371 Tasting Notes
I just finished my Shakespeare sample of this ::tear:: and it was just as yummy as the first time around for me. I got the same beignet sweetness and smoke-filled oomph. The smoke this time around reminded me of when I’d clean out my fireplace in Colorado: the remnants of a cozy fire. I also got a bit more of an almost metallic-like taste — it wasn’t unpleasant, but it was worth noting since I can’t say that I’ve had that experience with a lapsang before. Just a great smokey tea. TG
Preparation
::happy dance::
I cold brewed this puppy and finally tasted the fruits of my Frank’s labor tonight. Thus the dance of happiness.
I smiled when I was scooping the tea into my pitcher since I think that from any other company I would’ve freaked out at the sight of a ginourmous hunk-o-something amongst the chippies. But since it’s a 52teas blend I figured that it had to be pineapple (it was).
It’s been years since I’ve had a pina colada, but most of me says that this tea captures a non-alcoholic version. But then I start second-guessing myself. I think the solution is that I need to find a real pina colada in the near future to compare it to ;)
What I can say for sure is that this is one of the best honeybush blends that I’ve had so far. It’s also one of the best iced teas that I’ve had so far. TG
Preparation
Doulton’s Shakespeare: A Tasting Note in 5 Acts
Act IV scene 7
My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red, than her lips red:
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks;
And in some perfumes is there more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound:
I grant I never saw a goddess go,
My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground:
And yet by heaven, I think my love as rare,
As any she belied with false compare.
Sonnet 130
As Act IV closes on the Shakespeare box I hate to admit it, but what I have remaining are the teas that I kept shuffling out of the way of the other teas that caught my eye. There are only a few more teabags and chais left (sorry chai lovers! I’m rather wary of chai as a loose leaf tea since I’m too lazy to do anything with it beyond steep it. Hopefully this box changes my mind in this area). The upside is that because I’m less excited about the final teas it means that my pace of writing notes will slow, thus I can stretch out the joy of writing these notes a while longer.
It was mainly for this reason that I dubbed Mighty Leaf’s Organic Earl Grey one of Shakespeare’s great sonnets. I had lower expectations, but my first Mighty Leaf experience was a pleasant surprise. The tea itself was a nice Earl Grey, but nothing remarkable. It was smooth, didn’t taste “Pledgey” to me, and was one of the better bagged teas that I’ve experienced thus far. This tea gave me pause to think about trying to experience more bagged teas on my tea journey. Even though I don’t “look down on” teabags I realized that I have almost exclusively focused on loose leaf teas.
I may not wax poetic about this or other bagged teas, but they definitely have a place in my cupboard. NE
Preparation
This has become my first ever “go to” tea when it comes to the tea I drink for commutes and throughout my workday. Today I’m tasting more of the tea and it’s still wonderful. It’s just a giant-thermos-o-soothing.
::contented sigh::
Preparation
Eh, there’s nothing the matter with this tea. It’s orangey and oolongey, it gets a smiley face, but… It’s nice and orangey — smells fresh and good. The oolong seems more earthy. It’s a good balance. I had three nice steeps (adding a minute per steep). I guess that for the most part I’m not a huge fan of flavors added to oolongs. I just want amazing oolongs that show off all by themselves. I’ll happily finish off the generous sample that Daniel Mann sent me when I feel like having a fruity tea, but it won’t be on my reorder list. NE
Preparation
Did I send you some Ti Kwan Yin? You might like that better. I have to remember to send you some.
Orange oolong. A darker type oolong, I assume. That’s interesting. It sort of gives me mental images of orange chocolate. I can totally see that working well together. I’ve got half a sample left of a lemon oolong (green type) from Nothing But Tea that I thought was so awesome that I can’t make myself use the other half. Because then it would be gone.
@Daniel: you did not, but I’ll order a sample when I place my first order with you — you’re just too generous ;)
@Angrboda: I’d almost say it was Wuyi from the taste. Reminds me a lot of Tea Etc’s Orange U Slim, but I think that I like GTC’s better. Both are yummy in their own ways — I just haven’t found a flavored oolong that makes me go “OM NOM NOM!” yet. :)
