Pulled this 2018 tea for the May prompt “a geeky tea.”
The dry leaf was beautiful; the rolled leaves were sooooo long and once brewed, some looked positively autumnal floating in the warm water. Dry, the leaf smelled of nutmeg and a little custardy, but the minute water hit the leaves I got a strong floral/fruity aroma. Steeped, I still get that fruity aroma, as well as a sharp medicinal note. I’m not sure I could peg the particular fruity aroma, but I can certainly get a plum association… I think my nose is smelling an odd combination of plum, fig, and raisin. The more I stick my nose in the cup while waiting for the tea to cool, the more I smell the nutmeg, as well.
I’m getting a warm fruit compote flavor from the cooled tea, not medicinal at all on the tongue. Definitely tastes a bit like a combination of the above three fruity flavors, but with a hint of cherry as well, particularly at the end of the sip. I taste the nutmeg, but it is lightly warming and not a strong presense. I don’t really get any of the custardy notes that I could smell on the dry leaf, but there is a sort of honeyed sweetness to the tea.
Very satisfying on (yet another) dreary rainy day.
Flavors: Cherry, Fig, Fruity, Honey, Nutmeg, Plum, Raisins, Spices