2291 Tasting Notes
This one is already better. I think it’s because I had the bag open, so it could air out some.
Ugh. I need a better way to keep my samples then, so I can keep them upright with the zip tops open… I wonder if I have enough tins to do that.
This is super yummy. Spicy. Dried stone fruits.
Yum yum yum.
Also, I’m still using my $$$ yixing. I don’t know how it’s changing the tea, or if it is even changing the tea… but it’s cute and little and I should have fun playing with it more often.
Edit: Quite a few steeps in now, and I’m getting some camphor/very mild menthol. But of course this tea isn’t available any more. Of course.
Preparation
YAY!!! You found one that works – and yes you should play with your little yixing more often. :))
The other pot was just $3 and does the same job without leaking! So it gets used more.
Is it really better to keep them open? I don’t know how to store mine.
I honestly have no idea, but I’ve read a lot about people airing their teas or putting them in crocks to breathe before drinking. Certainly doesn’t hurt in my climate.
I know, but someone told me not to open anything for a week after it gets in from China, and then I’m hearing of leaving bags open… I’m never sure what to do for whichever kind of puerh.
I’ve had this tea almost a year, and opened it when I sorted things after Christmas… so… IDK. :)
Ok! This is it! I have new teaware out. I have my little goat/sheep thing chilling in its hat cup. I have my YIXING POT OUT and rinsed and ready to go.
I haven’t used my yixing in MONTHS. It was so dusty.
My new cup dwarfs it. Teensy tea pot.
I think I don’t like the yixing mostly because it leaks like a fucking sieve. The lid doesn’t sit tight, but I swear when I used it in-store, it was fine.
And I can’t drink this tea. Smells like dried squid. Yep.
Ok, moving on.
(I’ve had it before and I don’t remember it being this bad. IDK.)
Preparation
:(( Sad – that is one of my favorite shou.
But yep if it’s not working for you move on…..
I was practising not dropping the pot, and it’s more dried date, less dried squid. So that’s nice. I think it was the plastic baggie being closed that affected the flavour. :/
dope. i love this one too…
I’ve heard of this before which means it must be good :)
I am having a hard time with shou right now, which is bad… considering how MUCH of it I have. :/
when it doesn’t taste right… what a shou-tastrophe
The next one from Camellia Sinensis is working better for me, YAY. Tea-tastrophe averted.
Squid! I can’t get over that.
Squid!!
I decided to copy Sil today and try this tea, since she sent it to me recently. :)
It’s interesting. This is the second tea of theirs I’ve tried, and I’d call this one boozy as well. Not AS boozy as the other one, thankfully.
The vanilla is loud and clear. The green base isn’t too vegetal or marine, although it’s definitely more vegetal than marine. It’s definitely cakey. Ohh, I want to bake a cake. But I’m doing a “healthy food” challenge. So maybe no cake for me.
Anyways, this is interesting and I’m mostly enjoying this cup. I’d like it better without the flavours that are making me think it’s full of booze.
Thanks so much for sharing it with me, Sil!
Preparation
i think you’re just an AC drunk
Dangit… I wanted to name a tea Combray but not I cannot…
Sil I SWEAR that they remind me of booze! D: Maybe I should get out the rum…
LP, there are so many teas out there… I can’t imagine finding one-word descriptors that aren’t already used!
I was going to say…so that’s ixnay on the combray? Man someone better get that…
This is interestingly a bit almondy today in my travel mug.
Pretty good. I don’t know that I’d hunt it down again though, even with as freaking adorable as the little muslin tea bags are.
it shows up at holts every year if i’m not remembering wrong
Yeah I think I saw this one there this holiday season.
Oh right. I tried to answer on my phone and it didn’t work.
“Hunting it down” means going out of my way to get it. And this isn’t worth waiting till Christmas and then paying the $25-30 for a box of bags. Even though they’re cute. If I buy a tea at Holts 9/10 times it’ll be Chandernagor. :)
There are too many options for this tea on Steepster, so I picked this one to write a note under.
It’s an EG. It’s not the earliest greyiest of earl greys, but it is one. And I took a sip and made the “yuck” face. But now that I’ve adapted to the thought that I’m drinking an earl grey, it’s not bad. I mean, it’s caffeine. It’s warm. It’s citrusy. Yep, it’s tea.
Thanks to whomever sent this over. MissB? Sil? I am so confused about samples at this point…
Tea wasn’t doing it for me. Dumped half the cup and got coffee. Mmm, coffee. With chocolate in.
blech
:P Sometimes EG is nice. Just not this morning.
This is my preferred “can’t destroy this at a conference in a paper cup” teabag. It is just this side of generic, which is much more tolerable than whatever Tazo hibiscus crap or lipton they usually have at coffee hour.
Haha. True! But when I’m out and about, EG is my standard because I generally know I can expect floor polish and not just cardboard. When I’m at home, I’m super picky with my EGs. Paris by H&S, and the Grapefruit EG from Bayswater are my preferred home-teas. :)
gross
This just means I need to search out some more EG for you, Sil! :P
gross. i hate that you guys know i’ll try nearly anything lol
Hahaha. Sorry?
I didn’t care for this one because I prefer more floral earl greys and am not a big fan of citrusy black teas. I much prefer Twining’s Earl Grey to their Lady Grey
Twinings EG = tea of my childhood. :) That and Red Rose and a plain peppermint, although I can’t do plain peppermint anymore.
My mom usually kept peppermint tea and green tea around the house. I don’t think I’ve ever had a tea by Red Rose. I don’t think I’ve even heard of them before.
You’re, uhh, not missing much. :)
Haha when I was a kid, I thought Red Rose and peppermint was the only tea there was. They were the only tea that I had ever seen in our small town grocery store
Paris is good, never tried the grapefruit, but one of my favorite teabags was Twinnings Orange Blossom Earl Grey, so I feel like it would be compatible! I quite liked the Earl Grey Creme from Upton as well. I mean, I didn’t really love it, but found myself craving it, which is a weird relationship to have with a tea. I also found it was very popular with generally non-tea-drinking guests.
Yep. Sometimes only an EG will do. :)
I found this one was temp sensitive – not nasty at any temp, just very different profile depending on temp. I think I ended up liking it hotter rather than cooler – but it’s been awhile…. Glad you like it. :))
I’m flash steeping at ~200 or so. Some steeps are a little more carby than others. :)
Sounds like a real find from a bargain seller.