…I have a confession to make. I love Verdant Tea, but this is my least favorite black tea from them. It might be my least favorite tea of theirs that I’ve had, period. I’ve tried, I’ve really tried to love it. Sadly while others have been fireworks and cymbals, LB has always been “Ehh, it’s alright.” I don’t get the hype. But then again, everyone is mad about WPT’s Golden Orchid right now and I’ve had nearly the same response. “Ehh, it’s alright.” There are others I prefer.
On to the tea. It smells divine, I’ll give it that. The taste isn’t quiiiiiiite the same but it does parallel the aroma. It tastes faintly of cocoa with grain, toasted rice, wood, honey, and a creamy taste/texture. It’s a light- to medium-bodied tea, but there’s heavy malt in the aftertaste. A little bit of caramel. And I swear I taste soybean.
In theory, I really like this tea! It has a lot of elements that I enjoy in a straight black. But when I’m sipping…I can’t help but think of other teas I would rather be drinking. The mind wanders. It doesn’t captivate me. I do, however, like it in blends. (Laoshan Village Chai and Bergamot Rose Laoshan Black specifically!) I’ll finish what I have, but I doubt I’ll stock back up when it’s gone. And it probably won’t be missed.
Flavors: Caramel, Cocoa, Creamy, Grain, Honey, Roasted, Soybean, Toasted Rice, Wood