189 Tasting Notes

72

Loose
Appearance: pink rose petals, large sencha leaf, balanced
Aroma when Dry: grassy floral rose notes
After water is first poured: rose floral, slight grassy notes
At end of first steep: clear
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: clear
Staple? likely medicinal
Preferred time of day: evenings
Taste:
At first?: floral rose notes, creamy buttery notes close
As it cools?: Notes open and smooth
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Slightly floral bodied buttery notes

Second Steep(5 min):
At first: very perfumy, floral rose notes, hints of bitter on close
As it cools: perfumed rosewater

Third Steep (5min):
rosewater
Fourth Steep(5min):
rosewater

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

55

Loose
Appearance: grey green large pouchang curls
Aroma when Dry: dry, subtly smoky floral notes
After water is first poured: sweet beans, floral notes
At end of first steep: clear
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: clear
Staple? no
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: buttery sweet lima bean bean and cauliflower notes, vegital
As it cools?: notes get creamier, smoother, open up, tea gets juicy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, creamy, almost milky vegetal notes, bean,corn notes

Second Steep(5min):
At first: buttery, light mineral notes, vegital, brothy
As it cools: notes open up again

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

17
drank Jade Cloud by Rishi Tea
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: dark grey brown curled leaf
Aroma when Dry: leafy, nutty, sweet (eastern), chewy
After water is first poured: bright, vegital, chewy
At end of first steep: vegital, buttery
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: clear
Staple? No
Preferred time of day:any
Taste:
At first?: buttery, sweet, smooth vegital green beans, asparagus
As it cools?: gets sweeter, pea notes surface, gets brothy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, velvety creamy sweet vegital notes high on the palate

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec
Alphakitty

Sorry you didn’t like this one. :( I thought it was quite similar to Ancient Emerald Lily (though not quite as good)

Kasumi no Chajin

It happens. In some ways it seems you and I meet in the middle with Ancient Emerald Lily, considering my preference for the tea from red cup that did not appeal as much for you.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

53

Loose
Appearance: Deep black tea, bright vanilla bits
Aroma when Dry: desserty sweet (western), nutty, earthy
After water is first poured: vanilla pound cake
At end of first steep: creamy vanilla
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: light meadow brown
Staple? No, but would drink again
Preferred time of day: afternoon, evening
Taste:
At first?: light crisp creamy vanilla notes
As it cools?: Vanilla notes open up greatly, tea gets bodied
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, buttery crisp vanilla, no sweetness in aftertaste

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec
Lala

Hey Kasumi, what do you mean when you describe a tea/flavour as western?

Kasumi no Chajin

it has to do with the types of and degrees of sweetness and subtlety involved, in relation to cultural palate.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

62

Loose
Appearance: grey green,
Aroma when Dry: sweet, nutty, earthy
After water is first poured: Lotus and Lima bean Manju
At end of first steep: warm manju and rice
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: hints of green
Staple? Possible
Preferred time of day: afternoon, evening
Taste:
At first?: notes of sticky rice, earthy lotus manju,
As it cools?: notes sweeten, get nuttier, earthier
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, tart, earthy

Second Steep(5 min):
At first: a bit sweeter, earthier, brothy notes

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

75

Loose
Appearance: green, mostly Parsley leaf, tea leaves noticeable
Aroma when Dry: sweet, herbal, juicy
After water is first poured:
At end of first steep: buttery Herbal notes
Tea liquor:
At end of steep:clear
Staple? Yes, medicinally
Preferred time of day: as needed medicinally
Taste:
At first?: sweet, buttery, herbal, chewy, slightly bitter close
As it cools?: bitterness starts to fade, gets very slightly brothy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, herby parsley notes

Second Steep (3 min)
Light and brothy

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 30 sec
Oolong Owl

Oh neat, I didn’t know Nature’s Tea Leaf did a parsley tea. Actually, I haven’t seen much parsley tea out there as I hear mostly about people making their own.

Kasumi no Chajin

I’d be glad to send you a bit, if you’d like.

Oolong Owl

sure, maybe do a trade in a few weeks? lemmie know

Kasumi no Chajin

sounds great. following you now.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

93

Loose
Appearance: greens, crushed leaf mix
Aroma when Dry: herby, slight lemony notes, hints of jasmine and mint
After water is first poured: fresh crisp mint, faint jasmine notes
At end of first steep: minty jasmine
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: hints of green
Staple? Yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: strong jasmine floral, then hints of mint
As it cools?: jasmine notes get fuller, mint starts to layer in a bit
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? Not this tasting, but have tried with a half teaspoon of brown sugar, it helps open up all the notes, and smooths out any grassy texture
Lingers? Yes, fragrant jasmine notes in the palate

Second Steep (5min)
At first: bright floral jasmine
As it cools?: becomes a very balanced minty jasmine, with buttery notes

Third Steep (5min)
Sweet jasmine floral notes

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

88

Loose
Appearance: deep brown, small curled leaf, mild highlights in a lighter brown
Aroma when Dry: fruity, earthy
After water is first poured: fruity, musty, sweet
At end of first steep: Smooth, light earthy, fruity, mineral notes
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: very faint green
Staple? Type yes, Will gladly re-order from company
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: musty, earthy, slight sweet, fruity, hints of broth notes
As it cools?: tea gets deeper, brothier, notes get fuller, hints of tartness, mellow grape notes
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, fruity, earthy and brothy, slight buttery texture

Second steep (5min):
At first: bright, smooth fruit notes, hints of salty brothyness
As it cools?: tea gets fruitier, brothier, buttery, then earthy, slightly smokey

Third Steep (6min):
Fruity, salty, brothy, peppery tea water

Fourth Steep (6 min):
Bright, very fruity salty broth water

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

100

Loose
Appearance: full bancha leaf, natural breaks, olive brown
Aroma when Dry: earthy, slight spice, sweet
After water is first poured: buttery, earthy
At end of first steep: buttery, earthy, leafy
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: faint hints of green
Staple? Type yes, company yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: slight spice, mineral notes,buttery, leafy
As it cools?: gets foresty, creamier, full bodied, salty, brothy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Sweet, buttery, toasty, slight spice
want to try chilled

Second steep (5min)
Aroma: buttery
Taste:
At first: buttery, earthy, hints of spice
As it cools: spice notes fade, stays buttery, earthy, brothy

Third Steep (5 min):
creamy, brothy, salty

Fourth Steep (6 min)
light creamy salty brothy

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

70

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: spicy, cool, earthy, herby
After water is first poured: spicy sweet sage, hints of mint
At end of first steep: bright sage notes, laced with mint
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: woody brown
Staple? Yes medicinally
Preferred time of day: as needed medicinally
Taste:
At first?: earthy,creamy,crisp, spicy sage woody notes, mint in close
As it cools?: notes open, layer, get thicker, creamier
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? yes, mostly the earthy, silky sage notes

Second Steep (5 min)
At first: Earthy herbal water
As it cools: sage notes thicken into tea again

Third Steep (8min)
Earthy herbal water
Fourth Steep
Earthy herbal water

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
As if it is the axis on which the whole earth revolves
Slowly, evenly without rushing toward the future.
Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.

-Thich Nhat Hanh

If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” ~Japanese Proverb

Tea is a cup of life.” ~Author Unknown

Tea is liquid wisdom.” ~Anonymous

tea leaves
tea loves
loves tea
lives tea
leaves tea?
never.

~Uniek Swain

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~C.S. Lewis

Divinity is a smile or a tear drop; or yes, even a cup of fresh green tea.
-Chinese Author unknown

Tea…is a religion of the art of life.” ~Okakura

I am Chajin. A 98% Loose leaf gentleman.

When in practice, and with access to loose leaf tea, I drink tea daily. With Loose leaf, often I will stay with the same tea for 2-3 days. With Teabags I flit around between kinds a bit more, though if I am restricted to only teabags due to any kind of lack of access, I often reduce my tea to a few a week, get bored easily, and as a supertaster I am very sensitive to quality.

Being of Japanese, English, French, Welsh heritage(Southern, Texas),I have had a lifetime’s experience in true teas, in one way or another. Growing up, my mother’s cupboard was rarely without a daily go-to quality genmaicha, and a matcha for cooking. My father loves blacks, and his mother was never without a box of Red Rose Tea. My Aunt and Uncle usually had Greens,Pouchongs and Oolongs around the house. Due to location and accessibility issues, I have gravitated towards bagged tea recently, but grateful to find more options opening up for me, and it is a relief to restructure my loose leaf stash!

I think of Teas as friends…exploring new relationships, deepening established ones…having a strong circle of solid support to stand alongside you through life…I have found some of these kinds of relationships with individual teas, I am hoping to find/build more along my journey courting my current circle of acquaintances, and not get sidetracked by frivolous dalliances flirting too long with a newcomer along the way.
(Due to this point of view, I will often taste a tea at least twice before fully evaluating enough even for a first rating.)

I drink true teas, and tisanes. Among Tea,
I love my Japanese Greens, and more recently love exploring whites and oolongs, and want to rediscover Pouchongs. Mixed results so far with pu-erh and also blacks, but use blacks for chai, as well as medicinally. Limited exposure to (Chinese)red teas, but interested. No experience with yellow or purple teas.

Among herbal and floral notes, my favorites are (Seaweed) Kombucha, Mints, Ginger, Honeysuckle,Yuzu, Jasmine, Lavender, and Rose.
After all this time, I still understand unflavored Matcha, jasmine or rose fragrance in tea to be a sweet tea.

The flavors I Treasure in my Tea are the Classics/Orthodox blends, I gravitate most towards the layered and nuanced teas.
Of those I always return to Scented and “Plain”…while I do enjoy some classic flavored tea also. I feel strongly that life is to short to drink bad tea.

Ingredients you will not find in my tea stash: 1. Stevia, 2. rooibos (red or green), 3. Fermented kombucha, or more accurately, kōcha kinoko.
I am attempting to avoid any artificial flavors as well.

My permanent stash consists of mostly varieties, teas I know I enjoy at any temperature( at least 1-2 each of Houjicha, Genmaicha, Sencha, Moroccan or other Green tea/Mint Blend, Thai blend, Silk Oolong, Jasmine, Chai, and White, Matcha, Darjeeling Black..

Ginger, Lychee, Lavender, Mint, Rose, Rosehips, Hibiscus, Mugicha, and Japanese Konbu-cha (both plain, and Ume flavors) and Yuzu are among the tisanes/blends ideally in residence) I chose based on overall quality as well as how a tea’s flavor and texture holds up over various temperatures(as in can it cool and keep my interest?).
I try not to be too brand loyal, in case of discontinuance, or lack of common availability.(Of course I do have my further favorites, but I try to find a few qualifying faves to rotate through.)
I have a small collection of tea ware, collect some lines of Wade Rose Tea figurines.

Rating Legend:

100 = What I will restock first and most likely always have on hand

90-99 = Where is the Tea IV again? Soul Nourishing Teas I never want to be without.

79-90 = Daily Drinker Teas, comfort teas must haves.

66-78 = Specialty stash. Seasonal must haves, Medicinals, Teas that I love that are too expensive/rare to qualify for unrestrained consumption, or that I have to “be in the mood for”

65-50 = Acceptable, 2nd choice brands or types of of my staple kinds of tea, teas that may need reconsideration.

30-49 = Will drink if only tea around. Won’t buy personally.

48-20 = Might finish a tasting cup…For Research only.

20-1 = Why am I drinking this?….Just…NO.

1= also often a tea where the smell of it, dry, or brewed makes my physically react badly, before tasting

Rated, but No tasting note?
I have tried it prior to joining, and rated from memory. If it is in my stash, or something that got a high enough rating to revisit, I will get to an update with a formal tasting note as well. OR: The first smell or sip made me ill enough, I did not proceed with the tasting.

Favorite Companies So far:
Numi
MAJANI
Shang
Tealet
Butiki Teas
Nature’s Tea Leaf
The Persimmon Tree
Steven Smith Teamaker
Japanese Green Tea Shops
Mellow Monk
Blue Lotus Chai
Red Leaf Tea
Hibiki-an
Yuuki-Cha
O-Cha.com
Maiko
Den’s
Hojo
Aiya
-
the minimalism of tea

“Tea is a an act complete in its simplicity.

When I drink tea, there is only me, and the tea.

The rest of the world dissolves.

There are no worries about the future.

No dwelling on past mistakes.

Tea is simple: loose-leaf tea, hot pure water, a cup.

I inhale the scent, tiny delicate pieces of the tea floating above the cup.

I drink the tea, the essence of the leaves becoming a part of me.

I am informed by the tea, changed.

This is the act of life, in one pure moment, and in this act the truth of the world suddenly becomes revealed: all the complexity, pain, drama of life is a pretense, invented in our minds for no good purpose.

There is only the tea, and me, converging."


Thich Nhat Hanh: Tea Ceremony

Location

Oregon, USA

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer