Review: Summer Rose - Teazillo

Tea Info
Type: Flavored Black
Producer: Teazillo
Origin/Base: Ceylon
Brewing Parameters: 2.8g, 100°C,  3-5 minutes
Appearance: Black, broken leaf base (larger than fannings) with large, pink-orange rose petals
Rating: B | 86/100
# of Brews: 1

Tasting Notes and Thoughts
I actually got this tea a long while ago (long while as in last year, July) as a 1 oz. free sample from Teazillo. I did post a review on their site after I got it, but I never was able to review it here. It turns out I packed a small amount (~3 grams) to save in a small plastic bag, but the bag was a bit open and the tea might now be stale or have other scents mixed in (like chai). Teazillo, the company that sent me this tea, actually sent me 2 oz. in really nice metal tins, but it looks like they went under a while ago. Oh well, they had a pretty decent flavored selection.

To be honest, I think this is one of the better rose teas I've had. The tea has large rose petals with a pinkish, orange color and a very dark black tea base. It smells a bit like potpourri, but it's not too overwhelming. After brewing for three minutes, the color was a dark, coffee color. The smell was sweet and earthy, with very light floral notes.

Surprisingly, the flavor wasn't as light as I'd expected it to be (considering the tea is a year old and not stored in an airtight container). It was a bit bitter, but not as much as yesterday's. The flavor starts off with a strong, dark chocolate taste and ends with a coffee flavor. Halfway through, the rose comes in with a tart flavor, which lingers after drinking and complements the chocolate pretty well. It's mostly smooth, but also has a little bit of a drying sensation in the throat after drinking. Overall, it's a pretty good rose tea; I suggest trying it with both milk and honey, but it's also enjoyable on it's own too.

Other Notes
Well, no school today, and I got nothing to do. All I've done is watch fencing videos, read a bit of A Confederacy of Dunces (pretty good book), and eat food. I'm probably just going to catch up on homework and study for all of the tests at the end of this week. You know why? Because spring break is next week! Woo!