Today's tea: Osmanthus black tea from Old Ways Tea

Some years back I bought a package of a black tea with rose petals in it and what a mistake that was. I think I drank one cup and never touched it again. (It was in the tea cleanout I did last week.) So I've been leery of teas with flowers. Uncle Iroh, the character from the "Avatar" series, is a fan of jasmine tea and I know it's a real thing, but I wasn't sure I wanted to go there yet.

Anyway, last week when Jade mentioned Old Ways Tea and I browsed their website, they had a black tea scented with osmanthus flowers in a 5g package, for only $1.75. Just enough to sample without a major commitment or expenditure. Why not?

Not surprisingly, it smelled lovely when I cut open the little packet. A toasty black tea scent predominated, complimented by, rather than overpowered by the flowers. The leaves were black, tightly rolled and tiny fragments of orange osmanthus petals were visible. Not knowing different, I steeped it at 200F for 30s in the gaiwan, because it's a black tea. It handled that ok, but it could have gone for a shorter, cooler first steep, perhaps 190F (oolong range) for 15-20 seconds.

It's a nice, delicate black tea with a hit of honey sweetness at the back. The floral notes are light and subtle. Having tried this, I am now willing to try a proper jasmine tea.

(When I mentioned it on Facebook, Jade said it was good with cheddar cheese and garlic crackers. I grabbed a piece of Tillamook sharp cheddar and tried it. Then I broke into a bag of white cheddar Simply Organic Doritos. Jade commented that black teas are generally what the Chinese drink with food, so that explains it, I guess. Insane how good this tea was with a few chips!)

Second steep, 30s/190F. Third steep, 45s/190F, flavor and scent remained good. By the fourth steep, 60s/190F, the flowers were done, but it was still a nice mild cup of black tea. 

Notes have been added to my tea spreadsheet!