I was craving this one tonight! I just adore it and I can’t go a week without having a cup. I have already logged it 11 times :) So coconutty and delicious.
1066 Tasting Notes
Traveling Tea Box Tea!!!!
This is a pyramid bag and the leaves look very broken. Pleasant bergamot scent :) I used 8 oz of water since Ricky’s note said the recommended 3.7 oz produced a bitter brew. I have to say, I wasn’t expecting much.
The minute the water hit this, it instantly became dark!! I was preparing myself for a STRONG BREW and I got out my half and half and sugar. I steeped for 4 minutes and after adding my milk and sugar it looked more like coffee than tea! Yikes!
Once I took a sip I was so very pleasantly surprised! No bitterness, very nice tea flavor and the bergamot is soft (I wouldn’t want it any other way in the morning – I save the super bergamot ones for afternoon). I am really enjoying it! if you want to have some tea bags around for portability and convenience, this one from Lupicia is excellent!! This company is definitely going on my radar for future orders – they have some EXTREMELY unique teas! ORZO CIOCCOLATA anyone!?!? (ancient barley from Italy which tastes like hazelnut and chocolate – gotta try it!) and being the froofy lady I am, I squealed over the sugar charms – how nice to have for company!!
I decided this may be a good one for resteeping, so I gave it a shot (another 8 oz water and 5 minutes steeping time). It is weaker tea wise but a little more fruity – still very tasty and enjoyable.
I love when my preconceptions are completely and totally wrong :)
Another one from the quiet life!!!
This tea contains everything but the kitchen sink, yet it doesn’t taste like much more than cinnamon and rooibos! How is that possible!? It was quite enjoyable with a touch of honey, but I just don’t understand where the flavor of the apple pieces, peach pieces, pear pieces, rose buds, mallow flower blossoms, rhubarb bits, red currants, almond slices, and vanilla went to! I used an extra teaspoon and a half of tisane – I was forewarned – but it just made it extra cinnamony. I will certainly enjoy the rest of my sample, but it’s not different enough from plain rooibos where I would seek it out.
I can feel my tea choices lightening up as the weather warms. I’m looking up all kinds of iced tea recipes, fruit teas seem really appealing, and lo and behold, this afternoon I’m curious about this mint tea of all things!
Taken with a half teaspoon of sugar.
sip sip…not bad. Between what I’ve heard about gunpowder and not really caring for mint, I was expecting to want to throw this in the sink, but it’s ok. I’m getting the ashtray thing going on at the tail end of my sip. Nothing I’d ever seek out, but I have half of the sample remaining…I think I may mint it up further with some mint from my garden. That might take this atrocious ashtray aftertaste away (alliteration!)!
So today I feel like I’ve been hit by one of those SUV minivans that seat 8 instead of a bus – I guess that’s an improvement. I still did not hear my alarm but only got up 1 hour late. I thankfully made it to work on time. Ooooh my body hates daylight savings time!!!!
I also remembered my lunch today, which means that I have half and half :)
I am really enjoying this once again. Bold and raisiny. Wholesomely sweet and very satisfying. I am drinking my cup at an alarmingly fast rate!!! That means I love, love, love it! I am really enamored of that raisin molasses taste that is very unique to the Chinese black teas like this one and Panyang Congu.
EDIT: So much for being more together today – I just went into the restroom to wash my teapot and discovered half the buttons on my shirt are unbuttoned!!! OMG!
This one courtesy of the quiet life!!! (you should see the adorable little tins she put the samples in!!!)
This is delicious!!!! It tastes to me like cinnamony amaretto. I didn’t get a lot of ginger, coconut, or pepper and the rooibos was just playing backup for depth. I think it was the nicest caffeine free tea I’ve ever had!
Y’know, a lot of the blends look really good from Teavana, but I’ve heard that the sales associates are really pushy, and the one that is near me is in a mall. I just can’t abide by malls. I think I will have to order online so I can make my choices in a calm, cool and collected manner :)
I was craving this after reading Dan’s tasting note. I arrived home cold, rain soaked and mud splashed (once again!) so this was a perfect antidote :) Strong and brisk, no nonsense, takes milk and sugar beautifully. I’m upping the rating a little – it really is the perfect tea for when you need to get warmed up but quick!! I also want to try it cold brewed for iced tea. I think that method would be great because it will cut down on any astringency.The price of this is so good, you don’t mind using it for cold brewed iced tea which needs a good deal of leaves.
Traveling Tea Box Tea!!!
Today was just not my day. I didn’t hear my alarm and woke up at the time I usually leave for work! I rushed and packed my lunch only to forget it at home. It was (still!!) pouring rain when I left for the train, and the walk left me splattered with mud. I was 35 minutes late for work!
I wanted a strong black tea with milk and sugar but my little container of milk is in my packed lunch at home. Sigh! I remembered that Golden Moon’s Vanilla Jasmine put me in a fantastic mood, but of course the tin is at home! Double sigh! As I was digging through my tea stash at work, I found this one! It’s in a “gourmet bag” – one of those nylon sachets – and has a TON of pearls in it! I thought I’d give it a try – no measuring, no fuss.
Color me very pleasantly surprised (I’m not a huge Adagio fan) – it’s delicious! Flowery but not overwhelming or sickening…almost fruity too? Heady and sensual. I really like the oolong tea base – is that the fruity part I wonder? It’s very peachy/apricot! No bitterness. Absolutely delightful.
A second steep at 6 minutes: Once again, lovely. Softer floral and fruit but very, very delicious. I think it still has more to offer and I am going to try another steep after lunch – I’ll edit this post :)
Thank you Traveling Tea Box!!! You have completely changed the nature of my day – MUCH for the better!
EDIT: 4 lovely steeps, but I’m getting ready to leave for the day and can’t try a fifth – I think this tea could handle it, though!
Creamy vanilla and good tea combined for a comforting sunday evening cup. I feel like I could drink cup after cup of this one (but I limited myself to two!) Delightful with Pepperidge Farm cookies – I can’t decide if Brussels or Geneva is my favorite. :)
Surprisingly very nice!!!!! I snagged a bag of this and Mint Medley (which Sick Husband is drinking and enjoying very much) when I had to go to a work function. The orange and cinnamon are delightful, and the chicory gives it some body. We each got a nice dollop of tupelo honey too :) I am going to pick up a box of this and the mint for late nights and colds. I left the bag in and there is no bitterness or overwhelming flavors.
How do you all rate on the supermarket herbal blends? Are you a Bigelow person or a Celestial Seasonings person or do you have favorites of each? I can’t abide by the supermarket black teas, but I’m finding the herbals a nice cost effective simple option!
Pouring rain, sick husband, paper to write. All things pointing toward choosing an afternoon tea on the sweeter side, and capable of multiple infusions. We are on #2 right now. Both full of gentle white tea flavor with no bitterness, and a light melon deliciousness. I love it! I want to try this iced once it gets hot out.
Oh Thomas, your presence is getting scarcer yet my love for you grows with every pot…with every sip!!! You are PERFECT for me! I think I am going to put a little plea on Discussions to see if anyone does not love you as much as me- I am willing to trade Jackee Muntz or Caravan for you!!! (I’m serious! If you are reading this and are not so crazy for my darling, yet love Jackee or Caravan, let’s trade!!!
Yum. We just can’t seem to get enough of this at night! I used 20 oz water, 2 bags, and 1 teaspoon of honey. I think this is the perfect ratio! It’s real apple-y this way. It is very much helping Sick Husband (he is also covered by a blanket I crocheted and we are about to watch movies – all good medicine).
My poor husband is home sick today (and I have off for spring break) so I wanted to make something special this afternoon. This tea fits the bill :) Full flavored and malty yet not strong. Sweet and perfect. The Goldilocks of tea!
Call me excessive…but I had this again for my evening tea! I’m just crazy for it! I do think it’s a homage to Marco Polo – it’s different – more raspberry/currant rather than strawberry, more baked custard rather than cream, and not floral, so I think there is a place for both in my cupboard, but I do think dear Marco was the inspiration for it.
My husband pronounced it “girly.”(he’s not a big fan of Marco Polo either!) Hmph!
It is spring break at the University I work at, and no students = no work! I am bored to tears. I have already tidied my desk, organized my email and read the entire internet, and it’s only 2:20!!!
I’ll make some tea!
This one courtesy of the amazing takgoti too!!!!
The first thing that I noticed is that the leaves are gorgeous. Long dark and wiry!!
I am taking some sips before I add any additions because I filled my cup up too much! Mmmmm!!! I am getting a smooth lemony flavor. I have now added some sugar and milk and it’s a little weak for my tastes. I’m getting that lemon powdered sugar that I get with teas that aren’t as robust as I like. I think I should have taken it with a touch of sugar and no milk. Noted for next time because I have about 2 teaspoons of leaves left :) This will be nice to try for the days when I don’t have milk with me at work but want a black tea. I bet this would also be super iced.
This one courtesy of the amazing takgoti!!
I am all mixed up today. I ate my packed lunch for breakfast, so I figured an afternoon tea is now fair game :)
The dry leaves smell fantastic!!!!
sip sip – oh WOW! Yup, this is pretty much heaven in a cup. It really does taste like Love!!! This is what the Mariage Freres Fall in Love should have tasted like if it were stronger (and in a black tea base). Baked custard and berries. I’m not getting any of the citrus. Maaaaaaybe a slight haze of it after the sip. This tea is exquisite!!! It has the Harney signature of being PERFECTLY blended. This is a must for my next Harney order (but takgoti was so kind to include enough for at least 4 more cups of Love!!!).
JacquelineM
drank
Passion by Tazo
I tried another one of my concoctions – one bag of Passion, 2 teaspoons plain organic rooibos, 16 oz water, half teaspoon tupelo honey. YUM!!! I like it even better than just Passion! The rooibos gives it some depth and heft. It’s less fruity and tart. I’ll make it this way all the time!! Try it if you have both things sitting around :) I would give this concoction an 80 (vs. 75 plain Passion). Only thing – the color is not as pretty!
I have a test today so I had to wake up the TIGER!!!
I brewed my first steep nice and strong for 5 minutes, and gave Mr. Kitty Cat some milk and sugar. Puuuuuuurrrrrr! Full bodied…tangy!! what is that smokychewy tangy yummy taste? and pepper! Gosh I love this tea! I intellectually know it’s strong (it kept my husband up all night the evening we had it) but it tastes so smooth! I’ve had teas that make your eyes pop (in a good way…like River Shannon) but this is just like buttah – I would equate it to something like limoncello – it’s pure vodka but the lemon infusion and keeping it in the freezer makes it so smooth going down that the next thing you know you drank 4 glasses and you’re babbling nonsense on Thanksgiving with a house full of your family and you still need to serve dessert and (whoops!)!!
Ahem! Anyway!
Second steep: 6 min. Another reason I love this tea is that it is a black tea that stands up to another steep quite beautifully, and the second steep is different but just as good as the first! The only other tea I’ve had that does that is Jackee Muntz (go A+D!). This one is even smoother, less pepper, but so sweet and rich.
Love, love, love this tea!!!
I made some chocolate chip/pecan/walnut/coconut blondies for a coworker’s birthday, and saved 2 at home for our dessert tonight. Gotta bring out the French Breakfast for this! Very yummy pairing. That slight smokiness and touch of vanilla works with all sweets! I also have a test tomorrow, so the black tea will help keep me up to study :)
I was in SUCH a mood for this today!! My first steep was delicious with a teaspoon of sugar, and I’m working through my second delightful steep (5 min) without. I remembered the last time I drank this, it put me in an incredibly great frame of mind, and it is working once again!!! It has cleared away the tiredness cobwebs and I’m able to focus on my work.
A tea related aside: My husband isn’t feeling well today, and his coworker made him some tea. He told me it wasn’t as good as our tea at home, and would I put together a little good tea care package for his work so he could share really good tea with his coworkers? :) :) :) I’m not sure what I’m going to include yet, but I’m thinking def some Irish Breakfast Special Reserve from Golden Moon. Def some Jackee Muntz (they will get a kick out of the smoky peaty) but NOT Thomas Sampson – he is MINE!!! FOREVER!!!! Get away from him!!) Maybe some Organic Black with Coconut for something sweet and different…that should start them off!
I used one bag plus 2 tsp plain rooibos in 16 oz water in order to sort of stretch it out (I’m going through my tin at an alarming rate!!!) but it’s not nearly as good. Ah well. At least I tried. I think I will try this experiment with the Passion herbal as well just to see. It may come out better since the Passion is so strong (hmm that doesn’t sound right… ;)
Today I bought my coffee beans at the Starbucks on campus, and they offered me a free cup of coffee. I asked if I could have tea instead and they said sure! so I thought it would be a good opportunity to try the whole leaf version for free!
It is an improvement. Still weak but a touch more flavor. Less bitter but still some bitterness. All in all, a very lackluster tea. Bumping the rating up a bit since it is an improvement over the previous version, but I can’t recommend.
Sample from the amazing takgoti!!!
I used 4 teaspoons for 16 oz water, 5 minute steep, but the tisane is too weak for my taste. The berry and baked custard (really! baked custard!!) flavors are delicious, but very watery. What a shame!! I think I have enough left to try three teaspoons in 8 oz water and see what happens some other night. Le sigh! If it were only stronger, this would probably be the loveliest rooibos ever created!
