I purchased two of Naivetea’s sample boxes last week and they finally arrived yesterday!! I can’t believe they took just over a week from order to arrival and it was only shipping from 250 miles away but the wait was certainly worth it!
Opening the packet up, Im immediately hit with the sweet and slightly acidic smell of fresh passionfruit, if I closed my eyes I would think someone was holding a fresh cut passionfruit in front of my face!! Such a heady, indulgent, succulent scent!!
I decided to steep in my little oolong yixing pot following Naivetea’s steeping directions… First steep at 50 seconds and the scent is not as prominent as the dry leaf, the flavor is muted but there is definitely some light passionfruit notes in each sip. Second steep at 40 second, the passionfruit flavor is a little more prominent, more juicy with a distinct buttery end note, the liquor has changed to a slightly more vibrant but beautiful yellow color. Third steeping at 50 seconds, and the scent is infinitely more floral and there is still a slight passionfruit flavor which is balanced with a vegetal flavor. Fourth and final steeping because I’m ready for something else, not because this tea has given up all its flavor… this time I steeped for 2 minutes (as Naivetea recommends for the 7th steeping) there is still a distinct passionfruit scent and the flavor is still present but fading a little… All in all this tea is pretty delicious, I expected a slightly more prominent passionfruit flavor due to the powerful scent of the dry leaves but I’m in no way disappointed with what the tea delivered and will absolutely purchase more when this sample is done.
