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Tea provided by Teavivre for review

I’ve been wanting to try the sample for quite some time now. Unfortunately I caught a cold and it impaired my tastebuds and I really couldn’t taste anything. :(
With that out of the way, I’m ready to jump back into my daily gong fu tea sessions. Anyway, onto the tasting notes:

The first steep had a really nice balance of vegetal, sweet, and buttery characteristics. It’s really smooth and nothing seemed bitter of off-putting.

Some nice spice/cinnamon came out during the third steep.

Onward down to the eighth steeps, it maintained a nice flavour that was true to the initial steep’s aroma. It finishes off somewhat weak, but not so much that I only taste the water and not the tea.

Overall I’m impressed with how well it steeped, the balance between the flavours, and that I couldn’t taste any bitterness or off-putting flavours. It never seemed too dry or overpowering either. The price is a bit steep, so I could see it as a nice gift. I think the flavours justify trying it out if you have a discerning palate for quality.

Steep parameters (as suggested by Teavivre)
85ml water in a gaiwan, sample (7g?), rinse and 8 steeps (30s, 50s, 70s, 90s, 120s, 120s, 150s, 180s)

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C

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Feel free to add me on Steepster, I’ll probably add you back. :)

I don’t log tea every time I drink it. Tasting notes tend to be about either one style of brewing or a new experience. It is helpful for me to look back on my notes and see what a tea tasted like or which steeping parameter worked best for me. I try to mostly short steep tea unless it only tastes better with a long steep. I’d rather experience what a tea tastes like over 3 or 12 steeps than just 1 to 3 long steeps.

When I write “tsp”, the measurement I use is a regular western teaspoon. Not a tea scoop

How I rate tea:

99-100: Teas that blow my mind! An unforgettable experience. Savoured to the last drop. I felt privileged to drink this.

90-98: Extraordinary, highly recommended, try it and you won’t be disappointed (and if you are, mail me the tea!)

85-89: Wonderful, couldn’t expect more but not a favourite.

80-84: Excellent, a treasured experience but not a favourite.

70-79: Good but could be better. Above average.

60-69: Average, unexceptional, not something I would buy again. Slightly disappointed. I’d rather drink water.

50-0: Varying degrees of sadness

No rating: Mixed feelings, can’t decide whether I like it or not, not enough experience with that sort of tea to rate it. A dramatic change of heart.

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Ontario, Canada

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