Solstice Tea Traders
Popular Teas from Solstice Tea Traders
See All 27 TeasRecent Tasting Notes
Don’t think I have steeped this tea in years, revisiting is nice. Don’t let the strong smoky smell deter you. This is an approachable black tea blend with lovely body and some tannins/astringency. In aroma it has lots of smoke but in flavor it is much smoother passing over the tongue/palate.
The Shui Xian oolong I just finished off had a more pronounced smoked flavor, but you couldn’t tell by nose alone.
The Assam and Irish Breakfast pair very nicely for a powerhouse combo of flavor (and caffeine.) I have a bunch of this left from the large bag size so I will add it to my weekly rotation.
Flavors: Malt, Smoked, Tannic, Wood
Preparation
This tea takes well to a second infusion. You will need to full boil and steep for a long time but I was able to pull out some woody sweetness.
It’s a delicate tea especially after the cinders of Lapsang Shouchong burn through the first cup brewed.
Still experimenting with oversteeping as I like this tea too strong, as if I mixed only a touch of fresh water with some заварка (zavarka,) I’ll report back when I have the proper infuser tools to make it strong enough.