This sample tea came from the February Steepster Select box, which shows how far behind I am in trying out the samples that I have — it’s now the beginning of June.
I couldn’t help but sneak a peek at the other reviews and I saw a lot of dismal thoughts about this one. I confess that 2nd flush darjeelings don’t tend to be a favorite of mine, but I’m up for trying any tea at least once.
I noticed the wet leaf smells very “woody” — almost like musk — when I took the infuser out of the teapot. The tea liquor steeps up to be a medium orangish-brown in color. As far as the flavor is concerned, Upton’s flavor description seems to be spot on. I would also describe it as woody with a hint of muscatel. There’s a slight astringency in the finish but it is palatable.
I liked this better than most of the other reviewers did; though I still don’t plan to put this on my shopping list anytime soon. A pinch of raw cane sugar makes a nice addition to this.
I started my writing class yesterday which is very interesting so far. Maybe I’ll get inspired soon to write some more blog postings. :)
