The name sounds very fancy. The tin looks very pretty (festive even.)
Dry: There is a smell of Bergamont that fills your nose, but the notes are more subdued compared to your regular Earl Grey. The tea has mixtures of Sri Lankan, Chinese and Indian teas and you can see it very clearly when you take a peek at it. When I take a deep sniff, the Bergamont disappears and I smell what reminds me of Tetley Orange Pekoe, an earthy smell.
Steeped: I smell the earthy qualities first and the Bergamont tickles the tips your nose, rounding off the note. The tea brew up a deep copper red, reminding me of a good English Breakfast tea. It takes milk very well and becomes a handsome toffee coloured tea. As I’ve been reading more and more on here, I’m wondering if I am steeping my teas too long, as I do get a dry smacking feeling on my tongue, much like when I drink a red wine and don’t finish it (I haven’t developed much of a palette for reds yet.) I’m realizing this might be the astringency that everyone is speaking of. It definitely has a malty quality to it and I would definitely agree it’s a “moody” tea.
I picked it today because, like yesterday I wanted a more simple tea, less “flavours” and more complexity in the leaves. I know the Fairmont probably gets ignored for its teas, as people tend to think of them when they think of High Tea, but they do have some nice blends and they are quite affordable. Either way, I have 5 of their teas, with this one being given to me as a gift from a friend because they didn’t enjoy black teas.
I’d say it’s a solid contender for a morning tea, the only reason I didn’t rate it higher is because the after note on it is a bit strong and dry. I will try brewing for less time next time. However, it was frosty and fresh this morning and it was exactly what I wanted. A bold tea that stood out and woke me up. So Good morning :)
