Humus, peat, loam, and clay are all deeply evocative words for earth, conjuring sensations of springy soil beneath our feet, or in the case of gardens, one’s hands. In an instance, a scotch described as peaty is understood by all; minerality brings to mind wine from volcanic regions like Hungary or Santorini… Thus, it’s no stretch to describe a tea as earthy.
In the Song Collection, a handful of teas fit this description to a, well, tea. Brewed, some lend themselves most easily to poetic descriptors - a soft patch of soil at the base of a redwood giant, or water drawn from a deep granite pool… While floral and light, Purple Rose nonetheless has notes of burdock, freshly uprooted. Ruby recalls the warm, musky qualities of a coconut husk, and Buddha’s Hand is redolent of malted barley, dark and mineral-rich.