I’d gotten this as a free sample with another tea I’d ordered, because it was one of the only teas Adagio offered as a sample that wasn’t a flavored or herbal tea. The first time I tried it, I was unimpressed. However, this afternoon I was helping my dad fix dinner and I wanted to fix some tea, so I decided to give this another go.
During round 1, I was puzzled by all the reviews on Adagio.com that raved about its “nutty” flavor; I just tasted burnt grass. I would have feared I’d oversteeped it had the dry leaves not smelled exactly the same. I erred on the side of caution anyway. Adagio recommends steeping it at 180 for 2-3 minutes. This time, I veered closer to Teavana instructions with 175-180 for ~45 seconds.
I still taste burnt grass. Or toasty lawnmower clippings. But it doesn’t bug me quite as much as my first try. I can see it being an acquired taste. Or working well when blended with something else. Don’t know what. Maybe this time, I just knew what to expect.