If this is a classic malty black tea then I do not care for them. It’s not horrible, it does mellow and sweeten as it cools and has intetesting rye notes, but I shall save the rest of the leaves to make sweet tea for the husband. Main reason I drank this is because I’m going to try a Kenyan white from the same estate and because it was in the house as part of the gift set I ordered on sale for the copper tins. Again probably unfair to rate, so moving on.

Edit 8/16/12: Made this iced for the toddler this morning because the husband brought a jug of Gold Peak into the house which is now empty and Rowan wanted me to fill it. Me thinks this would be much better cold brewed and that is how I shall use up the remainder of the leaves, but you know impatient toddler so hot to cold which of course results in more bitterness. I actually took a sip of this before I iced it and was shocked at how much it tasted like apple cider, I did a tsp of sugar for the pitcher. Not so much cider in the iced version, though it reminds me a bit of Ceylon. Still not rating, leaves are prob old anyway since it was on sale an whatnot. The White Tinderet from Upton was a amazing btw.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.

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Baker Street, Berea, Ohio

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