Sipdown! (22 | 431)
Found this one little lonely sample from Rishi Tea, yay easy sipdown!
The chrysanthemum is definitely at the forefront at the beginning of the sip, and it has that interesting soft floral-yet-peppery quality to it. The floral is a bit hard to describe, it does somewhat remind me of chamomile, but with a noticeable musty note that fades to tasting a bit like pollen smells. There’s definitely sweetness as well, and perhaps a hint of dill? The oolong comes forward mid-sip, and dominates the latter half with its sparkling mineral notes and nectarous florals, along with a slight dried fruit note in the aftertaste.
An interesting one to try for sure, probably not something I would reorder just because I would rather have a chrysanthemum blend be caffeine-free for the evening, plus this is rather expensive.
Flavors: Chamomile, Dill, Dried Fruit, Floral, Grain, Hay, Herbs, Mineral, Musty, Nectar, Pepper, Pollen, Smooth, Spring Water, Sweet
Chrysanthemum and oolong seems like an odd combo to me. I am used to it either straight up or with a few goji berries thrown in. Habit—though I may be stuck and in need of change.
It was a nice enough combo, but I would rather just have the chrysanthemum by itself so it’s caffeine-free for the evening. Goji berry sounds nice too, I think I have a Chinese medicine tea somewhere with those ingredients…
I’ve been going for acupuncture and other TCM treatments for years. This mix of chrysanthemum blossoms and goji berries was recommended to substitute for drinking water through the day—a clump of dried flowers, about 12 berries to 12 oz. water. Refresh the water throughout the day. I pick them up from an herbalist in Chinatown.