LiberTEAS

My 3rd 52Teas tea today! I was actually CRAVING some matcha today, I didn’t want to break out my ceremonial matcha, so I opted for this lovely tea.

I think I am enjoying this a little more each time I prepare it… and I think that the next time I prepare it, I might mix it with a little bit of the ginger matcha from Art of Tea – can’t really go wrong with mandarin and ginger! Sounds awesome to me.

The flavor is smooth and delicious and sweet, just as I expected it to be. I love the orange flavor with the bittersweet matcha, a very nice pairing! And it coats the throat quite nicely… which is a bonus when one is feeling sickly!

I brewed this tea up and allowed it to take a chill in the fridge – it makes a really good iced tea! Even my hubby (the non-tea-drinker) likes it! I did add some sweetener to it just to keep the flavors perky, but I don’t think that it’s overpoweringly sweet at all. Just very pleasantly sweet, and very tasty.

The aroma is one of the most remarkable aspects of this tea, it really SMELLS just like one of those old time soda fountain colas. The cherry flavor is strong, the vanilla flavor softens it nicely… and the tea flavor is neither overwhelmed by the flavors, nor does it overwhelm them.

It’s weird… but it works.

I am going to rate this one this time, because I have roughly about a half a gallon left of this tea, and I don’t know that it will last… and I want to rate it before I’m out of it.

I haven’t had this tea in a while so I thought I’d have some for breakfast this morning. I really enjoy this tea and I also wanted to find out how my taste buds were doing. I figured with some of the more delicate flavors in this tea – I might be able to see if my taste buds were getting somewhere back to normal (what is normal?) so that I might be able to start trying some of the newer teas that I’ve recently received.

Unfortunately, my taste buds are not completely in check, but, they’re getting there. The smoky quality of the tea stands out in the first couple of sips, but it is not too smoky. I can taste the smooth buttery characteristic as well, and that makes me smile, as it is one of the aspects of this tea that I have always found so delightfully unusual. The raisin is quite delicate, as is the cinnamon. However, I do note a sweet cinnamon note in the finish that sort of rests upon the palate.

So, my palate isn’t quite up to par just yet, but it’s MUCH better than it was say two weeks ago. I won’t rate this tea numerically just yet, perhaps with the next cup (which, by the looks of it, just may be my last cup of this outstanding tea!)

I’m enjoying this tea right now… I’ve posted at least a couple of tasting notes on this one, so I don’t know that I need to go into it again… Lovely bergamot flavor, the black tea blend is delightfully rich and brisk and smooth all at the same time. I love this tea!

Just a quick note – enjoying this at the moment, along with my favorite movie: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

As I’ve written before, it’s important to “rinse” or “awaken” these leaves. I pour enough boiling water over the leaves to cover them, let it sit for about 10 – 15 seconds, strain, and then steep them as usual for 2 1/2 minutes.

This tea is quite robust, with a smoky note which thankfully translates much stronger in the aroma than in the flavor. I like the tangy vinegar note to this tea, that sort of rests upon the palate much the same way as eating something vinegar-y might.

I love Darjeeling.

Some years back, I received a beautiful tin that was filled with the tastiest Darjeeling. It was the first Darjeeling I ever experienced, and since that time, I’ve been trying to find a Darjeeling that compares. The tin has long since vanished in the “black hole” that is my art studio (don’t ask!) and the name of the company that distributed the tea has long since vanished from my memory. So I haven’t ever been able to restock my shelves with that exact brand.

However, I have found some suitable substitutes… that taste almost (if not just as) good as that first Darjeeling.

This is one such Darjeeling. It has a very pleasant muscatel essence to it – slightly spicy, musky/woodsy, with a pleasant, palate-cleansing astringency. Tannic, but not pushing the edge to bitter. Like a fine, dry wine.

Steven Smith rocks!

As I’ve noted before, until my senses return to full capacity, I won’t be offering a numeric rating to this tea – as it wouldn’t be fair. However, I do have enough of this tea to last me until I’m feeling better, at which time, I’ll rate it accordingly.

This is a bit of a backlog – I had some of this tea yesterday afternoon. I kind of wish I hadn’t though – not that I didn’t enjoy it, it was fine. But, my taste buds being funky and out of whack, it just didn’t taste as good as I remember it… I didn’t get much of the more delicate notes of the chestnuts.

So, I will save what I have left of this tea for when I’m feeling better so that I can truly enjoy it!

This is a bit of a backlog. I finished off the last of my stash of this Stash tisane. You can read my published review of it here:

http://www.teareviewblog.com/?p=9532

I selected this tea because I had hoped it would be a strong tasting tea as I wanted to counteract the “buffered taste bud syndrome” from which I seem to be suffering. Unfortunately, the tea just wasn’t strong enough… I mean, I could taste the tea, but, I really had hoped for more flavor. It’s not really the tisane’s fault though, as much as it is my own palate at this point in time.

As a result, I’m not going to give it a numeric rating – it just doesn’t seem fair. When I did write the review for the Tea Review Blog, my taste buds were operating in full capacity, so hopefully you can extract my feelings about the tea from it.

This is one of my favorite Dragonwell Teas. I did not brew it “traditionally” – that is, I did not allow the tea leaves to become turgid. I have found that when I brew Dragonwell tea, if I brew the first infusion just 1 minute, I am able to get quite a few more infusions out of the leaves, and I prefer the flavor of the short steeped tea much more than that of the traditional method.

I’d like to think that my relationship with Dragonwell has come a long way since I first tried it some 10 years ago. My first experience was not a positive one, to say the least, and since that time, I’ve learned more about myself as a tea drinker and my preferences, and have experimented a bit to find that Dragonwell is one of my favorite green teas!

The flavor is sweet, only slightly vegetative (not nearly as vegetative as most Japanese greens), and has a very pleasant floral note. It tastes … like spring!

Even though I had said I won’t be rating teas numerically while I am sick, I have chosen to do so with this tea, because… my stores in this tea are getting quite low and I don’t know how long I’ll be sick vs. how long I’ll have this tea to rate it when I’m well. Even if I weren’t sick though, I would rate this one very high, because it is so good and worthy of the high rating.

I opted for an Earl Grey as my first cup of the day (yes, it’s my first cup, I took a rather long snooze after getting my youngest on the school bus this morning!) and decided to go with my favorite.

I am still kind of unsure though – I really love this blend, but I also really love Steven Smith’s… and they are both different enough from each other. One of these days I shall do a side by side comparison and decide which one is best.

I will say though, I really shouldn’t drink this tea while my taste buds are impaired. Yes, it’s still good, but it’s not as good as it is when my taste buds are fully functional. Today I think the bergamot tastes less “distinctive.”

It’s still very good, but, I think I’d rather enjoy it when I am 100% better.

I feel like slowly… but surely… my taste buds are returning to normal. I’m not 100% yet otherwise, and I don’t even think that my tastebuds are quite at 100% yet either… but they’re getting there.

On to the tea! Nice and bold flavor. The Assam’s malty flavor really seems to be standing out today, which brings to mind Numi’s Aged Earl Grey but much, much better. The bergamot doesn’t seem quite as strong today, but I am sure that is because my taste buds are not quite as strong as they usually are.

Even with the impairment, this tea is still so good!

There are very few teas (that I haven’t flavored/blended myself) that have earned a spot on my “permanent” tea shelf. This tea – which isn’t a tea at all – has earned that coveted spot. I love this tea… and I’ve been hoarding it until I knew for sure that I’d be able to get more. Fortunately, more is forthcoming!

Yummy. Chocolate. Yummy. Banana. Yummy!!!

And I’m not that big on bananas, nor am I big on rooibos. But this blend – as Randy Jackson might say – worked it out! Dawg!

Awesome. Absolutely my favorite blend from 52 Teas.

You know what? This tea is awesome!

Because I’m still sick, I’m not going to bump up the numeric rating just yet, but, I’m quite tempted. The flavor (Now – with impaired taste buds) is very nutty… much more so than I remember. A very pleasant buttery flavor to it. Sweet, and yummy… what a treat this is! I think I like it better now than I remember.

One thing that is “nice” (I’m trying to look on the bright side, here) about one’s taste buds operating at limited ability is that it gives one ample opportunity to clear out the tea shelf to make room for new teas.

So that’s what I’ve been doing… drinking teas that I’ve tasted previously and written reviews for on the Tea Review Blog (even if they haven’t yet published). I am making good use of the tea (It is rather comforting even though I’m not as effective at tasting it) and I am not “wasting” teas I’ve not yet tasted and reviewed on my miserable lack of tasting ability.

This tea is actually quite tasty, even with my funky taste buds! I think it tastes more like artichokes now than when I tried it originally. There is a faint lemon-like essence as well as a nice buttery flavor, which is quite appropriate to me, because the sauce I generally serve with artichoke is usually either a lemon-y butter-garlic sauce or a vinegar-y butter-garlic sauce. (Both are yummy, it really usually just depends upon whether or not I have lemons readily available… but I digress!)

It is a very unusual flavored tea, but, I really do like it. Of the teas from Adagio that I’ve tried, this is definitely one of my favorites, if not the favorite.

This afternoon I decided to treat myself to this. This is one of my favorites from 52 Teas – it reminds me so much of an old time soda shop cherry cola. (No, I’m not old enough to actually remember those old time soda shops, but, I used to work at a retirement home as an administrative assistant and they had an old time soda fountain for the residents. This soda reminds me of the cherry vanilla cola I’d have there on occasion)

Today, the smell of this tea is more reminiscent of that “old time soda” than the flavor. I need to remember to limit the brew time of this particular tea to 2 1/2 minutes or less. Any longer and the tea becomes a bit too astringent and that astringency interferes with the flavors. Then again, it could be my present lack of ability to taste.

I chose this tea because I remember the flavors being quite strong… and yes, even with my taste buds impaired, I can taste the cherry and even a touch of the vanilla. And as I said, the black tea base is a bit more astringent than I remember it being, which leaves the mouth feeling a little dry.

Overall, though, I really like this tea. I am going to save what I have left of it for iced tea. Right now, we are having winter-like weather, so it’s no time for iced tea! I am not going to issue a numeric rating for this tea at this time, because I don’t really think it’s fair based on my inability to discern subtle flavors.

I have tasted this only once before. I was rather curious to see how my taste buds would pick up on this blend’s smoky and earthy qualities.

I can really taste the yerba mate – more so than the Lapsang Souchong – in this blend today. Perhaps it’s because of my palate’s impaired state that the smoky qualities of the Lapsang are not so off-putting for me.

In fact, I find this blend rather enjoyable – and who knows, perhaps it’s my “gateway” to the strong, smoky type – although I rather doubt it. What I will say with absolute certainty though is that this is a great tea to enjoy now as my taste buds aren’t quite up to par, because I can actually taste something… subtle flavors would be totally lost on me at this point.

I did not steam and froth milk for my cup this time around, although I did add a generous dollop of honey. This right now seems less of a “chai” blend than a spiced blend, because the spices are less of a focus than the earthy qualities of the mate and the smoky, caramel-y flavor of the lapsang souchong. But again, that may just be because my palate is not right, right now.

A nice strong flavored tea, which is something that I need right now.

Very tasty – A strong ginger flavor, and the peach is very good… this reminds me a bit of a gingered peach cobbler. Yummy! I only enough of this tea for another pot… which is a bit bitter-sweet. Sad that it’s going to be gone, because I’ve enjoyed it, but happy it’s going to be gone to make way for other teas (I have so much tea!)

As I’ve said before (and you might be tired of reading about), I have a nasal infection. As such, I have decided to not drink any new teas (that is, teas I’ve not tasted before) because my taste buds are a bit impaired (although I am able to taste more flavors lately, and not just powerful, peppery flavors). Because I am able to detect more flavors, I feel more at ease writing about some of the favorites in my cabinet.

This is a long-time favorite of mine, although I have noted in previous tasting notes that it somehow does not taste quite the same as I remember it tasting. Some eight years ago when I first became familiar with Mighty Leaf teas I remember this tea being quite Earl Grey but with a hint of sweet orange. Like someone added a squeeze of blood orange to the bergamot orange.

The vanilla taste is different than a typical Earl Grey Creme in that it doesn’t come off as really “creamy” but more of a soft, sweet note – a very delicate soft, sweet note. And the jasmine… really pushes this blend over the edge into a place of pleasant indulgence.

But, as I said, while the blend today is still quite dreamy, it tastes different… like someone replaced some of the bergamot (but not all) with more orange, and it is more orange and less bergamot orange now. Still good… but not as good.

I am still dealing with my nasal infection, and it feels like my tongue has been wrapped in cotton… it feels buffered, and my taste buds are having a hard time (for the most part) discerning flavor. I think that this might just be worse than the other symptoms of the infection – because I MISS being able to drink tea. Yes, I can still drink tea, but, part of me feels like “what’s the point?” because I can’t really enjoy it.

So, I have still been drinking teas, but, I am drinking ones that I’ve already tasted before… so that I don’t miss out on some interesting flavor that my taste buds wouldn’t pick up on right now.

With my nasal infection this doesn’t really taste much like an Oolong. But, it is still alright… at least I know it does taste better than I’m tasting right now…

This tea comforts me a great deal while I’m trying to recover from the nasal infection. The peppery ginger is very … well, peppery/gingery! It’s nice to taste something!

I can actually taste more of the other aspects of this tea today, perhaps I am getting more of my taste buds back. I can taste the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. The Assam tea is there too. Nice!

Well, I think that my description pretty much says it all. I can taste the ginger most prominently. The rest of it pretty much lingers in the background because my taste buds are not up to par at the moment. Honey and ginger. And very soothing heat.

Not going to rate this because, well, I am not in any condition to really do so.

To finish up the sampling of this tea that Doulton sent me (thank you!) I brewed it up and refrigerated it so that I could enjoy it iced. Iced is where this tea really shines!

It has a fruity and somewhat spicy character (not as in chai spicy, or hot spicy, but, a mild spiced quality), and it is pleasantly sweet. A very refreshing iced tea.

I really like this blend a lot. The more I drink it the more I like it. It’s got a nice balance of flavors.

The grapefruit is not sour, but there is a little tartness that rests on the tip of the tongue in the finish. I also like how the three “teas” (black tea, green tea, and green yerba mate) blend together. It tastes very fresh, vibrant and alive with flavor.

This is one of my favorite Earl Grey teas! My review of this tea recently published on the Tea Review Blog … wanna read it? http://www.teareviewblog.com/?p=11470

The blend of black teas is what gives this tea its well rounded flavor. It tastes full and pleasant, brisk yet smooth. It has a malty character that plays to the qualities of the bergamot very well.

It is such a delight to have this in my teacup!