Boudoir

This time I tried the Boudoir blend, the second tea provided to me by my Steepster tea exchange. According to the website from which it was purchased (Maison Francaise de The: Caravanserai) this is a blend of Ceylan, Assam, and Darjeeling teas.

The tea leaves smelled very similar to many Earl Grey teas I've tried (particularly Twinings Earl Grey); the scent was extremely pungent. It was a pleasant smell, but I was concerned the tea would be extremely strong, and potentially bitter.

The brew time was recommended at 5 minutes, so I tried that. However, the brew seemed a little lighter than I wanted, so I let it steep for closer to 6 or 7 minutes after a small sip verified my concerns. I might have needed to use more leaves; again, I was being cautious since the smell of the leaves were so strong. Still without a temperature-specific kettle, boiling water was used.

I was clearly mistaken in thinking the scent would be anything like the flavor. It is actually very soft in flavor, with a slightly acidic undertone reminiscent of citrus. A spot of sugar and a lemon would do well in this tea. I also believe it would be very good iced, and possibly blended with a fruity herbal tea.

All in all, this tea was very good, but probably not as impressive as the Darjeeling from last night. The Boudoir doesn't quite hold itself as well alone as the Darjeeling did.