Aves Specta

This China black was brought back from Post Street, Seattle, by C, who was out there sans family for a long weekend. Just ruined my final cup of it by steeping with a tea ball last used for an orange-spice black. Prior to this fiasco, it was a very fine choice.

Taking the afternoon off made it possible to ride across the bridge to the Portsmouth Tea Company for a minor restocking of the tea shelf. Cash on hand was limited, so I got small tins of Miami Ice (for A-) and Satrupa (for me).

It was my third time up the ancient circular stairs to the second floor of the old mill building, and again a warming experience. A higher-end tea vendor is not what I would have expected in Somersworth, but I'm sure glad it's here.

The satrupa looks like the one shown here, "Classic Manas," from the Satrupa Tea Estate in northeast Assam, as carried by Tfactor teas. Of the five single-estate assams at Portsmouth Tea Company, this one had the most inviting aroma. After one try, I'm a bit concerned that the aroma might its most favorable characteristic.