A truly artisanal example of this herb. Tastes the closest to the fresh-harvested, home-grown example of this herb than any other one I have bought through a company. Astonishing complexity for Rama Tulsi.

I tried this some time ago, and I think it may not have been terribly fresh; this was a fresh batch which a friend had shipped directly from Mountain Rose Herbs, and the difference is huge.

Aroma is full and creamy, with spicy undertones and notes of hay and straw, licorice, cocoa shells, and mint. The creaminess in the aroma is reminiscent of creamy candies, like nonpareils or handmade chocolates, but this is paired with earthy and herbaceous tones. Much less of the clove-like aroma that usually dominates the green leafed variety.

Smooth flavor, a light sweetness. Little bitterness, and no sourness. Medium body, with some astringency in the finish if steeped for a long time.

This is much more complex than any of the three tulsi varieties sold by Upton Tea Imports. I think I would still prefer their Purple Leaf (Krishna) tulsi to this one

I think I would prefer this to Upton's green-leaf variety or Rama Tulsi though: theirs was a bit harsh and this one is much smoother and has more of the warming quality that I like so much about this herb.

The leaf takes up a lot of space relative to its weight, so I recommend using two heaping teaspoons. I found it wasn't really possible to oversteep...I steeped for 8 minutes and it was not at all bitter, just rich and warming.

And the price is astonishingly reasonable!

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