Civil Disobedience: Smoky Cardamom Black Tea

I love smoky teas, and this is one of my new favorites. It tastes like a nice strong lapsang souchong, with notes of pine-like astringency and warm spiced sweetness from the cardamom. This is definitely for people who like a really strong and robust tea. This isn't a delicate brew for a tea party, it's for warming up after a brisk hike through the woods or staying up late into the night reading about Transcendentalism.

This is interesting, but very strong. I’ve brewed it a dozen ways and it doesn’t really work for me. Every once in awhile I’ll take a sniff of the bag because it smells like a glamorous campfire, but it is definitely more of an acquired taste. The smoke permeates well and is well blended (I do love a sultry smoke soaked tea) but the cardamom oil and Indian black tea increase the astringency beyond my daily tolerance level. I have to really be in the mood to pick this up. It’s the only August Tea I’ve had so far that I didn’t finish off within a month. It’s worth getting the sample if you’re unsure.

Nothin' like a nice hot cup of Civil Disobedience in the morning to feel like you're doing life right.

Way too smoky. And I like smoky! But this gave me a headache.

Another one of my favorite permanent stash teas. Love the cardamom in this one, it's very well balanced and absolute perfection!