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I specifically bought milk this morning for chai but then didn’t really have room for chai later today after eating a bunch of junk food. I did it anyway, because I’m stubborn like that. I think I only have enough masala chai left for another two teapots, maybe? I’ve never been crazy about masala but this stuff made me reconsider. It’s been pretty great to have around.

I’ve done it! Good grief! I’ve finally finished off this treat from the Mother’s Day 2013 collection, just as it sails by its “best before” date. Tea schmea, most will hold up well. This one was always an interesting blend, black and green and some floral and citrus notes, but never overwhelming. That’s a good thing.

I recently got my beautiful More Tea glass bottle back out of the cupboard and threw some Kotobuki leaves in it for a cold brew. I’ve been refilling it regularly for the last couple of days and just today I’ve swapped the leaves out for some fresh ones. I love watching the leaves unfurl through the glass! And I got my boss to taste the smoothness of a green cold brew too. Great gains. =P

The light at the end of the sample box grows ever brighter!

The recommendation for this one said to serve it like a traditional chai, steeped with hot milk. I’m not home today so I did a work version of a chai and steamed some milk, steeped the leaves in half milk, half water. A very weak but not awful black. I’ll try to remember to grab some milk on my way home tonight as I have tomorrow off and it’s going to be bloody cold because winter’s arrived with a BANG! And I reckon finishing this sample chai-style while couch lounging will be just the ticket.

It had been a while since I had any of this, as its running low and is tied to precious NYC memories, so I kind of never want it to end. And yet, nothing is more important to me right now than sipdowns. Not even memories. HARSH.

Overnight cold brew = HELLO HEAVEN! OH GOD. THIS IS DIVINE. Smashed the weak hot brew out of the PARK! Almost crying real tears over how delicious this is. It can move straight back to the wish list now I’ve finished my sample.

Second steep is far less flavoursome, because of all the fruit that got sucked dry in a single steep… but leave it for a couple of days and you get a very subtle, lovely brew. Sweet memories of the first brew. Oh man.

Much less muddy and more flavoursome with a shorter initial steep time. I did a 1min first steep, 2min second and 3min third—all three had a similar enjoyable flavour. Thanks Sil I appreciated getting to try this one!

I’m afraid that in a desperate effort to stretch out my small sample of this (I want to try it hot and cold!) I didn’t use enough leaf to get a good flavour in my hot cup. HOWEVER, I drank it in conjunction with eating some Lindt “zest of lime” chocolate so life is actually perfect? Never mind.

Last cup of this beautiful beast for a while! The Great Sipdown of 2015 continues! I’ll do what I can to not restock this for a while, too, because T2. I’m trying. I’m really trying. (I’m kind of trying.)

I have no idea what version of this tea I have as I got it as a sample from my tea hero Sil so I think I need to play around with it a bit more — it was super heavy on first steeping, it scared me off a bit! But I’ve got plenty left in the sample and I’m going to try a second steep of this first basket and we’ll see how things go. Doing it at work doesn’t help with timing either because Friday nights are BIZZAY!