I decided to have this long-ignored oolong that I remember enjoying last time around. Smelling it makes it clear there has been a pretty considerable loss in terms of scent – what remains is a vague sweetness that is pleasant enough, but that doesn’t have anything to do with strawberry to my nose.
The same goes for the brewed tea – there is no, or in any case very little left of the delicate strawberyness and floral deliciousness I remember from last time. I think this might be the fatal flaw of flavoured artisanal blends, at least when it comes to my own situation. These teas are made to be consumed quite fresh, and not left to linger in the cupboard. Furthermore, and as I have previously pointed out, Butiki’s flavourings and my palate are not generally well-matched.
Another thing I have also stressed in the past, however, is Stacy’s superior selection of base teas. This cup is still very pleasant – as opposed to one of those bulk-produced, industrial German blends that has been lying around for a while and lost its flavour, this is a delight to drink.
So again I will conclude that Butiki’s unflavoured teas are something I very much look forward to trying – they will probably be far more in sync with both my palate and my tea lifestyle.
ETA: Or wait, is this even flavoured? Now I’m confused!
ETA2: Also please appreciate how masterfully I use the term ‘tea lifestyle’ instead of just typing I HAVE A LOT OF TEA AND DON’T DRINK IT FOR A LONG TIME AND SOMETIMES IT GETS OLD OKAY.
80 C, 4 minutes.