2238 Tasting Notes

90

A sample from Miss B. I was in the mood for gin this morning, but there being none to to hand I had to settle for tea with copious juniper berries instead. This one fit the bill perfectly. In actual fact, it appears to be at least 85% juniper berries. There’s a scattering of spearmint leaves, the tiniest bit of pu’erh, a few peppercorns, and only the tiniest quantities of the other ingredients (birch bark, tulsi, anise and cardamom). I used 1 tsp for my cup, and gave it 4 minutes in boiling water. I crushed most of the junipers first just because they’re better that way.

To taste, this is like a fresh, foresty chai. The main flavour is juniper, no surprises there. I love it, though, so I’ve no complaints about that. Second comes the spearmint, sweet and cooling, followed by a touch of earthiness from the pu’erh. I think that’s where the “forest” vibe is coming from – it has that characteristic wet leaf/forest floor flavour that can be so appealing in pu’erh. The spicing is more prominent than I thought it would be, running throughout the mid sip and lingering long in the aftertaste. I can clearly taste cardamom, star anise and pepper, which is surprising given how little there was of it amongst the dry leaf. I can also taste something that’s reminding me of black liquorice (and thankfully it’s not my nemesis liquorice root). Altogether, it’s a better combination than I was expecting – unusual, but very drinkable, and the flavours work super well together. I’m really pleased to have had the opportunity to try this one!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp
rosebudmelissa

That sounds really good! Licorice is actually flavored with anise these days, so that’s probably what you were tasting. Anise has fewer health concerns than licorice root, so at some point everyone switched over.

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45

A sample from Chi Whole Leaf. This is the second of the five samples from Chi Whole Leaf that I’ve tried, and I picked it out this morning because it seems that I’m simultaneously terrified of it, and looking forward to it the most. The powder appears to be less finely ground than the other samples, and it’s possible to see much larger flecks of it both dry and when mixed with water. I used 1/2 tsp of powder for my cup, and mixed it into boiling water. The powder rose to the surface this time, creating an orangey foam, which was unexpected and a little disconcerting. The liquor itself is a deep dark red, as I’d expect from anything with hibiscus in it.

I left this one to sit for a few minutes, and the surface “foam” mostly dissipates. The powder is still visibly suspended in the water, though, and it creates a rather unpleasantly grainy sipping texture. The flavour itself is milder than I expected – it’s tart and sour in characteristic hibiscus fashion, but not mouth puckeringly so, and there’s a pleasant floral in the mid sip that does remind me of rose. It’s not particularly well defined, though, so if you’re looking for a clear “rose” flavour you’ll be disappointed. There’s supposed to be jasmine, but I can’t detect that at all. Mostly, it comes across as a hibiscus blend, with a hint of floral. Pleasant enough, but not amazing. It’s also quite “flat” tasting – there’s no aftertaste, and none of the flavours really seem to last beyond the immediate sip. I wanted to like this one, but I have to say that it’s really odd stuff, and not really my cup of tea groan at all. While I appreciate the chance to try these, so far I’m not sold on them at all.

Preparation
Boiling

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70

A sample from Miss B. This one came out a lot stronger than I was expecting, in that the initial sip contains quite an intense hit of blackberry. It reminds me a little of cordial – syrupy, sweet, but very fruity and with an edge of sourness totally reminiscent of actual blackberries. As this one cools, the sage begins to emerge. It starts out as an indefinable “herbal” kind of flavour, but with successive sips I really could start to identify it as specifically sage. Stuffing, anyone?

Although it reminds me at least a little of roast chicken with all the trimmings, I actually like this flavour combination. It’s slightly unusual, which is always intriguing, but it works pretty well. The sage cuts through some of the tart sourness the blackberries present, and pushes the overall flavour away from one-note fruity. I could be a fan!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp

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40
drank Lime by Perennial Tea Room
2238 tasting notes

A sample from Miss B, and my first cup of the morning. I used 1.5 tsp for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in boiling water, no additions. It certainly smells like lime, but sadly it doesn’t really taste like lime. There’s a mild sourness that’s vaguely reminiscent of citrus fruit, and a really rather nice creaminess, but other than that I’m not getting much from this one. The black tea is smooth and silky, which is nice, but I wanted lime and I’m not getting it. Sad face.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

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60

Final stray Twinings bag. I left this one until last because I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it. Liquorice root is one of my least favourite things in the world, at least when it comes to tea. Interestingly, though, I don’t hate this one. The liquorice is there, but despite being a prominent feature in the name, it’s not actually a major contender in the flavour. It’s just a slight over sweetness and a stickiness at the back of the throat, but it’s not nearly as prominent as I’ve found it to be in some blends where it’s not even a major ingredient. The main flavours here are blackberry and mint, and it’s actually a fairly pleasant brew for a bagged tea. The blackberry has a slight sour sharpness that the liquorice helps take the edge off , and the mint adds a cooling freshness. I’m actually reminded of homemade cordial in the summer – it’s rich and sweet and a little sticky tasting in just the same way.

I probably wouldn’t repurchase this one just because it’s got liquorice in it and I’m not a fan. I really prefer to be able to sweeten my own tea (or not), and I don’t particularly enjoy having that choice taken away. As liquorice blends go it’s not so bad, but it would have been BETTER if it was just blackberry and mint.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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85

A sample from Miss B. This has got to be one of the more intriguing teas I’ve tried in a while, and I think only the second whiskey flavoured tea I’ve ever come across. I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it 3.5 minutes in boiling water. When I returned to the kitchen I really could smell whiskey, so it’s probably a good thing that I was the only one around at the time. There might have been raised eyebrows, given the conservative nature of the office I work in. I don’t need shock and scandal with my tea on a Friday morning, thanks. It had brewed up pretty dark in any case, so I added a splash of milk.

To taste, it’s actually pretty nice. It’s a lot less harsh in flavour than I was expecting, given the scent. The whiskey is very prominent, with oaky, grain-like notes, and it lingers in the form of a delicious warmth – almost a glow – in the aftertaste. The base tea is smooth and very lightly malty, with maybe just the tiniest hint of citrus. It works really well with the much stronger whiskey, creating a very mellow vibe overall. I’d seriously consider keeping this one around, especially during the winter. A surprise hit!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp

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60

A sample from Miss B! It’s still cold out today, despite the forecast predicting warmer weather for the end of the week. I arrived at work frozen, so chai seemed to be the order of the day. I used my usual western-style preparation method – 1 tsp of leaf, 4 minutes in boiling water, and a splash of milk.

As chai goes, this seems to be a pretty mild one. The main flavour I’m picking up is actually vanilla, and while it’s sweet and creamy it’s not quite what I was expecting. There’s an underlying “chai” flavour in the mid-sip, mostly cinnamon, clove and orange, but it’s not hugely prominent. While pleasant and drinkable, I think this one really need something to give it some body and zing – maybe some pepper or ginger. As it stands, it’s just a little too mild for my tastes.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

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55

The third of my four stray Twinings bags. I actually feel like I’m having a pretty good time with these today, despite them being of the “fine shred” variety. I’m not the biggest ginger fan, but I do love rhubarb, so I’m guessing that’s why I added this one to an order sometime in the distant past. I gave the bag 3.5 minutes in boiling water, and the scent when I returned to the kitchen was pretty amazing – rhubarb and custard sweets!

To taste, this is initially more rhubarb than ginger, which scores it major points with me. The rhubarb is on the sweet side, and just a little bit tart. The ginger emerges in the mid-sip, but more as a warmth and kick of spicy heat than a flavour in itself. The major letdown for me with this one is the liquorice root. It wasn’t listed in the ingredients, but I know it’s around because I can taste its sweet stickiness at the back of my throat. It’s not as overdone as it’s been in some teas I’ve tried recently, but it’s still there and I HATE it.

If it wasn’t for that, this would have been a pretty high scorer with me. I don’t feel I come across a rhubarb tea that often, so when I do it’s a pleasant novelty. I wouldn’t say this was a particularly fiery blend, so it’s not living up to its name in that respect, but it is rhubarb and ginger and that would have been enough. As it stands, I wouldn’t repurchase this one. The liquorice is a complete no-no as far as I’m concerned.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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95

Second stray Twinings of the day. I can’t actually remember when I picked these up? The fact that I only have one of each must mean I was filling in an order to get free postage or something like that, but I can’t actually recall doing it. In any case, this one was a surprise instant hit with me.

The first thing I feel I should point out is that the liquor is a gloriously bright pink. I gave the bag 3.5 minutes in boiling water, no additions, and it cheered me up just to look at it. The second thing to say is that it’s actually beetroot and blackcurrant, which isn’t really reflected in the name. The final thing is that I would happily go out and buy every box of this I could get my hands on (right now, if I wasn’t at work) because it’s the most delicious fruit/herbal tea I’ve tried in a long, long time.

The initial sip is very blackcurrant-heavy, but it tastes just like the actual fruit. I was expecting a more ribena-style flavour, but it’s nowhere near as sweet or artificial as that. There is a natural sweetness, to a degree, but there’s also a touch of sharp/sour in the mid-sip that I’m really enjoying. So flavour accurate! The beetroot plays second fiddle to some extent, but it’s there in the mid-sip contributing an earthiness and maybe even some of the sweetness that the blackcurrant itself lacks. It’s a great pairing, and the two flavours work fabulously together with no tartness (or hibiscus!) in sight. I’m impressed that it strikes such a good balance – I’m not used to getting that from bagged teas in general, or from Twinings in particular, so this one’s a bit of a revelation.

So much for narrowing down my cupboard. I’ll definitely be drinking this one again, not least because I think it’ll make a fabulous cold brew this summer!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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90
drank Lady Grey by Twinings
2238 tasting notes

My latest Bluebird order arrived yesterday, so now I’m on a serious mission to reduce my cupboard in the hopes that it can be back under 200 before…too long? The easiest way to achieve this seems to be to focus on smaller samples and things I only have one of, and this teabag from a Twinings pick n’ mix fitted the bill.

I think I’ve only tried this once before in my life, which seems quite odd given that I pretty much grew up on Twinings. I’ve drank a lot more Earl Grey, but if I’m totally honest I think I actually prefer Lady Grey because the orange is more “actual orange” than slightly bitter bergamot, and it generally tastes like a creamsicle which is never a bad thing.

Today’s cup is no exception. I gave the bag 2.5 minutes in boiling water, no additions. The black base is light and bright tasting with mild citrus notes – probably a Ceylon. Of the added orange and lemon peel, orange is definitely the dominant flavour. It’s sweet, kai-ora like orange, maybe a bit over-ripe in terms of taste but it works well enough. There’s just a hint of slightly bitter lemon right at the end of the sip, but mostly this is a smooth and almost creamy tasting tea, perfect for a gentle start in the morning. I’d not rush out and buy loads, but an occasional visit to my cupboard would be no bad thing. As bagged tea goes, it’s one of the better ones.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 30 sec

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Bio

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.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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