GCTTB V1
Another tea that I’ve been wanting to try from Liquid Proust for a while – I’m happy enough of it lasted in the box for me to get a mug’s worth for the way to work. It looks like this has definitely been a popular one in the box.
This is kind of a weird pairing: I don’t think I’ve ever seen blackberry and sage anything before. However, I’ve had Fauchon’s Peach and Thyme blend and I remember enjoying that quite a lot so I figured this would be similar in idea and delivery. And it is!
The blackberry flavouring is actually really, really nice. I’ve tried a handful or two of blackberry teas at this point and I find it’s a flavour that’s hard to execute well: it’s either not strong enough at all or it comes off as terribly cloying or unnatural/artificial. This is up there with Butiki’s blackberry flavouring though: it’s rich, distinct, has that sweetness that comes with perfectly ripe blackberries and it isn’t overpowering or fake tasting. I’m also finding that it compliments that jammy sweetness/stonefruit like note that good keemun has as well.
The sage is definitely less distinct: I 100% get a nice herbaceous sort of note in the background of the tea but I’m not confident I could blindly tell it was sage without this prior knowledge. It does compliment the blackberry though; the mix of sweet fruit and a more savory note elevates this tea and makes it both seem more exotic and nuanced. I feel like if I was just tasting the blackberry or just tasting the sage I would still enjoy the flavours but that this would be a more average or forgettable tea. The pairing brings more life to the drink, for sure.
Of the blackberry and sage, the blackberry is certainly the stronger note though. And actually, I think the sage is probably the more subtle out of it, the blackberry, and the base. And that would probably be my one criticism: if this were just a little stronger I think that flavour would be much more distinct. That said, if it were too much stronger I think that it would dominate the cup in an unpleasant way. It’s a tricky ratio/balance for sure.
I believe this is the second batch/version of this tea? I hope that means that there’ll be a third batch, because I found this one to be absolutely delightful. Definitely Top Five Liquid Proust teas I’ve tried so far; dare I say top three?
