Once upon a time, I bought a set of tiny flavor concentrates/extracts that are used to make candy and similar. One of the flavors in that bunch was Brandy. This is the first thing I noticed when I opened the packet of Leatherbound. In fact I still had the little bottle of the brandy flavor in my drawer. Comparing the two, they are not identical, but wow it seems really close.
I think the first thing I had to come to terms with in Leatherbound is its all about the experience. Not the flavors so much as how it makes you feel I guess.
The name is very apt. In my mind I see a well worn oversized overstuffed leather chair. You know one of those where the leather has turned all soft and comfortable and its big enough for two people if you don’t mind snuggling Its in a big room in dark wood paneling filled with bookshelves (and LOTS of books) that go something like 12ft high. There are small lamps by the chairs, but otherwise the lighting is dim. There are large windows with heavy drapes that look out to a cold, gray, and rainy day. Somewhere nearby, someone is smoking a pipe. You know how pipe tobacco has a smell all of its own.
My first repose is, OMG I want to live there for the rest of my life! I don’t have a dream house, I just have a dream room, and the paragraph above describes it almost perfectly.
So, lets get down to flavor.
I find it funny how taste perception can vary so much from person to person. Its either been so long since I have smelled or tasted rye bread (or any bread for that matter) that I might not be able to recognize it if it were shoved into my face. So I don’t get any bread vibes or caraway vibes for that matter. Given caraway is in the ingredient list, I find that surprising.
Two steeps, multiple sessions in the microwave (because I can’t stand cold tea unless its iced), and I cannot detect any astringency or bitterness. The cacao flavor is very mild and doesn’t seem to stand out very much.
What I keep going back to is that brandy extract/flavoring, which drags me back to that room with that comfy overstuffed leather chair. Oh and there is a fireplace. There needs to be a fireplace. Not because I can detect smoke, but because rooms like that just need big stone fireplaces. Oh and there’s a bottle of brandy on a side table with some glasses, because its necessary for a room like that as well.
I should note: You don’t really notice the tea base with Leatherbound. Its not that its being over powered (I’m looking at you Market Spice!), but how much do you notice the canvas of an oil painting. Its a vital component, but it doesn’t stand out on its own. At least to my current tastes.
Flavors: Brandy
