Curtis

I’m a sucker for a banana tea so when I saw someone on IG posting about this tea I wanted to try it immediately. When I opened the box I was surprised to not really smell anything. Not a good sign. Once that tea bag hit the hot water the scent of banana exploded. The banana flavor it more apparent when the tea is hot. As it cools I first taste the tea base in the sip, then the banana comes out in the finish with an almost caramel note. It is pretty impressive for bagged tea from some brand that seems off the beaten path. I bet it would be great as a latte!

Whoa, this is rich black tea with lots of flavour.

Brews dark, rich copper colour, clear brew as well. There is no dust, no opaque notes, though tea itself in tea bag is quite fine chopped.

But the taste is what matters the most. And results are following: it is very nice and malty tea, full of taste, with woody notes a just little bit. Very tasty, not bitter at all, rather mellow and enjoyable.

Okay, new day, new tea. And as I have said yesterday, a starter is this Curtis Green Tea Mango!

I made some research to find what is in. As I have only one tea bag, I wanted to make it somehow perfect. Interesting ingredients, so I torn the tea bag, put it inside gaiwan and let´s see. Hmm; green tea apparently in, one bit of mango (probably) and few white crystals (probablysugar). The tea leaves are really fine, but what to expect from tea bag, right?

Okay, I have filled the gaiwan with about 80 °C water, and after 10 seconds steep I have strained it. Of course, lots of leaves went through. Tea itself is cloudy, quite green-yellow. In taste it is strong green tea with some sweet mango aftertaste. It works well somehow. The leaves in gaiwan smell like cut grass which wasn´t raked; and rain came. So bit like manure. But I am not supposed to sniff used leaves, right?

Second steep is 15 seconds long. Mango is less noticable, it remains actually just somehow bitter of mango. Tea part is weak.

30 seconds.
Mango is gone; tea is cheap – no taste, just plain green tea. What I have been expecting? A great tea? A great green tea? When they have to crush it? How naive I have been?

Conclusion? This is not tea for me; at least in gaiwan. First steep was best, as there was lots of mango sweetness. Now it tastes like some bitter water, without any scents of aromas. Nah I guess.