Kasumi no Chajin

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Fruity, slightly sour, can not make out individual teas, or I do not know enough on how to read them.
After water is first poured: buttery, fruity.
At end of steep: buttered fruit?
Tea liquor: light brown,
At end of steep: reddens slightly
Staple? No
Time of day preferred: Unsure, first tasting.
Taste:
first notes: slight bite, taste of mild, grassy black, likely due to the blend
As it cools? starts to get complex, notes competing for attention
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, bitter, slightly sour aftertaste

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Vanilla Mint Frosted cake
After water is first poured: Vanilla mint Powdered sugar
At end of steep: Frosted Vanilla
Tea liquor:
At first: light green
At end of steep: same.

Staple? Yes, seasonal, and I got a few extra this year
Time of day preferred: Early evening
Taste:
first notes: Aromatic Fresh, very Light, moderately sweet (western) hits first, then mint close behind, trailing hints of cinnamon and mint
As it cools? Notes open, even out, loose the cake frosting heavy qualities, candy cane quality starts to beckon, light and crisp.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Delightfully so, leaving candy cane fresh notes clearly hanging inside one’s mouth, no bitterness, but palatable with each breath between sips.

Powdered

Aroma when Dry: crisp, light, grassy, sweet (eastern)

After water is first poured: smooth, creamy, grassy

At end of steep:
Tea liquor: opaque deep grass green
At end of steep: same

Staple? Yes
Time of day preferred: any
Taste:
first notes: Rich smooth sweet (eastern) bright grassy notes. Grainy if not blended well.
As it cools? bitters quite a lot, briefly, then balances out again, getting a bit richer. Stays bright, creamy and grassy throughout.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No, but have used it successfully mixing with my chai blends, in cooking, and both stovetop and smoothies.
Lingers? Yes, with grassy, no bite aftertaste.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: bright,rich, vegital.

After water is first poured: Grassy, sweet (eastern)

At end of steep: grassyer
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: Light grassy green

Staple? No
Time of day preferred: Any, but great as first or last tea if the day.
Taste:
first notes: light, grassy, mild.
As it cools? Blends, slightly bitter aftertaste
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, cool, with slight bitter quality.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Slightly sour, malty.

After water is first poured: woody, with malt notes

At end of steep: warm, twiggy, malty, toasty.
Tea liquor:
At first: light brown
At end of steep: deep earth brown

Staple? No but, inviting me to try others, loose leaf for sure.
Time of day preferred: Midday, afternoon

Taste:
first notes: Rich, smoky, toasty quality.
As it cools? Bitters quickly, but not unbearably stays smokey, malty.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, with a smoky maltyness

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: lingering Soft, slightly powdery, velvety sweet, minty
(western)
After water is first poured:. dessert like minty, almost vanilla notes
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
At first: pale spring greenish
At end of steep: deep russet brown

Staple? YES! Looking into the loose leaf next
Time of day preferred: Any, but early morning or late at night it is lovely
Season: Summer preferred
Taste: cool, smooth, minty, woody, slightly flat
first notes:
As it cools? Notes open up greatly, start to hold their own, I can taste “layers” of minty goodenes, and it starts to sweeten naturally.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No. Have used honey and agave when chilled in a blend with other herbals, both work, but are unneeded in it plain. Love floating pine nuts in it when warm, is a great accent (was introduced to Moroccan mint this way in restaurant.)
Lingers? Yes with smooth, crisp minty cooling notes, no afterbite.
Also great (better) cold/cooler.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: woody, warm, faintly sweet
After water is first poured: warm, earthy, woody.
At end of steep: woody, sweet (eastern) chewy.
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: light earthy brown

Staple? Has great possibility, I do love it but prefer loose leaf, so looking into other brands.
Time of day preferred: Any.
Taste:
first notes: twiggy, buttery, smooth.
As it cools? notes warm, bitters slightly, gets twiggier.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, with warm, sweet (eastern) earthy smoothness
Also great cold.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: layered mint, slightly powdery
After water is first poured: bright, minty, cool
At end of steep: woodsy, bright, minty and cool
Tea liquor:
First: light green
At end of steep: deepens slightly

Staple? Yes
Time of day preferred: Any
Taste: balanced mint, neither variety overpowering the other. Fresh, not spicy or bitter
first notes: slightly sharp, bright, woody, minty, slightly sweet.
As it cools? notes hold, but blend slightly. gets a bit sharper.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No, but have used raw sugar in the past, and agave when chilled, both are lovely
Lingers? Yes, notes punctuating their departure.
Also good chilled.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: slightly sweet(western sweet),powdery
At end of steep: blended sweet, floral
Tea liquor:
First: light brown, almost sandy
At end of steep: deepens into a red earthy brown.

Staple? Probably, looking into loose leaf next.
Time of day preferred: Mid Morning, Afternoon
Taste:
first notes: light floral, mild woody note. Can distinguish between the linden and black. Honey notes complement nicely, not noticeable as sweet per se.
As it cools? Notes blend, but none vanish.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, floral softens on its way out.
Want to try chilled.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Bright, Sour Hibiscus, Lemon dominate
After water is first poured: delicate and tangy, fruity. All three notes noticed, lemon, Hibiscus and Honey. Slightly grassy note from the green tea base.
At end of steep: smooths out, sweetens slightly, then it mellows out so much it gets bland.
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: grassy

Staple? No, but may revisit, for use as medicinal.
Time of day preferred: Morning, Afternoon.
Taste:
first notes: Honey, then a hint of lemon. Hibiscus very faint.
As it cools? Lemon surfaces greatly.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Slightly, with mild sour note.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Floral, slightly sour
After water is first poured: Soft earthy floral
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: Light brown
At end of steep: Ruddy

Staple? Yes, will try loose leaf version next.
Time of day preferred: Morning
Taste:
first notes: floral, deeper then Jasmine. Being my first Magnolia I have tasted, I have to go by comparing it to what the flower smells like on a tree. Earthy, woody fragrance follows, and deepening taste.
As it cools? Notes blend into floral woodyness.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Not much, leaves with a flat dustyness.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Dessert Sweet, fruity
After water is first poured: bergamot and grapefruit are noticeable
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: light tan
At end of steep: Same

Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: undecided, first tasting
Taste:
first notes: Light floral, followed by citrus.
As it cools? Notes blend, floral aftertaste heightens.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, the bergamot stays, the citrus blends and lingers as well.

Bagged

Aroma when Dry: Bright, crisp, not quite fruity. clean
After water is first poured: can distinguish individual blacks in the blend, jasmine is barely noticeable.
At end of first steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: light brown
At end of steep: deep red brown

Staple? No.

Time of day preferred: Afternoon
Taste:
first notes: can taste the Darjeeling & Ceylon and Jasmine. Can smell more then I can identify.
As it cools? The tea opens up quite a bit, I can taste 4-5 individual notes, not sure exactly which, save the Jasmine
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, slightly smoky, floral, woody notes.

Might try the loose leaf version sometime.
Will try as base for chai at some point.

Second steep color: med red brown
second steep taste: sweet, nutty, almost creamy

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: sweet, clove, ginger, vanilla notes
After water is first poured: generic ginger cake
At end of steep: Soured ginger
Tea liquor:
first color: light dusty
At end of steep: med brown
Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: any
Taste:
first notes: rum, vanilla weak cinnamon and clove hint of cardamum. (without sugar and milk)
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? Not at first, added a sprinkling of raw sugar and splash of milk after it started to cool. With milk and sugar it soured further, and only the notes of the black tea, cardamum, clove and rum are noticeable.
Lingers? Yes, sour, woody.

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Sweet, like store cake frosting
After water is first poured: vanilla notes noticed first, hints of the others
At end of steep: bland, dusty sweet
Tea liquor:
first color: med. brown
At end of steep: darkens a bit.
Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: undecided.
Taste: bland, like mildly candied cheap black tea
first notes: Vanilla, pepper
As it cools: cinnamon and Vanilla surface
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with a touch of vanilla

Bagged
Aroma when Dry: Sweet, like store cake frosting, dusty
After water is first poured: overpowering SWEET
At end of steep: sweet, almost like baby shampoo
Tea liquor:
first color: light brown
At end of steep:
Color: same
Staple? No.
Time of day preferred: undecided, first tasting
Taste: flat, dusty, bland
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, leaves a sour note

Upon suggestion, I tried a 1min steep
Taste: Soapy, but not sour
Lingers with earthy, dusty notes

Bagged,
Aroma when Dry: Sweet, spicy, frosty, delicate
After water is first poured: crisp, can detect both the mint and ginger notes.
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: grassy brown
At end of steep: notes blend, deepen and warm.
Color: deep tea brown
Staple? YES, hope to stock up for full year this time. -looking into ordering the loose leaf. Would be a go-to tea if it were not seasonal.
Time of day preferred: Any, though lovely in afternoon.
Taste:
first notes: sharp, crisp, bright. The mint mellows the ginger through
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with a clean, crisp light texture, with same notes, though mint is a touch more prominent. It is here that the floral nature of the white tea is most noticeable.
As it cools? Fresh, fragrant. Mint takes lead note, with floral and ginger following.
Want to try chilled sometime.

Loose leaf
Appearance? Dark, black/orange hints of green
Aroma when Dry: fruity, can smell the sticky tart tartness, with some subtle undertones
After water is first poured: non specific fruit notes
At end of steep:
Tea liquor:
first color: light dusty brown
At end of steep: bland fruity
Staple? No, but Possible seasonal treat.
Time of day preferred: unsure as of yet
Taste:
first notes: dry, bland
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? Not at first, added Raw Sugar at half a cup.
Lingers? Yes, with the sticky earthiness of the top notes in tamarind, light tart tang
As it cools? Dissipates into earthy dustiness. leaves mouth as dry as expected for tamarind.
At warm, not hot, with the addition of raw sugar, it is opening up a bit more, with the full layers of noted found in raw tamarind.

Reflecting:I will try again another day, thinking this might be better in summer.

Bagged Tea.
Aroma when Dry: slightly sweet, bright, woodsy
After water is first poured: fresh, bright clean minty
At end of steep: woody, fresh, minty
Tea liquor:
first color: light woody green
At end of steep: same
Staple? Yes, looking into loose leaf options
Time of day preferred: Any
Taste: first notes: balanced, clean mint
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with the woody notes, and an after- bite of mint.
As it cools? Notes blend, tea gets crisper.
Also good chilled, holds flavour.

Bagged Tea. (available loose as well)
Aroma when Dry: sour, bitter
After water is first poured: slight tart note, barely discernable
as brewing: same
Tea liquor: first color: earth pink
At end of steep: deepens in color, still pink
Staple? Probably, looking into loose leaf version next.(will use that form as staple if it works out)
Time of day preferred: Any, when needing a refreshing tea.
Taste: first notes: bright, bitter, tart, floral rosehips first, finishing with the hibiscus
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with earthyness, tart/ mild simultaneously.
As it cools? Notes blend, minor peppery texture

Bagged Tea.
Aroma when Dry: Bright, spicy, warm, fresh, uplifting.
After water is first poured: warm, smooth spice,
as brewing: mellow earthy spice
Tea liquor: first color: light earthy red
At end of steep even earthy red.
Staple? Yes, will look into loose leaf next
Time of day preferred: Morning, or if I need a pick me up.
Taste: first notes: cardamom, peppery bite. fresh, bodied.
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No.
Lingers? Yes, with almost a lemony, or Chamomile texture, but spicier. can feel it warming entire body.
As it cools? Still warm, spice fades a bit, mellows and then deepens to general earthy notes