Violin in C Sharp

  Dry and in the bag, the orange essence was STRONG on the nose, and that worried me a bit because it smelled oily and fake.  Thankfully, once the leaf was wet the fake orange smell vanished as though it had never been there and all I could smell was the Assam.  Also, the liquid was clean with no trace of oil floating on top. It brews up very dark, which I adore in my black teas.  The first sip wasn't complex or layered at all - it was pure hit you over the head Assam.  It took me a few sips to acclimate my palate to taste anything past the Assam.  This is NOT a complaint though, because it's high quality Assam.  The first flavor I got past the Assam was the Ceylon.  I was about half a cup in before I noticed the heather in the mid note - but once I noticed it, I couldn't un-taste it.  The orange peel was far milder than I would have liked because I did get a bit more tannin in the finish than I prefer and orange peel often mellows that out. In an attempt to mitigate the ta

 In case you didn't know - I am a big Star Trek fan - especially Next Generation and DS9.  Picard is, in fact, my very favorite Captain.  I mean, how could he NOT be?  So, when Plum Deluxe targeted me with this fan blend, I tried to resist buying it.... and was successful for all of 30 minutes. If you are looking for a traditional Earl Grey - this is NOT your cuppa.  If you don't like pecans, this is also NOT your cuppa.  If you are a fan of Lady Grey blends and you enjoy pecans - then look no further, this is the cuppa for you! The black tea they've used in the blend is a little dry on the mouth when taken straight, but it takes cream VERY well.  The cornflower is just as prevalent in this as in a Lady Grey blend, but I quite enjoy that added floral touch.  The Bergamot is not as strong in this blend as in a traditional Earl Grey, but it is present and as always, adds depth to the mid notes of the blend.  On the nose and on the tongue, the most dominant flavour in the blen