Violin in C Sharp

 This is the second blend from a variety three pack that I'm trying.  The first was African Chai - which I really enjoyed.  This Earl Grey variation uses the same Kenyan black tea as the base as was used in the Chai, so I had high hopes. When I opened the tin, the bergamot hit me in the face like a wall - and it made me smile with how delicious it smelled.  A surprising twist from the tin was that, even though it is a black tea, the tin suggests only a three minute steep in boiling water instead of the more traditional 5 minute.  I wasn't sure I would get enough flavour from a black tea with only a three minute steep.  Hence, the first time I brewed it, I did a 5 minute steep. After the 5 minute steep, the tea DID exhibit a few tells flavour wise of an oversteep.  Thankfully, it wasn't a full oversteep disaster that ruined my cuppa - but it did make me try the tin directions for a three minute steep on my second brew.  Also thankfully, the 5 min o...

  This isn't like other any other chai I've had before and that may be partly due to the Kenyan Black Tea that serves as the base of the blend.  It's a bold flavored tea, without being astringent or too in your face.  Actually.... it's quite lovely. Beyond the tea base, the spice blend is also unique.  Most of my chai blends don't have rose or fennel.  The combination of the fennel with the licorice root does interesting things that.... I can't actually describe.  Though, one of the things the licorice does is give the blend an intriguing sweetness without the addition of any sugar.  The rose is lovely on the nose, but isn't on the overnote and mainly sits on the sides of the middle of my tongue on the end note, but without perfuming the aftertaste. If you're looking for a SPICY chai, this isn't it.  Even though it has black pepper, it's well spiced but not spicy (as in with heat).  If you prefer your chai to be spiced at the level of a mild ...