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January 11, 2005
Empress of China
Name: Empress of China
Kathy's Rating: 7.0/10.0
Company: Teavana
Origin of tea: China
Price: $4.30/2 oz.
Tea form: Loose guava-scented green and black teas with bits of marigold, violet, and roses.
What they say: A fusion of green and black teas with guava, marigold and violet.
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over leaves and infuse for 3-4 minutes.
Review: This has to be one of the most visually stunning tea blends I have ever seen. The marigold, rose, and violet petal colors definitely bring to mind the requisite silk robes of past Chinese empresses. The scent of guava is a bit overpowering, though. Not surprisingly, this was a very fruity tea. I'm not sure guava is the best scent for this tea combination. If I created this, I would have used lychee instead, which would have imparted a slightly sweeter tone to the tea blend. While I have not heard of a Chinese empress who was a big fan of guavas, the lychee fruit was the infamous Yang Gui-Fei's favorite. All in all, this blend was still very enjoyable, and would have rated higher if the guava scent was a bit more subtle.
Posted by Kathy at January 11, 2005 06:48 PM