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Sipdown #35

This isn’t a bad jasmine green tea, but it’s not among the best I’ve tried (I’m looking at you, Verdant & Teavivre). The jasmine is strong and flavorful in the first steep and quieter in the second. The end of the sip leans towards bitterness, so I probably should have used a little cooler water.

I’m also not sure if the bitterness is originating from the jasmine flavoring or the green base. I brewed the second infusion at 180 degrees for four minutes and the bitterness was noticeably less apparent. So, I think it’s safe to say that 185 degrees is just too hot for this particular tea.

This is similar to Tea Forte’s Earl Grey. There’s a harshness to the flavoring that dulls the overall flavor profile, making it flat and one dimensional in the second steep. It doesn’t dance across the tongue. Like I said, overall it’s not bad. But I think I’ll stick to the other jasmine teas I’ve found.

Sipdown #36

Mmmm, berry delicious! LOL! Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I’m in a great mood today! I’m finally feeling better. :)

I love 52teas’ Southern Boy Teas’ black base. It’s the perfect base for iced tea. The berry flavor here is perfect too. I should have bought more! I’ve been hanging on to this teabag since it was first released over a year ago. It’s held up nicely though.

This tea is very flavorful with a natural berry sweetness. I think this actually tastes a lot like blue cotton candy. I really like it, as I have pretty much every other SBT I’ve tried. This is another winner!

Sipdown #37

This tea is definitely all it claims to be. It’s naturally sweet and a tad spicy. I’ve been sick in bed all day and thought this might be gentle on my tummy. Well, I was right! This is an alluring citrusy herbal blend perfect for the evenings, and it’s really hitting the spot nicely.

Sipdown #38

Sadly, this tea is not that special. It tastes one dimensional and flat and sits thickly on my tongue. I’m sure it doesn’t help that my night has been pretty awful. I’m throwing in the towel. :(

Sipdown #39

I had two sample teabags, so I made them two different ways. The first was 175 degrees for 4 minutes. This produced a cup with very little in the way of mango or peach. If I had to say one of them was in there, I’d pick mango. But mostly, it was really lacking in flavor. This tea may be called Green Mango Peach, but I think it would be more appropriate to name it Green Ginger Mint, as these were the only flavors I could easily identify.

With the second teabag, I tried boiling water for 3 minutes. This produced a much more flavorful cup. I got more mango and peach flavors, while the mint and ginger were still apparent. However, the boiling water turned the tea bitter and astringent. So, I can’t recommend this brewing technique.

Overall, I can’t say I’m impressed with this tea. I tried it two ways and both were underwhelming to me. Oh well. Can’t say I didn’t try!

Sipdown #40

Second tea from my Tea Forte sampler pack! This is a really delicious fruity tea, even sans additions. The black base is mild and smooth and complements the black currant very well. There’s no hint of bitterness, which is awesome. The black currant flavoring is light but flavorful. The notes vary from grape candy to a generic fruity sweetness that reminds me of blueberries.

Overall, I am really enjoying this! I thought for sure that I’d have to add some milk and sweetener, but I was wrong. This is great just the way it is! And as if my day couldn’t get any better, I GOT A PROMOTION TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sipdown #41

My dad gave me this sampler pack for Christmas a couple years ago. I’m ashamed to say that I’m only now making it a priority to drink. Luckily for me though, it was shrink-wrapped and marked “best before July 2014.” So, I think it’ll still taste fine despite its age. It is definitely an impressive looking sampler! Check out a photo here: http://instagram.com/p/gUPj9Hl-ge/

First up, Chamomile Citron! I think my tastes are changing. I used to gag at the mere aroma of chamomile, but now I’m starting to like it. I like this bagged version in particular because it’s blended with a small amount of lemongrass and mint. These three flavors meld into a delicious and soothing cuppa better than I would have thought possible. It’s still primarily chamomile, but the other undertones add depth to the flavor. Color me impressed! I am thoroughly enjoying this! :)

This is from my split order with tattooed_tea that I’m finally getting to. I’m not gonna’ lie, I sort of lost this in my cupboard. LOL! Well, there’s no time like the present! The dry tea aroma isn’t quite as potently watermelon as it used to be when it first arrived, but I can still identify it.

The taste is very subtle and light. There’s virtually no aftertaste though, which is a bit odd. I’ve only encountered this aspect in Liu An Gua Pian teas. The aftertaste I can detect is from the watermelon flavoring and not the base.

This is a lovely tea and definitely worthy of the V.I.T. (Very Important Tea) distinction from 52teas. I’m surprised there aren’t many tasting notes on here considering this is fairly old. Did everyone else lose this tea in their cupboards too? Anyway, I really like it, and I’m glad I have a good bit of it to enjoy. Thanks again, tattooed_tea!!!

Sipdown #42

Why is it that when you want a baby, everyone around you from your co-workers to your childhood friend gets pregnant? I turn on the TV and “A Baby Story” is followed by “I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant.” I put on one of my favorite shows instead and two characters get pregnant in the same episode. I get a letter in the mail informing me that my insurance has increased maternity coverage to 100% in 2014. What’s going on? *Sigh. Waiting to start a family is so hard. Might as well enjoy my giant tea stash in the meantime!

ON TO THE TEA!

The dry leaf aroma is sweet and fruity. The brewed tea aroma is green and fresh, fruity and a tad chocolaty. The flavor is melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The cranberry adds a noticeable tartness, while the Ti Kwan Yin lends a smooth sweetness as the base. There is still something going on in this cup that’s reminiscent of cocoa. I think it’s a trick of the flavor profile though. Or perhaps it’s the way I stored it.

Nevertheless, this is a really delicious tea! Subsequent infusions were less cranberry/cocoa and more fresh and green from the base, although the tartness did remain apparent and tasty for multiple cups. I really enjoyed this tea. It was the bright spot in my not so happy afternoon since my Mac hard drive failed and it’s going to cost me $265 to replace it. At least I had everything backed up! Thank you to Sil for sharing this sample!

Sipdown #43

I’ve made this tea a few ways recently. I hot brewed it and then poured it over ice. It was okay that way. Not nearly as flavorful as I remember it being from past experiences. Then I re-steeped the same leaves in cold water. I’m not gonna’ lie. I kind of forgot I was cold steeping this one for about 4 days or so. It just sat in the refrigerator.

I took the leaves out and then left the pitcher in the fridge for about a month or two…I’m not joking. I just completely forgot about it! Well, I broke out the pitcher today and was surprised to find it’s actually really yummy! LOL! I think I even like it better cold-brewed and forgotten about than hot-brewed and enjoyed right away. Both versions were enjoyed iced, but the “mistake” turned out incredibly delicious!

It’s a light fruity tea with the white base shining through nicely. The flavors even cut right through my lunch of leftover pepperoni pizza. Who knew? I’ve enjoyed this one, but I’m happy to say so long. I think this is the third 52teas I’ve ever sipped down. I am really hoarding them. So, this is a very hard-earned sipdown!