So I just took BuddyTV’s ‘Which Buffy the Vampire Slayer character are you?’ quiz, and, to my great surprise, I am Rupert Giles. I will have to somehow process this. Maybe everyone who drinks tea is automatically a Giles?
Anyway, this clearly calls for some (more) tea. This is another sample from Stacy (Happy birthday, by the way! Ha! Just kidding.) and again, I can’t remember if I asked for this or if it was one she chose for me.
Unlike all other Butiki teas I’ve tried, this doesn’t smell good dry to me – I really like the main body of it, but then this metallic note (I’m guessing it’s the hibiscus/rhubarb.) cuts through and kills everything else. Steeped, though, it smells so good – really, really good. Nothing metallic whatsoever remains in the cup.
Flavour wise, there is some hibiscus tartness, but it’s very well-balanced and goes nicely together with the base tea, which I love. There’s also a surprising amount of sweetness, which hits a perfect berry note. And finally a hint of pastry to round it off.
I love how complex this tea is. As usual, I wish for more intensity of flavour, but it’s still one of my Butiki favourites. And gah! I just realized this was the last of it!
[From my Butiki order to Santa Clara, October 2013.]
[Sample polished off in Rome, January 2014.]
Boiling, 3 min