7 Tasting Notes

100
reviewed The Teamaker by T2
7 tasting notes

I apologise for the unscheduled hiatus that has happened here. However I can safely say I am well and truly moved to Brisbane now and I could not be happier with life. Yay! :)
So what better way to celebrate with some new teaware and a ton of new tea? (reviews for those will follow shortly~)
I can not stop raving about this little baby, even to those who do not give two hoots, but it’s just so nifty that I can’t help but show it off. I realise this isn’t a new concept by any means and most likely not the best either, however it’s great value and perfect for a single tea drinker like myself. As a bonus, this was sold to me in a discounted bundle which consisted of two 60g teas, a double wall tea glass and a tea scoop- all for $25! I was practically dancing out the store with glee after purchasing.
My only con would be that it’s a little fiddly to clean. Particularly when scooping out the used leaves, resulting in me having to use my hand to scrape them out. Although really it’ll be doing the skin on my hands some good if anything.
Overall, highly recommend for anyone who wants convenient and effective brewing, especially if you have minimum space like myself.

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96
drank Liquorice Legs by T2
7 tasting notes

Two tasting notes in one day? Must be on some kind of roll.
I received this as a taster sachet from my last T2 haul in London and what an extraordinary pleasure it was to try. I can certainly say I’ve never had anything like this before and initial thoughts had me dubious of what to expect. The leaves give off an almighty, sinus clearing scent that one would expect from the anise and spearmint elements in this blend. A little nervous, I bit the bullet and took my first sip, only to pleasantly surprised by a sweetness that works perfectly in tandem with the minty notes. All together, wonderfully refreshing and a much needed relief aid for my pesky hay fever.

Flavors: Anise, Spearmint

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

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87
drank Oolong Berry by T2
7 tasting notes

This tea is a perfect brew to start the morning. The green tea makes for a decent health kick, while the sweetness of the berries counteracts any bitterness it may offer. However, if steeped for too long that tartness can slightly override the berry notes. But that is a danger with any green or white tea, so best to brew only as much as you need and drink it hot. On the contrary this particular blend doesn’t become that bad if over steeped and overall could be quite nice chilled. That is, when the weather here decides to become less dark and dreary. When that will be, I have no idea!

Flavors: Berry, Raspberry

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

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85

Another tea from last year’s Australian haul, which is surprisingly not from T2 (shocking, I know). The Tea Centre has a charming little shop in the Brisbane Arcade that reminds me of the traditional tea shops you find here in England. The first out the two purchased was Ginger Bread, a popular choice at the time, as it was the Australian winter. I fancied a cup this morning, because despite being British summertime (ha!) it’s actually quite cold and drizzly. After not consuming it for a good while, I was pleasantly reminded why it was so popular back then. I prefer a full bodied black tea and sometimes I find with flavoured blends the base can be somewhat neglected, creating a weak body which is made even worse when adding milk. However Ginger Bread seems to tick all the boxes, which makes me extremely happy. My only complaint would have to be that the ginger would be almost impossible to detect, if it weren’t for the telltale tingle of spice left on the tongue after every sip. Otherwise almond is a clear and favourable presence, which led me to use a touch of almond milk to enhance this flavour.

Flavors: Almond, Caramel, Ginger

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 14 OZ / 400 ML

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75
drank Creme Brulee by T2
7 tasting notes

I discovered this tea last year on the final day of my trip to Brisbane, Australia and immediately developed a crush. Creme Brûlées are my all time favourite dessert; so if not the name, the mouth watering scent certainly did the trick and I purchased with gusto.
The leaves have a beautiful rich darkness about them, complimented with the small pieces of hazelnut which create the loveliest contrast- leaving me absolutely ecstatic to try this as soon as I got it home.
Unfortunately the first cup I made was a disaster (too much milk, didn’t steep for long enough, etc) and I was left utterly disappointed and disheartened. Especially since I was somewhat of a novice at the time. For many months it made its way to the back of my cupboard untouched, until I had a clean out. By then I had been gifted a beautiful tea pot which never seemed to fail, so I went ahead and tried Creme Brulee again, making sure to follow the instructions precisely this time. This definitely solved the problem and I was in love all over again!
This tea is the embodiment of a perfect winter/autumn night, yet I find myself still enjoying it into the summer months. A perfect balance of sweet with a hint of nuttiness and when brewed correctly really does taste like the dessert itself. Again, this tea suggests honey as the sweetener, but I substitute for half a tsp of sugar since I’m not a honey fan. I’ve tried without either and while perfectly drinkable, a touch of added sweetness really brings all those wonderful flavours forward.
Moral of the story: Always give your teas a second chance to dazzle you!

Flavors: Caramel, Hazelnut

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 25 OZ / 750 ML

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93
drank Gorgeous Geisha by T2
7 tasting notes

At first I was dubious about a strawberry tart flavoured green tea, and I wouldn’t of considered purchasing if the clerk had not convinced me otherwise. However I was so pleasantly surprised that I’d dare say Gorgeous Geisha is my new favourite blend from T2.
The fruit notes are delicate and in no way overpower the refreshing green tea. Furthermore, I found the beautiful scent from the leaves still lingers even when brewed, creating the most lovely tea time experience
All in all, a wonderful balance of healthy green tea with a touch of sweetness that would please most.

Flavors: Cream, Strawberry, Tart

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 4 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 2 OZ / 70 ML

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66

After discovering the newly opened East India Company store in Convent Garden, I purchased this slightly on a whim. However I justified spending £9 on the 100g pack, because I’d thoroughly enjoyed a few teas from this particular company before and admittedly was quite enamoured with the glorious scent.
Due to whatever reason, it was only today I got around to making a cup. I didn’t make a full pot, instead I used my infuser ball with a single tsp of leaves to a standard size cup. The instructions provided are pretty clear and straightforward for whatever amount of tea you want to make.
It’s suggested you take this black tea with no milk and either a little sugar or honey to taste. As someone who isn’t a fan of honey in tea, I went with the sugar option. However after tasting I think I may leave out sweetening all together next time. Combined with the already sweet flavours of the orange and the cinnamon, it became almost too sickly sweet- and that is coming from a girl with an incredible sweet tooth!
Overall Kama Sutra is a beautiful and fragrant tea ,proving to be quite delicate despite the strong flavours included. I’m excited to share this tea with my tea loving friends and would definitely recommend this blend to anyone visiting a East India Company Store.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Orange, Rose

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 1 OZ / 15 ML

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Profile

Bio

Tea loving English girl living in Brisbane Australia.
Having already dabbled into the wonders of Aussie tea companies (T2 mainly), I am looking forward to furthering my obsession and discovering lots more exciting blends.

Location

Brisbane, Australia

Website

http://celestealice.tumblr.com/

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