1845 Tasting Notes
This one a wee better than Gold. Well, it’s platinum which is more expensive than gold, huh?
Kind of lighter version of Gold, again quite tannic, but I notice some nuttiness and fruitiness now and then.
Maybe there are some cocoa notes reminding me white teas/tips. And hints of malt and astringency in aftersip. This is much better cup of tea.
Flavors: Astringent, Cocoa, Fruity, Malt, Nutty, Tannic
Preparation
I had this tea two times while I am this week in Prague at my friend’s flat (I just needed to unwind from my family a bit).
Not sure, if it’s Prague water or what; but this tea was only tannic, not complex at all and kind of flat. It was that “bagged black tea taste” if you know what I mean?
It wasn’t up to Basilur standards to me even. Was the baggie too old? I have no idea. Honestly kind of dismal, especially called “Gold”.
Flavors: Tannic
Preparation
SIPDOWN (I lost my track doing the spreadsheet of drunk teas, so no number; and I can’t catch it back up)
Today, with remaining 2 grams (not even) it was better. The notes were fairly same, but weaker and overall it was pretty much classic black tea.
It wasn’t that bitter, but still some off notes were there too. Can’t pick them up much, but certainly it wasn’t truly pleasing tea. Happy to have it sipped down to be honest.
Today I have tried it with the ice cream. Bourbon vanilla ice cream. A few teaspoons.
It was creamier, but flavours were drowning in it. I have been expecting way more fruity flavour but nada. Pretty much rooibos forward as well.
It wasn’t working for me as expected.
For once, a tea from ETS I am not disappointed about.
I got a tea bag somewhere from postcrossing apparently, but no idea from whom nor when. Today was a day to drink it…
It is pretty standard rooibos with some vanilla smoothness and some decent chocolate notes. Simple afternoon drink. No fuzz tea bag.
The rooibos was kind of drying but the other ingredients were complementing the flavour well.
Preparation
Finally I broke into:
From Liquid Proust group buy
Stems
unknown to me, smells like shou, 15 g.
From derk from our very first swap maybe? I had it in that small pouch for very, very long time and somehow I needed a very bold tea today. Thank you!
I had no idea how stems could be bold, but if it is like shou it should be bold. At least those thoughts were going through my mind today afternoon. And I have prepared one third. 5 grams. Steeped for long. 10 minutes? “Those are stems, it needs long steep.”
Still, I was quite impressed. It was truly strong and bold. But smooth and indeed like shou. It was quite complex. More than I have been expecting? Yes. The woodyness was great today. It was perfect weather and perfect tea. Tea? That’s the question.
Another CV and cover letter sent today. For a company in my region (45 minutes by public transport)! Company whose products I have worked with in my past warehousing experience. Well known in my family. And international one and big one… fingers crossed for this one. It looks great.
Last exam coming next week. Terribly nervous even now. I guess it’s time to disappear here again.
Shh… I bought this tea back in February and now we are close to July?
It flies and I have almost sipped down this tea.
And I just took two teaspoons, strained and steeped… while watching TV news about the tornado here, so I have no idea for how long. It can be around 4 minutes. Almost boiling water.
This note should be about the tea right? Can’t focus on that much, as my friend’s house lost the roof covering. But they are one of the luckier families there.
Light, almost lemony, with woody notes. Some floral backbone. Hints of astringency, I guess it has mellowed a bit during those 4 months. Still amazing though.
If you want to help with little money, you can do it safely here: https://www.darujme.cz/projekt/1204937
Flavors: Astringent, Floral, Lemon, Oak
Preparation
I just read several articles on this and saw photos and video. So much destruction!
We aren’t used to have tornados here. And moreover it just directly hit those villages and small cities. The path of tornado is 26 km (16 mi) long and 500 metres (0.31 mi) wide. The meteorologist said he never saw anything like this. It was F3 tornado at least, possibly even F4.
Been there, done that. It is terrifying, and for those who lose their homes, the grief and shock is overwhelming.
I have heard about your experience with tornado gmathis. I can imagine it is terrible experience. But you, at least, are somehow moreless prepared. You know that recording it isn’t the best thing to do.
I have bought three of those balls. And today, I finally bit the bullet and tried first one.
I like aged white teas. Pressed white teas. But this… this was sadly a dismal.
I took one of that balls and prepared in grandpa way. I know it isn’t the best for all the flavour profiles and delicate steepings, but it was… old.
I know, it’s 8 years old tea. But it was weak in flavours. There weren’t any fresh taste, naturally. No peaches, no stonefruits, nothing from those. It was like a washed out black tea. It was smooth though. But so boring. Not sure if I want to try second in gongfu or both I should send to Leafhopper who was looking for white teas… or just let it be and see if another day is a better day. But for the price, I am not impressed.
Preparation
Eight years old! Wow! Some white teas do age well, but it sounds like this one didn’t. I know Teavivre says their Bai Mudan gets better. Maybe in a few more years it will be tasty again! Ha ha!
Wow, that is old! Of the few aged white teas I’ve had, some of the later steeps did taste like black tea, so I wouldn’t necessarily give up on it. Maybe you could do a gongfu session and see if you get more modulation in the flavour.
Writing helps me thinking about anything else. So again a note from me here.
Last flavour I have received, and honestly I was quite not impressed as ingredients is what I put into the tea page; so “only flavor” and we know how not great was their berry flavour.
But their Mango flavour was better. Not by a lot, but at least a wee bit.
It was juicy mango, quite sweet, but not complex as actual fruit. The base wasn’t overpowering the flavour, and it was that typical Ceylon bagged tea flavour, so no malt, no bitterness, but enjoyable and present.
That said, this brand isn’t Premium Quality Ceylon Tea for me. I would not call it as well Artisan Ceylon Tea as another their statement. At least the wrappers are looking good. Tea itself isn’t that great.
Flavors: Mango, Sweet
Preparation
I went a bit crazy, bought another teas, this one and First Flush Darjeeling Phugari (more of the latter later, but it’s delicious)
But what have I done, 125 grams of new oolong and 50 grams of new black. And I still have lots of teas to drink. But recently I feel am not interested in the blends of Bird and Blend, but the subscription envelope always makes me smile.
But this oolong. I have wished for darker oolongs, but their stock was low. Bad timing I guess. They have offered me this one adn I thought it won’t be bad.
It’s not. But it’s far from great. I prepared 5 grams western today and well, it was roasty a bit, but somehow it was mediocre and I have been expecting more complex flavour profile. They suggested it’s good as cold brew, so I will give it a try as well.
It’s not bad, it has got expected flavour, but nothing more.
Sorry for little hiatus from me here. I am studying for that last exam… moreover, my June spreadsheet is just… not actual at all and I don’t remember what I have drank 11 days ago, so I will toss that sheet out (keeping in current state)… but it is hard time for me. Looking for a job, studying, melting in between as there were really high temperatures, but trying to drink a tea a day at least. Tiredof everyone and everything. I need a break. Being somewhere out of the society maybe.
Flavors: Roasted
Yum!