I believe I’ve mentioned before that I’m a chocoholic… So in the spirit of indulging myself I got DT’s chocolate gift set earlier this year and ohhh boy was I ever a happy camper :D One of my favorites in the set is this tea. Dark and warm but refreshing at the same time it just hits the spot when you’re looking for something comforting but with a twist.
Dry this tea reminds me of smelling one of those chocolate oranges that show up around Christmas time; warm chocolate, bright orange, just the right amount of sweet and a touch of dark earthiness from the Pu’erh. It’s completely addicting, to the point that it’s almost (but only almost!) enough just to smell it.
When steeped this tea produces a dark brown liquor which gives off an aroma similar to freshly baked dark chocolate orange cookies. The orange isn’t as bright at this point as the pu’erh base really starts to shine through, enhancing the chocolate scent. Fair warning, there may be a bit of “film” on the top of this tea, between the oils from the orange zest and the chocolate fats it’s not surprising, nor do I personally find it distasteful, though don’t forget to wash your infuser out after! :)
But the taste of this one… Complex and yet lovely at the same time. Neither the orange, nor the chocolate manage to overwhelm the pu’erh or each other… they all find this very interesting balance, almost a dance of sorts where they trade off the “spotlight” as it were. One sip you get a bit more orange; another more chocolate; the next the earthiness of the pu’erh shines through. The mouth-feel is full, and rich but not dense and lends itself well to the flavors found in this tea.
And the best part? The second steeping is just as good as the first! :D
