22 Tasting Notes
The tea comes with a fancy-schmancy in-cup brewing system called the BrewTache. Instead of completely submersing the tea bag, you spread two paper flaps over the mouth of the cup so that the tea bag can hang. It’s meant to replace the trouble of using a diffuser or filter for loose leaf tea and I must admit its kind of cute, if totally unnecessary. That said, it’s a pretty good darjeeling. I steeped it for a little less than 4 minutes and the tea is wonderfully smooth and light. It’s fairly thin-bodied, with a very subtle floral aroma. Very soothing, with a barely-there sweet aftertaste.
I regularly purchase the Iced Tea version, which comes with 10 quart tea bags. The tea is refreshingly sweet without sugar and very smooth. I like to add lots of mint and a slice of lemon or mango for decoration. A strong flavored black tea, beautiful amber color, lovely for summer.
More mild than their Prince Vladimir tea, Kusmi’s Christmas tea is dominated by orange. The other “six” spices of the tea disappear in a pleasing way. I actually enjoy this tea better than their strongly spiced Prince Vladimir (which ironically, I think, makes a better holiday tea) but would not buy again out of personal preference.
Spicy, with heavy notes of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and bergamot. Best when brewed for a short time. It is a good Christmas time tea. The only negative is that they come in enormous tins (4.4 oz) and after two years, I have yet to come close to finishing it but can’t bring myself to toss it out… It is still fragrant enough to be potpourri though!
Preparation
Did they discontinue this wonderful green tea? It’s a very perfumed tea, with bright blue cornflower blossoms and bits of dried wild papaya and pineapple. I’m a sucker for cornflower. I’m always so amused by seeing blue (!) leaves in my tea or bits of dried fruit. Sweet and fruity, and very delicate.