This tea is over a year old at least. The bag is still full since I avoided it after trying it the first time. I decided that it was time to try it again. The tea smells just as strong as when it was purchased aka first opened. I imagine it has aged slightly though.
Prep: brewed for 4 minutes using 1/2 Perfect spoon uncovered using boiling water. I added a tiny bit of agave after I brewed it up as well.
Taste Wise: The flavor is pretty light but not pleasant. Each sip is filled with an unpleasant artificial cherry cough syrup flavor.(aka the aftertaste of Benadryl) You also get a very strange unpleasant sencha flavor that is slightly bitter. Then comes the toasty-ness reminding you of genmaicha. These flavors do not work together at all. Genmaicha with a medicinal cherry cough syrup Bleh. The more you sip on this cup the more you get used to it.
I think the agave helped smooth out the cherry a bit and counteract the bitterness for the most part. Honey would have ruined it and made the cherry even more medicinal tasting.
*Note to self only sweeten this tea with agave.
Flavors: Artificial, Cherry, Floral, Toasty
