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Scheherazade drank Oriental Beauty by Butiki Teas

2238 tasting notes

I’ve tried this once before, as a sample with one of my past orders. My memories of it were good, so I picked up another bag as part of the “I Love Leafhoppers” sampler a little while back. It’s been a bit neglected in my cupboard, so I brought it to work with me today so that it gets some attention. To say sorry, I’ve made it my first cup of the day!

It’s as good as I remembered. I followed the recommended parameters, and gave 2 tsp of leaf 5 minutes in water cooled just slightly (about 195). The resulting liquor is golden brown, and smells lightly fruity. This fruitiness translates into a juiciness in the initial sip — that’s one of the things I’ve loved most about the leafhopper teas I’ve tried so far. It’s quite spicy, in a cinnamon kind of way, and there’s a doughnutty kind of taste lurking around in the background. Which means, I guess, that the overall taste reminds me of cinnamon dusted doughnuts. The fresh kind, that you’ve just watched being cooked at a fair. Neglecting this one has definitely been my loss, but drinking it today has reminded me how delicious it actually is. I can see this being a morning staple for the next few weeks :)

Preparation

195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp

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Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.