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My wife and I were in Savannah, Georgia, after the Christmas holiday. It’s a beautiful and historic city covering the Savannah River from immediate view. We love walking River Street with its cobblestones, shops, and restaurants, charmingly set facing the river.

Among the ever-changing gems we encountered on the street this time was a kiosk operated by Rachel Nicole, the nice and knowledgeable creator, owner, and purveyor of RachelMade skincare and tea products. Although I purchased her Revitalizing Rosemary Peppermint Dead Sea Salt Soak (after her free sample application DID resuscitate my life-long dry skin), I was primarily interested in her teas.

Rachel very kindly gave me a few free sample packets of her tea to bring home and take for a spin. Rachel currently offers about seven different DRINKING teas. I make the distinction because she also offers several teas for your BATH.

This morning I decided to start with her sample of Earl Grey. I chose this one because I have sampled many teas of this variety and now have a pretty good handle on what I like and don’t like.

I opened the sample package and was greeted with a potent but amiable bergamot aroma. The tea leaves were dark and short.

Following Rachel’s brewing instructions on the packet, I steeped the leaves for five minutes at 212 degrees, my usual brewing temperature for black teas.

The finished liquor had a pleasant bergamot odor with flowery undertones. The color was a deep reddish gold, a shade lighter than molasses.

Rachel does not specify the origin of her black teas on the website, but the flavor seemed to contain the familiar maltiness of Assam. The taste was pleasingly bold, malty, a tad flowery, and lavishly peppered with bergamot. The aftertaste was quite gentle. No astringency whatsoever materialized during the sips or afterwards.

All in all, this is a very nice black tea. I have no complaints about its flavors or drinkability. Although I utilized it to complement my breakfast, it would be a fine afternoon tea too.