First off, this one has a very strange mouthfeel…almost gritty and astringent at the same time. I find it quite unappealing, truthfully, and it makes it hard to focus on the flavours.
Once I set aside the odd feeling there’s definitely some floral (dusty rose-esque) hints toward the front and a bit of bergamot on the end with a solid enough black base that pops up at odd moments.
As far as an Earl Grey goes – and that’s really how I’m considering this, given the black/bergamot pairing – I’ve definitely had better. The mouthfeel is this tea’s greatest detractor, IMO, and it’s enough to keep me from coming back for antoher cup.
I just received the Russian blends set in the mail—only today! I was trying to figure out what the scent of the flowers was in this one… It is not exactly roses—at least not to my nose!