Courtesan's Blend

I think this is the third time I’ve tried this tea and alas, I don’t believe this one is for me. Oolong, cinnamon, clove, natural vanilla flavoring. . . all of the flavors are there but they seem incredibly muted and it isn’t until the very last sip can I even detect the flavor. The smells coming from my teapot as the tea steeps smell amazing- clove, cinnamon, vanilla – but I don’t think the delightful notes my nose is picking up are translating into the same flavor profile. I’ve over leafed and over steeped and the results are the same. If the volume on the flavors was turned up just a touch, I think this tea would be amazing.

Got this one in my Sips by box. I’ve heard of this tea company before, but this is my first time trying them.

Holy clove! The little sample I got is full of whole cloves and lots of cinnamon chips. So many. Combined with the oolong’s natural scent, it reminds me (I know this is weird) of sweet gherkins. It’s also giving off a strong Constant Comment vibe, but without the orange. Instead of orange, they used vanilla. I’m not opposed to that, but I can’t really tell it’s there.

The tea comes out to a nice light green. The oolong notes are right up there with the clove, matching it and adding a pleasant, woodsy depth. The cinnamon is noticeable, but it’s not the star of the tea like it often is. Despite there being no fruit in it, I swear I can taste red grapes or something. Not sure what that is. And the vanilla doesn’t really come through to me much. There is a creamy note, but I think I’m just tasting the oolong again. Anyway, this is pretty good. Maybe not something I’d reorder, but I like it.