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I’m having the second steep from yesterday iced as we speak. This is a tea that seems to get sweeter and the jasmine flavour more pronounced as the tea cools.

Backlogging from this morning. :)

I seem to be on a bit of a honey kick right now. I added about half a spoonful and I actually really enjoyed the way it changed the taste. It’s still distinctly herby but not in such an obvious good-for-you way. It’s sweet, but not hugely so, just right for before bed.

It’s neat to the point of being mesmerizing watching the pearls open. It starts with the white tea leaves slowly unfurling from around the pearls. And these are proper, suculent-looking white tea leaves/buds, not the chopped, torn-up bits you get with some teas. Then the green tea, which is in smaller pieces, sort of puffs up and slowly drifts apart.

It feeds the eyes aswell as my sense of beauty and art, because to me tea is more than just drinking a cup of tea leaves in hot water.

I tried this tea in less than boiling water based on suggestions I’ve seen in a couple different places. Steeping time was 3 minutes.

There’s a lot of bits that escaped the strainer this time which is a tad annoying (it wasn’t like this the first time so it might be that the bag got accidently crushed in my tea cabinet). I know some people like to eat the steeped tea leaves, but I find it a bit annoying to have to spit out little pieces of leaves after every sip.

The smell is fruity, almost what I’d call berry-like (muscatel???). I’m not sure that 3 minutes is enough time, at least at this water temperature as the tea is tasting a little bit weak. I think I’m getting a bit of what the description referes to as ‘nuttiness’ although for some reason it reminds me more of bread. I’m also getting a hint of the sharpness (brightness?) I noticed before, though it’s a lot more palatable in this instance.

Bergamot like WOAH! This is the bergamot to end all bergamots and not in a good way. It’s so strong that it tastes quite bitter and oddly enough the sweetener doesn’t seem to alleviate this; instead it just provides an odd counterpoint.

And WTF Starbucks, is it too much effort to take the tea bag out before you give it to me?! It’s not exactly a nice experience to take a gulp of what I thought was foam and instead get a mouthful of mesh teabag. Yuck.

Another one I’m trying to use up. Meh, my taste buds aren’t too picky in the morning anyway.

Tried it sweetened with a bit of honey, though I’m not sure it was the right way to go with this tea as it gave it sort of a weird aftertaste.

Stressful, stressful day. I’m drinking this to try and soothe myself and hopefully keep from going into a homicidal rage.

Mmm, made a pot of this tea this morning. Yummy wakeup-call.