Elden Street Tea

Additional notes: Steeping this one up again to see if I can taste BLACK CURRANT at all. Two teaspoons instead of 1 1/2. This time, I notice more flavor, but to me it seems like: floral plum, raspberry, grape, still cherry. All to say, much different and more flavorful from the last steep session but really not black currant still.

SkySamurai’s mystery advent tea #9  backlog from 12/22
(Note accidentally deleted.)  This seems to be a black tea with a cherry/marzipan sort of aroma.  The flavor is very much the same and also slightly boozy.  It  reminds me of Dammann Frere’s Noel Paris tea.  Which I like but isn’t really my favorite of their wonderful Noel teas. (At least I didn’t brew both teas up on the same day! That would have been funny. )  The second steep is much the same with slightly less flavor.   My guess: cherry marzipan black tea. Was I correct?  Heck no.  There was no way I was tasting black currant here. haha.  And yet another shop I have never heard of.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 24 minutes after boiling  // 2 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 2 minutes after boiling // 3-4 minute steep

This is an herby rooibos blend with sprinkles. The only flavor I feel like I can taste is mint with some murkiness from the rooibos. It’s a pretty blend, but the flavor isn’t very clear or remarkable…also, looking at the ingredients…there isn’t any mint in here? I guess I’m just going crazy. This is a weird one. I wish the lavender had been more present!

This has the elements of a good pumpkin spice tea, but the main flavors that show up are pepper and rooibos. It’s decent, but not at all special. I’d like to see some more spices show up.