75

229/365

I’ve been curious about this one for a while, but if I’m honest it was a combination of the name and the aesthetic that finally made me cave and buy it. It’s so pretty – rainbow indeed! I steeped this the way I usually would a herbal, which is 4-5 minutes in boiling water, and then realised that the pouch suggests 10 minutes. I took a sip, found very little flavour, and put the leaf back in. This is one that needs a lengthy brew time to really come alive.

And come alive it does. The overall flavour is quite herbally, in a “wildflower field” kind of way. Sort of floral-ish, but with a more savoury edge. In amongst all that are little sparks of brilliance – a soft lemon creaminess, a hint of cooling mint, a touch of sweet, tart fruitiness. It’s the kind of tea that seems to change with each sip, giving the impression that there’s always something new to taste or discover.

I’m drinking this one during the day, but I think it’s the kind of blend that would be well suited to evening or bedtime drinking. It’s soft and fairly subtle, sweet-ish but with a slightly herbaceous quality that stops it from feeling overdone. It’s probably not unique enough that I’d rush out and buy more (although it doesn’t contain chamomile, so I guess that’s a point in its favour), but I’ll enjoy having it around for a while. Did I mention that it’s really pretty?

On another note, I had my appraisal today, during which my line manager basically disagreed with everything I said, and then told me quite plainly that he takes me for granted and relies on my experience to make up for his lack of it. So I told him I’ve been offered a new job, and I figure this whole enterprise was worth it just to see the look on his face. This place are going to be in the shit without me, and it’s finally come home.

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

People who liked this

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer