QuiltGuppy

This tea was okay. It smelled really nice, very fruity and fresh upon opening the bag.

Boiling/2 min. – Now the smell has diminished significantly. Upon tasting the tea, it’s slightly bitter, but there is no frutiness to it anymore. I can still smell it slightly and it’s very barely there if I slurp the tea, but if I drink normally, it cannot be discerned. That’s a disappointment. So many of the black teas I’ve recently tried lose their flavoring once brewed.

This tea smells like toasty coconut. The funny thing is that it’s oolong tea with hazelnut and vanilla and I’m not a vanilla fan. Well, not usually.

I happen to love coconut, so I was hoping that the scent connected with the actual taste. 205/2 min later… The aroma is still there. That’s one hurdle down. Next to taste… Mmm. It does taste nutty, but the expected taste of coconut has morphed into what the tea claims to be… Hazelnut. Vanilla. Oolong. Nice.

Fortunately, the vanilla is not too overwhelming. The pairing of flavors here is nice. The oolong has an underlying strength. It’s not lost to the flavoring. Very nice.

2nd infusion – Today, I took a second infusion in a travel mug to work. It’s really good, even better than the first one. The flavoring is more muted and the rich oolong shines through. I’m very impressed and very happy.

I purchased this tea from the Ann Arbor TeaHaus tonight and thought it might make a nice evening tea. (Not too much caffeine.) It has a pleasant scent, nothing very notable, just a fresh fragrance.

Steeped at 160 for 2 minutes. It’s a golden yellow color. Maize? (Any coincidence, University of Michigan?) Anyway, once brewed, it’s scent is more difficult to discern. I can’t detect any fresh lychee fruit in the aroma. In tasting it, yes, it’s there, but it’s oh so light. The white tea as well is there. It’s a delicate tea. There’s nothing robust about it, so I think it does make a nice evening cup of tea. I wouldn’t say it’s fruity or floral (there are cute little rosebuds in it); it’s just delicate and nice.

Yesterday during a trip to the mall, I visited Teavana. We don’t have a lot of dedicated tea stores around here, so it’s always nice to go in and be surrounded by tea and other fun tea stuff.

On a whim, I picked up the Kamiya Papaya Oolong. It sounded different and I was in a fruity mood. Last night I programmed the Breville and took a sniff of the tea. It smells candied and not so tea-y. Still, I was looking forward to it knowing that many teas taste so differently once brewed.

195/3 minutes as on the package. (Thanks, Teavana, I love that the recommendation for all teas are printed right on the label!)

When ready, the tea smells heavenly. (Teavanaly?) It’s a true papaya scent, not sugary. The taste is fruity without being over the top. It’s a delicious wake up cup of tea. The tea itself is minimized by the fruity taste. It’s still nice, but difficult to discern from the papaya. I can taste a hint of cinnamon, but if there are other fruits, they take a back seat to the papaya. This is what I was looking for, though, this morning and I’m very pleased. I also think this would make a very nice summer iced tea.

I’m so thrilled to FINALLY have some tea from Joy’s Teaspoon! A week ago, a mangled package arrived on my doorstep. It had been opened and I ended up having to pitch the tea as even some containers had been opened. (You never know!) So, the tease came through smelling these wonderful samples going to waste. I’ve been pining for the Sunny Passion as it has the most amazing tropical scent. I literally found myself thinking about it during down times… driving home from work, in bed at night…

So, today I finally have it and am really drinking it! (175/3 min) It’s delicious! The smell, even once brewed is still there. Like papaya and mango. Tropical. The taste is not overly fruity, but is a good balance of a fresh tasting green tea with fruit. It’s pleasant and refreshing and almost juice-like. I feel lighter, just as this tea tastes.

Hmm… I’m not certain what to make of this tea. First, let me say that I’m discovering I really love oolong. So, having had a few different silk oolongs, I was really expecting to have my socks knocked off… well, I didn’t. That’s not to say that it’s not a bad cup of tea. It’s simply that I had hoped for more.

First, the scent. I was a bit wary as I’m normally enticed by the aroma of the open bag. That didn’t happen this time. When I opened the bag and sniffed, I actually recoiled because it was so different from what I was expecting.

Okay, so I went with 195/2min steep using the Breville. The color was kind of a light yellow. Lighter than I expected, but I decided to give it a go. Mmm. It is good. I can smell that silk oolong scent that I had been hoping for earlier. It’s very nice, but doesn’t have that creamy heft to it that other silk oolongs seem to have. It does taste creamy, though, but with more earthiness to it. It’s interesting. I’m happy with it, but surprised by the experience all the same.

I recently discovered not one, but two loose tea fans who work with me at school. We decided to swap some of our faves. This morning, courtesy of one, I’m drinking Cranberry Autumn by Harney & Sons.

The scent of this tea before brewing is extraordinary. It’s such a rich, fruity (in a very berry way) and delicious smelling tea.

I went lightly in allowing it to steep. Boiling for 1 minute using the Breville. (It was ready and waiting for me when I awoke this morning.) I’m so glad that I chose the light setting this morning as it came out beautifully. Its taste is very similar to its scent… simply amazing. It’s nice without being overwhelming and the tea and berry tastes are combined so well that I can’t help smiling. What a beautiful tea!

It was so nice waking to Apricot Fusion this morning! (Thank you, Breville, for adding a timer!) Last night, when I opened the package, I could smell the fruitiness. It was a clean scent that mingled nicely with the grounding smell of tea. I was really excited about this tea, having tried another of 52Teas’ flavors, and not having been disappointed.

I wasn’t sure at all how long to let it steep, or at what temperature, so I picked one between green/white tea and oolong temps. 180 for 1 min 30 sec. When I came downstairs, my kitchen smelled heavenly.

So, I take a sip, expecting fruitiness, but it was quite muted from what I could smell. I take another and the same. I almost get a vegetal taste mixed in. Kind of asparagusy. Not a great mix for apricot. Still, something compels me to continue sipping. As I sip, I find that I’m enjoying it more and more. It’s nice. It’s not what I had hoped for, but it’s still good. I’ll try it again with a lower temp and a longer steep time.

Okay… I have to admit that I signed up for the six week trial with more than just a tad of trepidation. I was really doubting my decision when I saw that the first tea I’d be receiving was the peanut butter toast. I love peanut butter, but somehow, the thought of peanut butter tea just didn’t do it for me. The sight of peanuts mixed in with the tea… uh…

Boy, was I wrong! This tea is smoky, slightly nutty, really, really good tasting. It’s a surprising tea. I expected something more juvenile, but this most definitely was not! I made it with the Breville One-Touch, 205 degrees for 3 minutes. It was really strong, and I probably would cut a minute off of the brewing time as I do not mix it with milk or sugar at all. The taste and scent are smoky, deep and comforting. I feel calmer. I’m really glad I went out on a limb and tried something new because this is excellent. Thank you, 52teas.

This is a very strong black tea and I’d definitely recommend a steep time of 2 minutes or less. Yes, I allowed it to steep too long at 2 min 30 sec and it is slightly bitter. I really love the crisp, fresh scent that envelops you literally upon opening the bag. This is a whole sensory experience! It’s amazing!

I used the Breville to make this. It’s outstanding. A little bitter, but not too much. That’s more my fault. I generally prefer medium to light cups of tea. The lemony bergamot is most definitely present, but you can still taste the black tea. When I think of Earl Grey tea, this is exactly what I think of! Captain Picard would be proud… :)

I really love drinking tea right before bed, but cannot tolerate any caffeine at that time. So, I was absolutely THRILLED to receive a sample packet of Zzz from ATR with my latest order. Last night, I tried it out.

First, I couldn’t use the Breville One-Touch because the packet only contained 4 g. and that’s not enough for the minimum size. So, I boiled some water and used my Bodum teacup with strainer to make a cup. 5 minutes later, I still couldn’t sip it because it was so hot! However, it smelled amazingly delicious. Tantalizing, like a fresh lemony meadow. (Okay, I know most meadows aren’t lemony, but it was as I would imagine a lemony meadow to smell.) Some of the tea did fall through the strainer and was a medium green color. The tea brewed up to a golden yellow and the colors mixed together just like, you guessed it, a lemony meadow.

A little while later, I ventured a sip. Beautiful, refreshing (but in a perfectly appropriate bedtime way) and delicious. The lemon is bold, yet the undertones of mint are present. The chamomile, too, is there. It’s a charming, comforting bedtime tea that doesn’t taste blah like so many others.

I actually tried a second infusion with this, hoping that my strong first cup could be replicated. I let it steep for 7 minutes the second time around and wasn’t disappointed. Had I not been so tired, I might have tried for a third, but the tea did its job and I drifted off to a sound, relaxed sip with my empty teacup on my nightstand. This morning, I awoke to the scent of a lemony meadow in my bedroom and rushed to my computer to buy more only to find it hadn’t yet been listed yet. I have to say one thing about ATR, each time I’ve had an issue (this was only the second time, the first was a coupon code that wasn’t accepted by their system), it has been resolved literally within hours. So, I’m thrilled to see that this tea is now available on their website and it’s delicious!

No notes yet.

I really feel something for this tea. It’s a good, robustly flavored tea.

It smells kind of nutty, like roasted nuts. I used the Breville at 195 for 3 minutes. It smells heavenly. I really love this homey, grounded scent. It’s warm and inviting and I take a sip. Aaahhh! Lovely. It’s toasty good, kind of woodsy, a hint of smoke. It’s very, very good.

Here is another ATR sample I’m tasting this morning.

It smells interesting. ATR calls it a “beguiling mélange” and I guess I could agree with that. I couldn’t pick out any individual scents, just a big mix. But, an interesting big mix.

This tea is not light. It is strong, bold, and fascinating. It’s not a perfumed taste, but a well-done mix of black tea and floral additives. The tea smells as if it has vanilla, too, but I don’t recall seeing that on the ingredients list. It is not bitter, even though it was brewed for 4 minutes.

Overall, it’s very nice. It is a sweeter tasting tea, which is nice. Very interesting tea!

No notes yet.

I had this for the first time this morning. It’s wonderful! I went lightly on the steeping time as I don’t add milk or sweetener. It smells like black tea with strawberries and cream. It’s heavenly!

Brewed with the Breville at 200 degrees for 2 minutes.

Once made, it still smells wonderfully! It’s fruity and creamy. The taste is nice. Slightly bitter, but not outrageously so. The strawberries are pleasant tasting and not overly sweet. It tastes creamy, but doesn’t feel heavy. It does have a slight drying effect in my mouth afterward. I really like this tea and had been looking forward to trying it. I’m so glad I found it yesterday! It didn’t let me down.

“This tea smells really good, you know?”

Ah, the innocent words of a not-so-innocent 5 year old who just knocked over my cup of tea.

Ruby Black is indeed a nice-smelling tea. It smells like tea. I really do like the way it smells. When I opened the package, as usual, I held it to my nose and sniffed. Very nice. It’s a nice toasty scent. The tea’s color… beautiful! Like a reddish-black. Love it! I appreciate the aesthetics of tea, the whole experience.

I followed the instructions and used the Breville at 200 degrees for two minutes.

The scent when brewed changed, but it’s still very nice. It has developed into a more vegetal scent, but still with that hint at toastiness.

Now, for the taste. It’s definitely a black tea and I’m not (in general) a black tea lover. I don’t add milk or sweetener to tea. It’s bold, but an understated, not so in-your-face bold. It’s like an underlying strength. It tastes very vegetal. So much so that I almost feel like it could be something on my plate. (That’s not a plus in my book.) Still, it’s a mysterious taste with a hint at spiciness, but not really. Just a tiny touch. It’s almost a thick taste, without the feeling of weight. There is a maltiness to it.

Overall, it’s nice. I do like it, but it hasn’t converted me to black tea. (I’ll keep trying them all, though!)

This snowy morning, I decided to try yet another one of my ATR samples, Coco Loco. Upon opening the package, I smell almost a rich, vanilla-ish scent of baking cookie dough. It’s sweet, but deep, too.

I used the Breville at 200 degrees for 5 minutes.

Wow! It smells wonderful! Like fresh baked chocolate chip cookies with coconut, but not that overly sweet smell. The taste is really unique. I can taste chocolate and a slight bit of coconut. I don’t taste pepper at all, but there is a slight spiciness to it that is pleasant and piques my interest. It has an earthy, sweetish finish to it. It’s really good. I’ve never tried pu-er before and I’m guessing that this is what is creating the grounding effect and prevents it from going over the top, even thought it’s a mixture of other tea, too. It’s lovely!

I’m really iffy on this one. First, though, it smells heavenly! It evokes memories of the Caribbean with the tropical fruits and I can imagine myself there once again.

I used the Breville 200 degrees for 5 minutes as indicated on the package.

The taste. Strong something. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is I taste, but it’s strong. Almost medicinal. I barely taste the fruitiness I can smell. I can’t taste the floral notes. It’s a strange experience and I’m feeling a bit let down. I had really hoped I’d love this tea. It was so promising in the package. If I ever try this one again, I might try it iced.

No notes yet.

Tried another oolong today, hoping for another homerun. This one is pretty good. At first, I steeped according to the directions on the side of the canister. 195 for 30 sec in the Breville. Either I didn’t add enough tea, or the time wasn’t right because it was weak, weak, weak. So, I plunked it down for an additional 30 seconds and the color improved significantly.

Okay, aroma… nice, clean, promising. Kind of toasty smelling. After brewing, it smells woodsy, roasted, somewhat vegetal. Taste… enjoyable. I can taste the roasted, vegetal scent that I had been smelling. It’s pleasant, but not creamy and not buttery.. I was hoping for a fuller taste in my mouth. Still, it’s very nice and very light.

Wow! Another extraordinary Formosa Silk Oolong! This one may be even better than I’m rating it, though, due to my own fault. I neglected to open the box this came in, so for the last two weeks, I’ve had it in my break down pile for recycling. It came packaged wrapped in tissue, but not in a moisture-proof bag or container. It has been outside in Michigan’s freezing weather, so perhaps the cold preserved it? Who knows?

At any rate, this tea didn’t smell powerfully of anything. A bit buttery, perhaps, but kind of muted. Once brewed, I could literally smell the creaminess of the tea and tasting it… sublime! It is creamy and smooth and delicious. It has a nuttiness to it, too, which I adore. Every mouthful was the same, consistent silkiness. It’s a beautiful tea and I promise never to forget it in the box again!!

This tea smells great. It’s almost foresty. Once brewed, the deep golden liquor picks up a vague spiced scent, but upon tasting, it’s back to a foresty taste. It’s very nice and very smooth. There’s no bitterness. It’s a beautiful tea for all of the senses.

This tea is outstanding! Upon opening the bag, I discovered a very savory, very rich, creamy scent of buttery yum. It’s really pleasing and comforting and I was looking forward to smelling it once brewed.

I used the Breville to make it. 175 for two minutes. Yes, the scent stayed with the tea. The taste really filled my mouth. It is creamy and has bulk to it. Not thin in the least. Nutty tasting. There’s a surprising fruitiness to it that is not overwhelming, it’s just there. It’s almost a toasty finish. Very, very nice.