Whoa, how have I not logged this yet? I’ve had this one now three times. Oh well. I’ll just chronicle all of my experiences in one note. Huzzah!
The first time I had this tea, my husband had made it for me as a surprise when I got home. I don’t remember where I’d been, but the tea had come in the mail while I was gone. It was a very thoughtful surprise! :)
My first impression was, “Wow, I can really taste the lapsang souchong!” And then… I couldn’t taste much else, except a vague spiciness, which I think was the cardamom, or maybe the peppercorns. I’m not the biggest fan of lapsang souchong, so I have to admit, I wasn’t initially as stoked about this tea as I’d hoped I would be. (I mean, S’mores Chai?? Sounds amazing!)
The second time I made this, I tasted a bit more of a creamy sweetness in the flavor, no doubt the marshmallow root coming through a little. It was still pretty smoky, almost burnt tasting, but not as bad. So I naturally had a little hope that the next time would be even better, and I was not disappointed. :) The marshmallow root really helped smooth out the flavor, and I actually tasted most of the spices. Still not getting any chocolate, and quite a lot of the smoky lapsang souchong, but perhaps if I wait even longer, the flavors will balance out even more.
