I finished off the package of this today. I’m trying to get through some of my older 52Teas blends before the 12 days of tea begins again. I still have several of the packages from previous years unopened. I don’t drink caffeine often so unfortunately I can’t sipdown most of these anytime soon.
I’m having my last cup of this one in hottish (80ish deg. C water) with 800 mL water. I’ve been letting it steep as I drink it Grandpa style. I get some nice oolong notes (molasses, thick, floral in the after taste) and some dried fruit flavour. It is reminiscent of dried fig or raisin. The spices aren’t helping since I don’t associate figs (I eat them as a fresh summer fruit) with winter spices. Overall, the blend is alright. I would prefer no spices and more fig but I like the oolong choice. It verges on bitter after ~1 hour of steeping at low temperature but the oolong flavour works with dried fruit.
Not related to this tea really, but I just thought of a new fig tea for 52Teas to make. What about fig newton? Cakey pastry and graham cracker notes with the sweetness of dried figs. Or, maybe a blend called “Greek holiday” with freeze dried figs (Fresh fig taste) and freeze dried grapes. When I went to Greece I lived on grapes and figs. No regrets. You can buy figs by the dozen for a few euro in Greece (in contrast Canada grows quite a few figs but they cost over $1 each).
Flavors: Cinnamon, Dried Fruit, Fig, Mineral, Molasses, Raisins, Roasted Barley, Spices
I have the same problem. I only occasionally drink caffeinated tea, so it sits on my shelf forever as I finish up all my herbal teas like lightning. I often just try a cup or two of each and give the rest away or swap it.