Here's yet another in a parade of marginally different green/black blends offered by Murchie's, all of which have pleased my nasal passages and taste buds nicely on the way inside. GSB, for short, is the third Murchie's green/black product I've found with both jasmine and bergamot, this one the most bergamot-weighted, but with the jasmine element readily apparent. As with the other two, they somehow play together quite friendly. The dry-bag aroma is somewhat stronger than that in-cup, but balanced just like the flavor. I've found most teas to smell at least a bit different than their taste, but GSB hasn't. Truth in olfactory advertising!

Though the black tea tastes somewhat different (more creamy), GSB seems like an intermediary between the rich, stronger No. 22 Blend and the smooth, more jasmine-dominant Waterfront Blend. As such, I'll wedge the total rating for this in between those, giving all three very high marks. Both 22 and Waterfront, along with GSB, are outstanding examples of how to do a green/black blend with multiple flavorings and balance it all well, with just enough differences between them to justify a separate name.

In Victoria, Government Street runs from the stately provincial Parliament building a couple blocks to the famous Empress Hotel, alongside the end of the scenic harbor, then inland past Murchie's flagship store. Since the street and the waterfront are so close together, I suppose it's fitting for that to be true for the respectively named teas too. :-)

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