I got this sample from Verdant a while back, just finally getting around to trying it. I had students all afternoon, so this was brewed gongfu style, as recommended on the site, initially for 2 – 4 secs per steeping, adding a little time as I went along.
The dry smell of the leaves was salty. Once the tea was wet a sweet floral & almost melon-like scent arose. It steeped to an appealing honey apricot color. With each steep, I took a sip or 2, then dumped the rest into a mason jar, which eventually ended up in the frig as chilled tea (no ice).
The early steepings gave a hint of apricot sweetness & an earthiness that brought to mind a mossy forest in the Fall. There is a slight bitter edge, & in subsequent steepings the taste of cloves, or some similar spice, emerged. Several steepings later I got the puckery mouth-feel & aftertaste of having eaten a grapefruit.
I added 1 drop of stevia to the last cup & then I found the honeydew melon taste.
Not my favorite tea from Verdant, but an interesting change of pace!
Sipping the chilled tea now…clovey, but sparkling!