150 Tasting Notes

96

So, life has been weird and I’ve been away from Steepster for what feels like ages. I miss my Steepster tea-eeps and I don’t care how odd that sounds. I actually think about you guys when I go about my day, and I hate that I haven’t connected with some of you in so long.

In fact, life has been so consuming that I completely lost track of time and I forgot about my 52teas 12 Day of Christmas sampler! I’m way behind in my sampling but I’m very, very, very glad that I opened today’s tea. I was unable to try Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha when it first came out. The original blend had marshmallows in it instead of marshmallow root, so it wasn’t vegan and therefore off the table for me to try. WELL, now it is vegan and I can’t overstate how excited I was to finally try this blend. I love this tea! It’s sweet, creamy, and utterly delicious. I hope that Frank offers this blend for individual sale because I’ll buy it by the case.

Plunkybug

Oh man! Add this to the list of teas I want to try! I’ve been having fun delving into the box of delights you sent me. :)

Jenn

Yay! I’m so glad you like the teas I picked out for you :)

TeaBrat

we have missed you tooooo! :)

QuiltGuppy

I hope all’s well! :) Miss you, too.

ashmanra

Rachel: Frank is the owner of 52teas, mysweethoneybush, and manteas. He blends award winning flavored teas and many are limited edition, but some of the very popular are permanent stock.

Welcome back!

Ninavampi

Teatime traveler, I really recommend that you try Franks teas. They are good and super fun. He tends to be very creative! : )

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91

I have to tip my hat to the lovely SimplyJennW who coined her custom blend of Harney & Sons Vanilla Black and Black Currant “Hobbit Tea”. So, keeping in that vein, I’ve added Harney & Sons Chocolate Tea and cacao nibs to create Bilbo’s Dark Side. Bilbo’s Dark Side is regular Hobbit Tea with a tad, a touch, a smidge, a bit of evil chocolate.

SimplyJenW

I have all the stuff to blend this up! Wahoo!

Jenn

WAHOOOOOO!!!!

Daisy Chubb

Ah I love it! I immediately see the part in the movie where Bilbo makes the grab for the ring around Frodo’s neck o_o

… did you know Billy Boyd was in my city last week. Did you know all my friends met him but me? Billlyyy my love ; 3;
Ah well. Back to business. Blend sounds delish, Jenn. :D

Plunkybug

OMG OMG! I NEEED THIS!!! :P

Daisy…Billy Boyd, that was Pippin, right? I loved Pillin!

Daisy Chubb

Yeah Billy Boyd is Pippin ; 3;
You betcha! :D

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93

You’ll loose your head over Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai Tea! However, please don’t carry your head around with you after you loose it because nobody wants to see that. It’s just gross and there are infinitely better ways to get attention.

This pumpkin chai is really tasty and not overly spicy as far as chai(s) go, and that’s a-okay with me because Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai is anything but light on flavor. I infused 1 tsp. of tea in 6 oz. of almond milk and this made for a wonderful afternoon treat.

My only quibble is that my sample had no trace of those kickass, colorful sprinkles pictured in the photo above. I deserve sprinkles! Fortunately, the lack of sprinkles did nothing to affect the flavor of this yummy blend despite the injury to my inner child.

LiberTEAS

it’s also unsanitary… carrying around your severed head. I’m sorry your sample didn’t have sprinkles. Mine did… but there were not quite as many as the photo might suggest. Maybe sprinkles are like pounds… the camera adds a few.

IllBeMother221B

Ha, loved your opening! This sounds like a yummy one to try out.

TeaBrat

sounds yummy

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61

This tea requires some explanation:

First, I’ve only tried a sample of the Summer Flush Darjeeling in this gift set.

Second, Golden Tips only offers Summer Flush in this gift set.

Third, most Darjeeling tea companies regard 2nd Flush Darjeeling teas as Summer Flush. Golden Tips calls their 2nd Flush Darjeeling teas Spring flush, and it would seem that Golden Tips Summer Flush Darjeeling might actually be Monsoon Flush. Of course, this is just an educated guess because Golden Tips offers little to no information about their Summer Flush Darjeeling tea.

Confusing, right? And why does this even matter? Well, Monsoon Flush Darjeeling teas are far less desirable than 2nd Flush Darjeeling teas that are often prized above all others. Monsoon Flush Darjeeling tea is often used in breakfast blends because it’s stronger than 1st and 2nd Flush Darjeeling teas in flavor and appearance, and Monsoon Flush Darjeeling is not often marketed outside of these breakfast blends.

Golden Tips Summer Flush Darjeeling is a pretty decent tasting overall. Summer Flush tastes very much like good grocery store English Breakfast tea. The leaves in my sample were far more impressive than the dust you often find in tea bags, but the flavor was much the same.

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88

I haven’t always been a fan of floral teas. Over time, I’ve begun to develop a fondness for jasmine, osmanthus, and orchid scented teas. I still don’t care much for rose scented teas because rose tea tastes like the smell of old lady perfume… blerg.

Jasmine “Dragon Pearls” Green Tea is a damn fine jasmine scented tea. The green tea is very high quality and the jasmine flavor is distinct but subtle. I thoroughly enjoyed my sample and I’m very grateful to Angel for sending it to me.

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96
drank Fruits d'Alsace by Harney & Sons
150 tasting notes

I LOVE this tea! I can taste the cherries, apricots, and plums. OH MY! I think that SimplyJenW is right on the money with her comparison of Fruits d’Alsace to Tower of London. They do taste very much alike minus the bergamot, (that I have measured love for), and honeyed flavors in Tower of London.

AND SimplyJenW is a tea badass so there’s that too ☺
KeenTeaThyme

Ditto on SimplyJenW being a tea badass. ;)

SimplyJenW

How did I miss this? You guys are too cute!

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64

Merchie’s made this blend in honor of the recent royal nuptials, so please imagine me wearing a ridiculous hat.

This is a black and green tea blend as Merchie’s has become famous for. This is where the weirdness comes in, something about the combination of Ceylon and jasmine teas with citrus makes this tea smell like pine to me. Pine sap, that kind of pine. Trying to push that out of my mind… the infusion is a dark red and the aroma is floral-ish and citrus-y. My first sip is a bit bitter and when I expect to get a spicy note or astringency from the Ceylon, the jasmine pushes in and mellows the flavor out. There are some floral notes from the jasmine but the rose petals are undetectable. I’m left with an odd pine sappy aftertaste.

Almond milk and stevia helped my second ½ cup of tea out, but not enough to make me ever crave this tea. Bollocks! I really wanted to like this one.

gmathis

Since black and green teas have such different personalities and steeping times, I’ve found few combinations that come out right for me.

Jenn

You make an excelent point! I like their Queen Victoria blend, but that’s the only green and black blend by Merchie’s I’ve liked so far.

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94
drank Shan Lin Shi by Naivetea
150 tasting notes

Another oolong. Am I in Love? Maybe…

Tightly rolled little emerald balls of joy with the most amazing aroma of flowers and freshly cut vegetation after a light rain. I find myself sticking my nose deep into my sample bag of Shan Lin Shi just to breathe every molecule of scent in. The pale yellow liquor is soft with a flavor that is equal parts steamed spinach and osmanthus, (in the very best way). So buttery, creamy, and delicious with a beautiful sweet lingering finish. SWOON

Dinosara

Sounds like my kind of tea!

TeaBrat

Naivetea is yummy!

Plunkybug

Ditto Dino!

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81
drank Keemun 3 Monkey Tea by Culinary Teas
150 tasting notes

Keemum 3 Monkey is a very interesting tea. I like my black teas smoky and this Keemum has a lovely subtle smokiness. The Culinary Teas website mentions that this tea has been said to have an aroma of a long unopened jewelry box with hints of incense. This is not an appetizing description, but I totally get it because there’s an almost cedar aroma and essence to it. The flavor overall is subtle for a black tea with a medium body and low-ish astringency. And it’s bread-y or rather toasty and cocoa-y… weird but good.

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86
drank Blueberry Wild Child by Tiesta Tea
150 tasting notes

The photos off of Tiesta Tea’s website never work with the Steepster format, but I just don’t have time right now to shoot a better picture. What you can’t see in this photo is that Blueberry Wild child is a really beautiful tisane. Big dried blueberries, apple pieces, pomegranate arils, bright blue cornflowers… the works. This tisane is a tangy tornado of fruit flavor! It does contain hibiscus that works with the pomegranate to balance the sweetness of the blueberries. It’s not bitter, but if you’re a hibiscus-hater this tea probably isn’t for you.

Tamm

drool this combination sounds so nice right now! I’ve noticed that lots of people here don’t like hibiscus.

Jenn

Yes, lots of hibiscus-haters :) I totally get it though because hibiscus can be very bitter at times. I like it in moderation.

Tamm

I haven’t thought about it before, but what exactly are they using from the hibiscus anyways? O.O

Jenn

The flower, silly!

Tamm

hehehe that’s what I was assuming. :p I think all this homework has temporarily stopped all reasoning function I had left.

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Profile

Bio

I’m an animal loving vegan foodie, and a card carrying tea fanatic! Didn’t you get your card?

I typically drink my black tea with a splash of almond or coconut cream and a dash of turbinado sugar or stevia. My green teas I typically drink straight, and the same goes for most of my other teas with an occasional exception. I live on the edge!

Please check out my website Cookin’ Vegan at www.cookinvegan.com if you’re hungry.

I’m also a bit of a knitwit. I have an Etsy shop where I sell pretty little knitted and knitting accessories called Baubles 4 Knitwits at www.Baubles4Knitwits.etsy.com.

Find me on the Twitter @cookinvegan http://twitter.com/#!/cookinvegan

But enough about me…

Location

Los Angeles Area

Website

http://www.cookinvegan.com

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