This is another of the older Butiki teas in my cupboard, but it finally got its chance today! As with a lot of Butiki blends, it’s a beautifully pretty thing. The rose buds are a bright, vibrant pink, and very fresh-looking. They could have been picked yesterday, but I know they weren’t. The silver needle leaves are a creamy green in colour, and very downy. The scent is heavy on the rose, in a way that’s almost reminiscent of perfume. Thick and sultry, very fragrant. It’s a beautiful beginning.
I used 2 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in water cooled to around 180 degrees. Even though floral teas aren’t usually my bag, I’m in love with this one from the first sip. If parma violets were rose flavoured, they’d taste like this tea. I’m going to find it fairly hard to explain that now, but it’s how I felt immediately upon taking a sip. The rose is obviously the most apparent flavour, but somehow it doesn’t dominate the blend. It’s sweet, and tastes almost sugared, with just a hint of something powdery. It’s also truly, madly creamy, as if I’d added actual cream to my cup. Smooth, with a dairy like mellowness that complements the rose so, so well. Like rose milkshake, if such a thing existed. There’s the tiniest hint of champagne in the aftertaste, which adds a heady richness to the overall cup. It lingers beautifully, as does the rose, for a good few minutes after each sip. All together, the flavour, the smoothness of the mouthfeel, and the scent combine to make this a real sensory experience. Very few teas have this sort of impact on me, so I’m doubly sad I didn’t try this one sooner. My bank account is pleased, but that’s little consolation.
I love this blend, and I’ll cherish the little bag I have. It’s completely disproved my belief that I don’t like floral teas – clearly that’s not the case. This is a beautiful, fabulously tasty tea, and I’m honoured to have had the pleasure of trying it. Butiki may be gone, but they will always live on in my memory.
