The news on my IPhone is that it’s still resting in its bag of rice. I’m so unbelievably tempted to dig it out right now and see if it’ll turn on, but seeing as I’m not going to the Apple store until tomorrow anyway, I’m probably better off postponing that particular brand of heartbreak.
Before I review this tea, let me just say how disappointed I am that I only got enough for one sample (the good news, however, is that it’s apparently good for multiple steeps, although that remains to be determined as I’m a steep snob, it would seem).
I was dreaming about trying this tea while I was at work this afternoon. I was supposed to be focused, but I was exhausted and so obviously my mind wandered. When I got home, the first thing I did was rush over and inhale the scent of the leaves. I was greeted by an immediate burst of florals: it was very similar to walking in a lush, green English garden at sunset (you know, because I’ve been in a million of those…except that I haven’t, but it’s what I’d imagine “The secret Garden” to smell like). Someone earlier said the tea was somehow reminiscent of a time gone by, that that rang true for me, even just by smelling the leaves. I, too, instantly thought “Victorian era.”
So, hopes high, I brewed this up. I used one teaspoon with eight oz of water as recommended, and steeped for slightly longer than four minutes. I added in a touch of rock sugar before I even took my first sip, as I don’t try and really kid myself about whether or not I’m going to like sugar or not, and my gosh…I can’t even. I felt as though I was drinking the epitome of peace. I was pretty much drinking tranquility. As I sipped this tea, I imagined (quite vividly in fact, which may indicate my current state of sleep deprivation) that it was talking to me. If this tea could talk, it would say: “Great things await you, my precious girl. But you must be patient.”
Nothing says “Hang in there, little one. There is so much beauty in this world” like this cup of tea. I know I sound dramatic and ridiculous, but I’ve always maintained that scent and taste are so intrinsically bound up with so many other associations—memories, hopes, emotions, deep longing, times we want to remember, times we want to forget. I don’t know if I’ll always be in this wistful a mood when I drink this tea, but it’ll certainly get me pretty darned close.
So, what it tastes like. I detect jasmine, although it certainly isn’t overwhelming as it might be in a solo jasmine tea. There’s also..well, the violet and the calendula (not sure what that is, exactly) and the oolong, and I can’t really tell which is which, but I think that’s the beauty of Butiki: the tea tastes as though it was just supposed to taste this way, and not as if someone laboriously toiled away in some factory trying really hard to make it taste a certain way. It tastes of roses, jasmine, other flowers; it tastes, quite frankly, of effortless grace. Absolutely 100% adding this to my next and near future order.
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I’m a steep snob too! Ha. Without only like 2 or 3 exceptions I don’t find any black teas worth resteeping. But I wasn’t familiar with oolongs and greens until recently and was pleasantly surprised to learn that most do in fact taste best the 2nd or 3rd steep in. yay.
good luck with your phone!
Ugh typos. I’d delete that but it won’t let me from the dashboard and Steepster comments don’t work for me anywhere else. Just pretend I deleted that, here’s the clearer version:
I’m a steep snob too! Ha. With only like 2 or 3 exceptions I don’t find any black teas worth resteeping. But I wasn’t familiar with oolongs and greens until recently and was pleasantly surprised to learn that most do in fact taste best the 2nd or 3rd steep in. Yay.
Good luck with your phone!
No worries, your post came through clear as a bell! :). I’m glad I’m not the only person who typically prefers only one steep. Like you, I’ve found a few teas that will hold up well to a second steep, but I very often find the second steep just lacks depth for me. That’s ok though—I’ll make it through my stash faster, and thereby get permission to get more and more!
not to mention that even if you only steep things once (i’m about 50/50 in my world) it’s still generally cheaper per glass than anything else around :)
Agreed! :)
Glad to know I’m not the only one who struggles with multiple infusions!
I’m a steep snob too! Ha. Without only like 2 or 3 exceptions I don’t find any black teas worth resteeping. But I wasn’t familiar with oolongs and greens until recently and was pleasantly surprised to learn that most do in fact taste best the 2nd or 3rd steep in. yay.
good luck with your phone!
Ugh typos. I’d delete that but it won’t let me from the dashboard and Steepster comments don’t work for me anywhere else. Just pretend I deleted that, here’s the clearer version:
I’m a steep snob too! Ha. With only like 2 or 3 exceptions I don’t find any black teas worth resteeping. But I wasn’t familiar with oolongs and greens until recently and was pleasantly surprised to learn that most do in fact taste best the 2nd or 3rd steep in. Yay.
Good luck with your phone!
No worries, your post came through clear as a bell! :). I’m glad I’m not the only person who typically prefers only one steep. Like you, I’ve found a few teas that will hold up well to a second steep, but I very often find the second steep just lacks depth for me. That’s ok though—I’ll make it through my stash faster, and thereby get permission to get more and more!
not to mention that even if you only steep things once (i’m about 50/50 in my world) it’s still generally cheaper per glass than anything else around :)
Agreed! :)
Glad to know I’m not the only one who struggles with multiple infusions!