A sample from VariaTEA. I’m more or less out of my tea hiatus now, as my cold is beginning to depart. I know I’m not 100% back to normal in terms of taste, but I’m probably as well as I’m going to be for a fair few days. I can’t go without tea for much longer!
So anyway. I’ve never had a bamboo tea before, so I wasn’t all that sure what to expect. I followed the recommended parameters and added 2 tsp of leaf to boiling water for around 8 minutes. The resulting liquor is medium yellow, and smells fruity and a little vegetal.
To taste, I get an initial fruitiness. I can more or less pin it down to red berry, although there’s a light tropical element lurking around in the background. There was a cube of pineapple in the dry mix, so I guess it’s that! The fruitiness fades gently into a relatively think-tasting sweetness, almost like sugar-water, which I assume is the bamboo. The sip ends on a light herbal note.
I have to say that I’m really enjoying this one. I like the use of bamboo as a base – it really seems to let the fruit flavours shine through, while providing a pleasantly substantial backdrop. Often, my complaint with berry teas is that the berry is too hidden by other flavours. Here, it’s just perfect! Definitely one I’d try again if the chance arose.
