood the whole “muscat grape” description. I’m not really getting that with this one. It’s a little astringent towards the back end, but that might also just be because I was eating cinnamon Life cereal earlier (whoops!). Definitely will have to edit and give this one another chance with the 2nd packet they supplied. Decent tea, but still unknowing of what to expect.
EDIT: After nearing the end of the cup, I definitely notice the strong aroma of grapes and wine, but I am not picking up the flavor
