The dry leaf is so beautiful,,very long, slender, black and gold needle shaped leaves. Scents of citrus.
The brewed leaves are fall brown colored and very very long buds. I am excited to try this tea!!!
The liquor is a clear orange color with scents of orange cream.
I brewed by Tao of Tea’s instructions and I agree with lower brew temps. I could have kept this in for another minute but I chose 3 minutes. This created a light, smooth black/red tea with subtle flavors of orange and a touch of cream. They caught red apple in their tasting and I do detect it breathing out. As the tea cools, the sweetness comes thru more and it is flavors of turbinado sugar.
Very lovely tea!!
Second Steeping – got another 2 brews out of these leaves using my Gaiwan.
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7/28/14
The dry leaf really does look like needles. Some teas are called needles but these have actually been twisted thinly with a pointy tip like a needle.
The liquor is a bright, clear orange. Like Sunkist Soda orange. It is GorGeous!!!!!!!!!!! The flavor has sweet orange in it as well,,,is this in my head? It’s really not,,it does!!!! It has blood orange flavors too, which is a deeper, more complex orange. The added cream note makes this creamsicle, a touch of malt, and super delicious!!
Flavors: Blood Orange, Cream, Malt, Orange