1908 Tasting Notes
I felt like something nice and light-tasting this evening to sip as I write. Despite the scorn certain people have expressed about bagged tea I love the convenience and really, what does it matter so long as the tea tastes good and you’re happy with it?
Preparation
My mother gave me this and another tea after she found them in an epic cupboard-cleaning at her house. She didn’t recognize them (she doesn’t drink loose-leaf) and thought I might have bought them – however I’m SURE I’ve never seen these teas before in my life, so who knows how they got in the cupbord in the first place! The only labeling on both was just the name of tea, however I recognized the label-style as coming from the local coffee shop, so it’s a start. Still it’s kind of weird and random. cue ominous music
I also have not the faintest idea how old they are or even if they’re still any good. Green tea in particular have a pretty short shelf-life I’ve heard (?). They weren’t in a sealed container, just in a wax-lined paper sachet. When I opened this bag the flavour didn’t seem too bad, not dusty or stale, just rather strawberry-ish. There were real pieces of dried strawberries mixed in which I like, I’ve ranted often enough about how much I hate teas that just have the mysterious ‘natural/artifical flavouring’.
The taste is…not terribly strong. It’s slightly sweet and strawberry-flavoured, and slightly nutty-tasting. Most however it mostly tastes like what I’ve always thought of a ‘normal’ green tea tasting. It’s not strong, which is probably its age showing, but it isn’t harsh or unpleasent either.
Preparation
I did another resteep of the leaves from last night and result were quite neat. This time the vegetal notes have completely vanished, although it still had that rather baked sort of taste. But as the tea cools down the baked note evaporate and the tea takes on a sweet sort of fruity/sort of honey-like flavour.
Preparation
Oh dear lord, I can’t believe how hard it was to find CS’s holiday teas this year! I’ve been checking around for the past couple weeks and NONE of the major grocery stores had any. Finally I stumbled across them in a small natural-foods store, yesterday. Go figure.
I’ve actually never tried this particular one before so I was curious and intrigued by the description. In the box and while it was brewing the tea wafted fragrant and mouth-watering odors of vanilla with a hint of spices across the kitchen. Actually, I think it would make a lovely room-spray or perfumed candle.
I drank it without milk or any other additives this time, just so that I’d be able to experience the flavours unimpeded. First of all, for a tea that has an Assam base the black tea is surprisingly mild and easy-drinking, which is unusual since I’ve always had to add at least some milk to Assams to make it palatable. I’m still getting a hint of that characteristic malted flavour though and mixed with the vanilla it’s almost like caramel.
The vanilla is the most prominent flavour, it swirls delicately around the tip of the tongue with each sip. There’s also a slight hint of spices in there – maybe cinnamon or cloves? All in all it seems like it’s a pretty retiring sort of tea with no strong flavours that really stand out. And I don’t really mind it that way – sometimes it’s nicer NOT to be hit in the face with the taste of your own tea. ;D
Preparation
Angrboda’s long post about caramel tea made my mouth water for some aswell. This tea, unfortunately, doesn’t have little tasty bits of caramel in it to nom on. le sigh
;)
Preparation
Teehee. Caramel Craze? I actually saw Notarevolution’s post about vanilla caramel and thought it might be the thing to make the day better.
(Also, LJ. Have been sitting on the question for a while wondering how stalkerish it might be… I’m Moreteadk there, can I add you? (It’s okay to say no))
Oh sure, be my guest. I thought I might know you from the LJ tea comm, but I wasn’t sure. :)
I should warn you though that not very much posting of tea goes on. It’s mostly me being geeky, writing fanfiction (don’t judge me!) and grumbling about life. So if you’d rather not be subjected to it, that’s find too. :D
Hey, I’d be the LAST one to judge you on the fanfiction. Dabbling mainly in Harry Potter myself. :D
The only reason I don’t have my LJ account linked here is that I want to be able to share Steepster with RL friends and family that I do NOT want to be able to find my LJ or the username I use for fandomy things.
(I should probably also warn that my own most recent post is a pretty ranty one that probably isn’t really making me look all that good… :p)
I knew I liked you for a reason (apart from your good taste in tea). ;)
:D
huggles
Also, check the title of the post I chose to ask you on. I swear that was a coincidence. But fitting y/y?
LOL, I’d say so. :D
Second steep of this tea and the honey notes seem to have disappeared and the baked flavour is slightly more pronouced.
Preparation
Man, you’re braver than I am. Any tea named “Iron Goddess of Mercy” sounds too scary to drink. I appreciate you taking the time to do the reviews, though.
:D It’s just the western name for Tie Kuan Yin. :) She’s an important goddess in Chinese mythology. I really like the legend behind the tea. For some reason I can’t quite pinpoint, they really speak to my imagination. Check them out at wikipedia here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tie_kuan_yin
I like the Wei legend best.
I like the Wei version too. It’s a simple story about the rewards of devotion, but it’s themes are something everyone can understand and relate to, no matter what their religion or country. :)
Kuan Yin is a much better name for a tea than “Iron Goddess of Mercy”, because “iron” is inflexible, hard and doesn’t quite fit in with the concept of “mercy”. Also, people shopping for tea would read the name and may conclude that the tea tstes like iron.
Actually I thought the name sounded kinda cool and intriguing, like I KNEW there was a story behind it – but then that’s just me. Plus you can’t really argue with a tradition as old as this one. ;)
For me, one of the big selling points on chinese teas are the names. Of course I have a hard time remembering which is what with most of them, but I like making mangled attempts at trying to pronounce them, and they all have such poetic meanings. Like this one, for example, or chun mee which means ‘precious eyebrow’. I’ve forgotten what bi lou chun means…
Isn’t that something about a snail? Or is that another one?
*Looks it up on Wikipedia" Apparently it means ‘Green Snail Spring’
Ding, ding, ding!
http://www.greenteaguru.com/green-snail-spring-green-tea.htm
D’oh! Refresh fail!
Bwhahaha, to slow! :P
I steeped this tea a little differently this time, adding less dry leaf but steeping it longer. I am getting that vegetal/spinach-like taste still but it’s slightly, but distinctly honey-sweet aswell. It’s also still slightly baked though mostly on the aftertaste
Holla.
Bagged tea out of spite? Ha! I know the feeling. I enjoyed my bagged white in my travelling mug IMMENSELY this morning. :D
Cheers! eg
;)