60

The dry tea is mostly dark, black tea with a few fuzzy, golden tea leaves mixed in. There are moderate-sized pieces of citrus peel and also neon orange and yellow stamens, like saffron. I can smell the bergamot most of all. I steeped for 1 minutes and the resulting brew is very light. I’m not sure if it’s the type of tea or the shorter steep, but I ended up steeping longer than the package suggested even, so perhaps it’s meant to be that way. I can taste the orange but only slightly. I will try steeping this one again. Hopefully the flavors will hold up.

Second Steep
8 ounces water + 200 degrees + 3 minutes

The steeped leaves have opened up considerably at this point and I can really smell the bergamot. This cup is a little darker than the first but still on the light side. I think next time I may start with a longer steep on this one.

Third Steep
8 ounces water + 200 degrees + 8 minutes

This cup is already as dark as the others at 4 minutes but I’m going to see if it will be darker after a longer steep.

I left it for 8 minutes this time and the color has remained the same. The aroma is starting to fade on the steeped leaves and also the liquid. It tastes bitter but also watered and bland. This cup is tolerable but not great. I think next time I’ll stop at two steeps.

Flavors: Bergamot, Bitter, Orange

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Bio

Lifetime student. Lover of books and paper and ink. Kitchen dweller. Aspiring herbalist, excessively proud cat lady, and tea fanatic. Thirty-something elder millennial. She/her.

I love flavored black teas most of all, always with cream and honey. I enjoy floral and fruity teas, as well as flavored or scented ones. I’m not overly fond of green or white teas, but I’ve found a few that I enjoy.

I’m open to tea swaps and/or just sharing what’s in my tea cabinet! Please reach out if you see something I have that you’d like to try. I do my best to update my cupboard regularly.

Favorites
Any and all black teas, smoky teas, raspberry, strawberry, red fruits, bergamot, chai spices, floral teas, caramel/toffee, jasmine, rose, vanilla, peaches, plums, valerian root, cinnamon, cardamom

Not a huge fan
White teas, green teas, artificial sweeteners, sarsaparilla, licorice, lemongrass, lavender, hot hibiscus, hibiscus in black tea blends

Rating Scale

1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband, James, who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).

21-49: This tea is not good, but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.

50-69: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.

70-79: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.

80-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.

91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.

96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.

Updated May 2022.

Location

Alabaster, Alabama

Website

https://www.goodreads.com/sha...

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