A sample from Cteresa. I’ve tried this once before, and I remember liking it but not having a particularly strong memory of it going forward. Hence, I’m really pleased to have another chance to reacquaint myself with this one. I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it 4 minutes in boiling water. The resulting liquor was quite dark, so I added a splash of milk.
For me, this is a pretty perfect autumn tea. I love the chestnutty taste this one has — almost like a cross between a sweet potato and a hazelnut, to my mind. It’s not particularly strong here (nothing like Adagio’s Chestnut, for example), but that’s okay as it can be quite a rich, overbearing taste. Here, it’s fairly delicate, and rounded out with the smooth, sweet flavour of vanilla and the maltiness of the base tea.
I tend to gravitate towards pumpkin teas in autumn, but this makes a very pleasant change. It’s a sophisticated cup — light, classy, perfectly balanced flavours. As I try more MF teas, I’m realising how accomplished their blends are. Particularly when compared to other flavoured teas. They have a lightness of touch that I’m really beginning to appreciate.
Anyway, chestnut teas are clearly something I can get behind. I’m encouraged to seek out more of these in the future, and possibly to give this one a home in my cupboard when the opportunity arises.
