I wasn’t sure this was the right tea but then I read tea color and I was indeed certain this was right. Chardonnay for real!
I did a rinse first and I am steeping as quickly as I can.
First steep: As soon as I raised the cup to my nose I could smell spices. I love how peppery it is mixed with that typical puerh hay taste. I love that there’s this smokiness to it that melds into the peppercorn. Is smoked pepper a thing like smoked salt? Because it should be. This is the way I can handle smoky, in such a savory way.
They are! http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/spices/pepptelsm.html
It’s also pretty creamy, like almost even has that whipped cream feeling where it has coated your mouth, minus the actual gross film feel on the roof of your mouth. I can see how it’s kind of not one to drink, should have rinsed twice but whatever!
Second steep: really, really reminiscent of leather. That was almost all I got. It was starting to get a bit much for me to drink but I must keep on~
Third steep: Still a lot of leather, but there’s something like hazelnuts coming through too.
Fourth: leather leather leather Pepper was back for just a fleeting few sips. I am going to go for one more steep, I can’t take much more of the smoke.
Fifth: I don’t like this much anymore :( I know I should keep going and hopefully get past the smoke but since it’s lost that savory peppercorn I just really don’t like it and it doesn’t taste good to me.
The day is young, time to pick out a new one.
Thank you for the sample, Terri HarpLady!
I really enjoy this one, so I’m glad you got a chance to try it. :)