902 Tasting Notes
In my early days on Steepster, I’d browse the teas to see what was out there. I found this, and fell in love with the name. This was before I’d ever even had a green rooibos blend, and it went on my Shopping List.
It’s now in my Cupboard.
The smell is fantastic: all green rooibos and fruity/tangy. Taste is green rooibos with tropical fruits, and just a smidgen of sweetness from the candy sprinkles. Absolutely fantastic!! I’m enjoying it hot right now (it’s 54 F outside, ain’t no way I’m drinking anything cold!), but can easily see myself drinking pitchers of this in the summer. I know it was one of their Summer 2010 teas…will it be back, or do I need to invest in more now?
Preparation
So, yesterday I got tea packages from Meghann and seykayay.
Today I picked up my order from David’s Tea at the post office, then got home to find my order from Sanctuary T in my mailbox.
So far, it’s been a really good mail week!
You might be asking why I’m having this and not one of my brand new teas. Well, the answer is two-fold: after this pot, I’ve got two bags left until I can decupboard it. And, well…I’ve no idea which of my new teas to start with. Really, absolutely no clue. All I know is that my real-life cupboard is needing rearranging/expanding. Especially since I know of 2 more tea orders that should be working their way towards me…
Preparation
Use the Tea Randomizer once you get your new teas all in your digital cupboard:
http://www.jaydeee.net/pickatea.php
It helps me decide…and if I don’t like it’s decision, I can click on “Meh” and it will choose again:)
I’m going to go with Swampwater from David’s for my first one. After all, it’s the reason I made the order in the first place. I think I’ll alternate a pot of a new one with a pot of an old one tonight.
Recently, I’ve become a fan of chais, after avoiding them for years. I used to go without tea if all that was available was a chai blend. Meghann sent me a sample of Frank’s Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Chai a while back, and I’ve pretty much been trying every chai since (though I really, really like the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Chai and think a decaf version would be awesome…).
Meghann tucked a sample of this into my box for me to try. Since I’m fairly certain I’ll be placing a 52teas order this week, I wanted to try it out to see if I needed a pouch for myself.
And I do. The spices are front and center, but are by no means overpowering. The vanilla adds a smoothness to the blend, and the apple a crispness. And I can still taste the white tea base. It’s both festive and soothing…gently waking me up (or is it lulling me back to sleep?). Yes, a pouch (or two) of this must be mine. Thanks, Meghann: best box of tea ever!
Preparation
If the chocolate cheesecake chai is any indication… the decaf will be better for the vanilla bean cheesecake than the regular version! It is probably the only tea that I can say that about… with the chocolate cheesecake chai, I prefer the decaf!
Another tea out of my box from Meghann. (You’re going to see lots of notes start out like that for a bit!)
Smell of the dry leaf: Dr. Pepper. Now, you may not think that’s a bad thing, but to someone who really, really doesn’t like Dr. Pepper…and the brewed cup smells kind of like Dr. Pepper, too.
Thankfully, it doesn’t taste like Dr. Pepper. More like a really, really strong black tea, with a syrupy cherry flavor. Not sure it’s going to be my cup o’ tea (hehe…I’m so funny at 4:30 in the morning!), but will play around with time/temp and see what comes of it.
And is anyone else stalking 52teas’ website to find out what this awesomeness that Frank alluded to is going to be? Or is it just me?
Preparation
just started my stalking, but maybe I should actually open my email and see if it got sent out! Nothing yet :(
I’ve been stalking since Monday morning, not gonna lie. Been excited ever since he posted on the wine teas thread. Perhaps I should avoid it, though…what am I saying? It’s like crack, and I’m an addict.
I should probably avoid it too, but I can’t, Or I won’t? Either way, I hope it’s a great blend from Frank….I forgot about the mention of wine teas…maybe there will be another facebook deal?
Meghann sent me the best box of tea ever today!! I can’t believe how much was tucked into it, and I could barely decide what to try first (and, yes, I did the happy, new tea dance whilst I was opening and going through the box). Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Finally decided on this one to have first. It’s my first Adagio (that I can remember having, at least), and it’s decaf. I’ve never had a blend with chamomile and rooibos before, either, so this is an extra-special treat.
Normally I brew chamomiles for 5 minutes, and rooibos blends for 10. So we’re going to go with 5 to start, and take it from there. I also completely ignored the “2 tsps to 8 oz water” instructions on the pack and went with just 1 heaping tsp.
Love the smell…all chamomile and mint. I don’t taste much of the rooibos, but there’s this hint of it at the very beginning and very end of the sip, and I think it gives this tea a robustness that it would lack otherwise. Taste is very similar to Celestial Seasoning’s Vanilla Sleepytime tea, though this one is much stronger on the mint. I think that this could become really overpoweringly minty if steeped for much longer than 5 minutes. As it is, my tongue is tingling rather nicely, and I can feel it warming me up from the inside out. This one will be great for those icky winter nights when you want something warm and soothing. Love it!!
Preparation
I’ve got to replinish my work stash! This is the last bag of this one here, too. Definitely need to get more tea over here…especially since maintenance doesn’t know when they’ll get the heat fixed in our building.