371 Tasting Notes

drank Dan Cong Phoenix by teasenz
371 tasting notes

From the Lewis and Clark TTB. No rating because this is my second Dancong Phoenix (the first I had was well more than a year ago).

Brewed Western-style. Steeping times: 2 min, 4, 8.

Grapes dominate the dry leaf aroma. The wet leaf aroma is floral as well as fruity, more evocative of mid/late-summer flowers rather than spring flowers. The peach-colored liquor is medium-bodied, clear, and muted bright. My brain is confused – it thinks the tea is heated juice! It really does taste like pure juice. Incredibly fruity and sweet, with notes of cherries, apricot, grapes, and starfruit.

Because of the flavor profile, this tea seems like it should be drunk during cool summer mornings or throughout autumn days.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Cameron B.

I’m really glad you liked it! It’s funny, I didn’t really get a lot of flavors from this besides just roasty leaves. :P

KiwiDelight

I thought it was a given that it would be roasty, so I didn’t feel the need to comment on it. Anyway, basically it was FRUIT.

I read your note after I published mine and was happy so to see you that also thought about autumn >w<

Stephanie

DANCONG! My fave :)

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78
drank Birthday Cake by Butiki Teas
371 tasting notes

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

The dry leaf is so colorful and pretty, and smells really good, like ice cream cake! So I had high expectations for the taste. It wasn’t what I expected: not much cake-ness, only just a hint of “icing” beneath the base herbs. I didn’t feel like adding any sugar – I’ve never drunk marshmallow leaf or calendula before and was intrigued by how they tasted.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Cameron B.

This tea reminds me of chamomile. :P

Cheri

I normally don’t add sugar, but just the barest touch (less than .25t) made this really taste like cake. It was amazing.

KiwiDelight

If this ever crosses my path again I will definitely try it with sugar.

Cameron B.

I can send you some whenever you’d like. :)

KiwiDelight

Ooooooooo let’s swap again!! :D

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78

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

The dry leaf is rather fragrant. As soon as I open the packet, out goes the aroma. The flavorings in the tea itself are strong – particularly the bergamot – but not at all off-putting. At first I can only taste the bergamot, and then the vanilla comes through, in the aftertaste. Unlike in other Earl Grey’s I’ve had, there is no unwanted super malty interference from the base tea, so I didn’t feel the need to add milk or sugar, which is a big plus.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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65

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

While vanilla flavoring is prominent enough, the cardamon aspect isn’t so strong. I can taste it, and the aftertaste is certainly a little spicy (it’s in the back of my throat), but it’s not enough for me. When I see spice on label I expect spice.

I hope it’s alright if my dad had a serving (there should be enough in the packet until the box is done traveling). He loves masala chai, and he feels the same way about it “needing to be more peppery.”

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Cheri

I pulled out a few samples for my husband to try. (Of course, he hasn’t wanted tea since I pulled them out, but he wanted tea this morning. Not one I pulled out, though. Hah. I’ll get him soon.)

Cheri

I posted too soon. I forgot to say, my feeling was as long as you only took a few samples for someone else, write reviews on what they taste, and put back tea to replace what you took, you should be fine.

KiwiDelight

Oh yes, I’m definitely going to compensate for how much I took. And this is the only time he’ll have something from the box.

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90

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

If you ever want an unusual tea to try, put this on your list: a Japanese pu’erh! It’s strange, but the good kind of strange. It smells like whole wheat bread. The liquor full-bodied and thick. Besides sweet earth, there is a black coffee note. It kind of tastes like watered-down coffee – here me out first! – but because of the thick texture it feels wonderful in the mouth. Sticky, yummy aftertaste coffee and then bread sticks an sesame seeds.

madametj

ohhhh this sounds yummy. Is there any left??

KiwiDelight

2-3 servings :]

Stephanie

LOVE this one. I got toasty rice notes.

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85

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

A fine breakfast tea. SMACK in the face kind of thing because of the shu pu’erh. The chocolate flavoring is excellent – strong, yet I can taste the earthiness of the base teas below. Seems like it’d be best for when you’re up before sunrise during winter.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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92
drank Red Rocks by The Tea Spot
371 tasting notes

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

It’s been a while since I’ve found a flavor tea that I’ve liked so much. Vanilla and almond work so well with rooibos, it’s like it’s meant to be. Both flavorings are strong enough to barely overtake the rooibos, but not overwhelmingly so. Yum. Great for autumn, but also seems good for a year round.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 2 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML
Cheri

I really like this tea. In fact, I’m drinking this tea now. It’s a good night time tea.

KiwiDelight

This is such an “om nom nom” tea.

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78

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

Gongfu-style with gaiwan. 5 second rinse. Steeping times: 5, 5, 5, 10, 20.

A pleasant wet-leaf aroma, full of different fruits: berries, kiwi, banana, and peach. The liquor looks like peach juice. Medium-bodied, smooth, crystal clear. A gentle impression. The overall profile is juicy, sweet, and full of fruit with a starfruit note and a hint of floral.

While this da hong pao tastes good and leaves a fluid floating feel, it’s not complex. And I thought it would do well gongfu-style, but I was disappointed that it pooped out so quickly. I should have followed the Western instructions.

Preparation
Boiling 5 g 3 OZ / 88 ML

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82

From the Lewis and Clark TTB.

This is one of the four Jin Jun Mei’s Cameron B included in the box for me, and one of the three from this dealer. Brewed in a glass test tube steeper. Steeping times: 15 sec, 30, 45, 60, 120.

Every time I stuck my nose into the steeper after each infusion, I was greeted with a malty, chocolately, caramel-y nose. The amber liquor is medium-bodied, smooth, and clear, even with the little fuzzies floating around. The first infusion is weak – 15 seconds is too short, I realized too late – and I barely taste anything. The second infusion is much stronger. And strange. Not only does it have notes of malt and fresh organic honey (what one would think a Jin Jun Mei would have), but I could also make out brown and wild rice. The typical sweetness and chocolate make their appearance in the 3rd infusion, this tea’s peak, I believe. The 4th infusion is similar, but lighter in taste and totally without the malt. I originally planned to include a 90 second steeping but opted instead to skip right 120; I felt that if I didn’t, these last two infusions would be weak and wanted to finish with a nice, strong cup. And I was right. This fifth infusion retains similar strength and taste as the fourth, though it definitely feels as if it’s time to finish up.

The weather decided to comply. It’s cool, cloudy, and breezy today. Jin Jun Mei day. Yiss.

Preparation
Boiling 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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78

Brewed grandpa-style in a glass tumblr.

The dry leaf consists of short, twisty dark green leaves interspersed with a few jasmine flowers and little tan stalks (reminds me of kukicha), and smells lightly of jasmine. In the tea itself, the jasmine takes over the base tea and tastes much stronger. It feels a little heavy. Leaves a nice aftertaste, though my mouth feels a little dry. Still, this is a nice jasmine green tea.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Profile

Bio

I began drinking tea because its complexity fascinated me. I love learning about its history, its manufacturing processes, and its place in various cultures.

Japanese greens were my first love and gateway into the world.

My favorite teas are leafhopper oolongs, pu’erh (shou and sheng), and masala chai. My favorite herbal tisanes are spear/peppermint, lavender and chrysanthemum.

I’m currently exploring pu’erh, and any Chinese and Taiwanese teas in general. I’m not much into flavored teas, unlike when I first started. The only teas I truly dislike are fruity tisanes and the ones that have too much fruit. I do like hisbiscus, especially iced.

I like to write nature essays. I’m a birdwatcher as well as a tea enthusiast. The kiwi is one of my favorite birds. I also like Tolkien, Ancient Egypt, and exercising.

IMPORTANT NOTE, PLEASE READ: After two and a half years of having an account here, I will no longer will provide numerical ratings as an addition to the review because the American school system has skewed my thoughts on numbers out of a hundred and the colors throw me off. Curses! My words are more than sufficient. If I really like what I have, I will “recommend”, and if I don’t, “not recommended”.

Key for past ratings:

96-100 I adore absolutely everything about it. A permanent addition to my stash.

90-95 Superb quality and extremely enjoyable, but not something I’d necessarily like to have in my stash (might have to do with personal tastes, depending on what I say in the tasting note).

80-89 Delicious! Pleased with the overall quality.

70-79 Simply, I like it. There are qualities that I find good, but there also are things that aren’t, hence a lower rating that I would have otherwise like to put.

60-69 Overall “meh”. Not necessarily bad, but not necessarily good.

0-59 No.

If there is no rating: I don’t feel experienced enough to rate the tea, or said tea just goes beyond rating (in a positive way).

Location

Westchester, NY

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