ScottTeaMan

I bought this tea because my nephew Brennan said it was good and he thought I would like it. I was eager to cup this despite it being at least partially artificially flavored.

In my first cup I added a little skim milk. To be honest, even the small amount of milk seemed to hide flavors, although I thought I tasted vanilla and other Chai spices. My second cup was steeped without milk, per info below. I did taste a decent black tea base, vanilla & cinnamon, and perhaps cardamon in the background.

It was a decent cup of tea, but I did taste the artificial flavoring in this blend and it really distracted me, & disappointed me-even though I was expecting it. :// Hopefully, this tea will be better cold brewed.

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 19, 2012.

Another awesome Darjeeling from Thunderbolt Tea! The dry leaves are even more varigated and tippy [& more furry too!] than the Sungma. The leaves are very sweet-like cake with caramel icing. Or is it vanilla?? The tea also exhibits a mildly fruity & floral nose. Steeping leaves are more vegetal, sweet, fruity & floral…….with what seems like a light minty quality. The wet leaves are sweet and vegetal, with a crisp fruity character, a mild spiciness, & an ever so gentle, nutty aspect as well.

Cup is very light yellow-orange color, with a sweeter, more floral nose than the Sungma previously cupped. A definite buttery aroma is very apparent as well. Initial tasting is very smooth & mild on my palate, with a buttery texture. The tea transforms with a crisp, brisk tang [not harsh] or spice on my palate! Along with this zesty character comes mild fruits & almonds. A pleasant & mild astringency lingers on my palate to complete a wonderful tea experience! :))

There’s nothing like this extraordinary Darjeeling from the Turzum Estate to complete a wonderful day! It’s also the perfect way to mark my one year Anniversary on Steepster, as well as my 100th tasting review!! Steep on Steepies!! :D

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

As you can see by the picture the leaves are well varigated multi-green and medium brown leaves, with a nice amount of white tips that are well twisted. The dry aroma is very fresh & sweet, smelling mostly like white chocolate, with mild spice note, & even more mild fruit aromas.

Steeping aromas were fruity & nut-like [akin to almonds] with a sweetness I attribute to white chocolate. Wet leaves themselves are mostly green shades, with lighter white tipped & light brown colors. As far as wet leaf aromas, there is a combination of light fruits & flowers, lightly minty and spicey [light peppery notes]. The leaves are large and well shaped for a FF Darjeeling.

The cup is a light yellow-orange color with rather mild aromas. So fresh & sweet, it smells lightly vegetal and nutty at the same time. The flavors on my palate are slightly deeper & still mild, with a vegetal quality and mild almonds. I cannot place the fruits that present themseves on my palate. I get frustrated sometimes when I’m at a loss of words. :// There is also a gentle spiciness and flowery quality on the back of my tongue. The elusive flowery bouquet is fresh and light-much like a distant flower garden ready to be enjoyed.

From start to finish this Sungma Darjeeling is great, & one of the best I’ve had the pleasure to drink! :)) There is also little to no astringency on my palate at 3:15. Sometimes, when a tea like this frustrates me, it is only because it is truly great. It is the beauty of the tea & the experience, that words cannot describe. I’ve accepted that and done my best, but sometimes words and descriptions cannot fully explain true beauty-even if you can reach out & touch it, or in this case taste it! :D

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.
____________________________

UPDATED REVIEW

I decided to add roughly 1 tsp to previously steeped leaves, and it was a completely different and delicious cup of tea. :)) [3:00 minutes at 195-200F]. While the tea was steeping, the liqour was sweeter, & also more fruity & nutty. In addition, the wet leaves had greater fruity, minty & vegetal qualities.

The cup color was still a translucent medium orange, with aromatics such as a heartier buttery sweetness, an enhanced almond scent, & more pronounced fruits. The flavors tasted were also deeper: fruits, nuts, butter & the spicy character. All of these flavors played on my palate, with a noticeable, pleasantly mild astringency. :)) Although not the case with this exemplary tea, when I prepare a second cup by adding leaves as noted above, sometimes the astringency can be a bit too much-even for me. :))

Each cup was delicious, with the first cup being more mild and elusive. The second cup was still mild, while being a little more savory, & I did enjoy the temperate, palate pleasing astringency. :))

Cupped: Thursday, July 12, 2012. Updated Review: Friday, July, 13, 2012.

For three of the four teas reviewed here, I used a slightly different technique. I covered the teabags with very hot tap water [45 sec to 1 min at about 120-130F]. I did this instead of heating the kettle, which is heated to a 30-40 degree higher temperature. Then, I filled my press with cold filtered water and refrigerated for a nice cold brew.

Ginger & Honey Green Tea-St. Dalfour

I used 4 teabags and steeped in my tea glass for 13 hours. This second time cold brewing this tea yielded similar results as noted in my * Cold Brew Teas 2* review. Full green tea flavor and pucker factor without astringency or bitterness. Little to no honey flavor noticeable. Basically, the green tea and ginger [kicking as usual-just the way I like it!] have the same [or nearly so] fullness, strength, and presence I tasted & noted in my first review. You can’t go wrong with this one. It is a very refreshing cold brew! :)) Score: 88.

Cupped: Monday, July 9, 2012. Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

Ginger Tea by Yamamotoyama-Stash Tea

This tea was also prepared per instructions & refrigerated for 15 hours!! I had wanted to cool it no more than 12 hours but forgot about it. It probably turned out a bit stronger at 15 hours, but I didn’t care. I LOVE GINGER!! I really couldn’t taste the green tea or safflower. YES the ginger was strong, and DELICIOUS! The ginger played on my tongue like a guitarist abusing a triple neck guitar-and I loved every minute of it!! :)) All I can do is shout, “ENCORE!! ENCORE!! :D Score: 97.

Cupped: Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

Perfect Peach-Bigelow Tea

I made a quick Iced Tea using these old teabags, putting my remaining 4 teabags in my glass press, covering it with boiling water, steeping it for 5 minutes, adding about one cup (8 oz) of ice, and cold water. Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients: rose hips, hibiscus, peaches, natural and artificial peach flavor (soy lecithin), spices, orange peel, lemon peel, apples, strawberry leaves, roasted chicory.

The steeping tea was a dark orange and smelled of rose hips, hibiscus, & peaches. Then I tasted it. It mainly tasted like rosehips and HICH-biscus. :// After I swallowed the tartness (& it faded a little), I was picking up the peach flavor and the orange peel. I was glad to be tasting flavors other than HICH-biscus. There just wasn’t enough peach flavor in this blend. It was a little to tart, and didn’t have enough peach flavor for me; especially since it’s labeled “Perfect Peach”. It was a fairly good herbal tea, but not even close to a perfect peach! :// Score: 73.

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

Earl Grey Tea-Twinings of London

Using the steeping method above, I used 4 teabags and refrigerated for 10.5 hours. Probably could have shortened the steep time to 8 hours. There was a tremendous aroma of bergamot!! The tea flavor noted in my hot brew review, is completely overpowered by the bergamot here. That’s O.K.-IT’S ALL GOOD! :)) The bergamot is very refreshing, & only intensifies on the back of my palate. :)) A great cold brewed tea! :D Score: 91.

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

Thank You Bonnie for such a unique, delicious tea experience. I’ve seen this tea before, and it’s almost perfect-such a stylish tea! :))

This Blue Nettle tea reminds me of conical slugs, or vortex cones. The steeping cones floated horizontally on my water, and seemed to be basking in fruity lemons as this light aroma tingled my nose. The wet leaves in glass smelled lightly vegetal & lightly fruity, much like artichokes & lemons; which cooled to a light woody quality often found in black teas! When I picked up a cone [the leaves were unfurled] and inhaled deeply, aromas of tart lemons, artichokes, & dill [perhaps a pickle] surprised my senses! Amazingly, there was a sweet contrast present in the aroma. :))

The cup was a very light ecru color, with light vegetal & lemon aromatics. The tea exhibited a very light, lemon-like, artichoke taste. There was a very smooth & clean aquatic or oceanic quality that I have never experienced before!! I’m not crazy!! Did anyone else experience this?? There was such a smoothness on my palate, but after I swallowed the tea-POP!! BANG!! POW!! The tea recharged on my palate with a mild tartness. That was another first for me, & nothing short of AMAZING! :))

My second cup [7 minutes at 212F] showcased a lemony tart aroma between 4-5 minutes. One cone was still clinging together, so I broke the leaves apart, hoping to achieve more aroma and flavor. There was deeper tart lemon and artichoke aromas, with some sweetness. Wet leaves also gave deeper aromas of lemon, artichoke, dill, and woods. The longer steep brought out light smokey notes as well.

While still quite light, the cup turned a deeper yellow. Slightly deeper artichoke essence adds sweetness, while a lemon nuance adds acidity to the nose. All of the flavors of the first cup are present [lemons, artichokes, aquatics]-only somewhat deeper in nature. Smooth & clean on my palate, with a more mild kick, void of most of the tart-natured, post swallow flavors I experienced in the first cup.

Nothing but great things can be exclaimed about Blue Nettle! From this teas unique shape, aromatics, & flavors, it is truly one of my supreme, most memorable tea experiences!! :D Thanks again Bonnie. :D

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 12, 2012.

This is my last sample fron Fong Mong Tea and I would like to say Thank You for the generous samples. :))

The steeping wet leaves really let me know this was a greener, more floral tea. The wet leaves had a lightly roasted aroma, but what struck me more was the immediate floral sweetness. My nose led my mind and I couldn’t escape thoughts of honeysuckle and then orchids. There was also fruity notes present. Cup color was a very light yellow, with a light creamy, sweet, and floral nose. The flavors were light, with a very pleasant and balanced smoothness of florals and fruits.

The wet leaf aromas intensified somewhat in the second cup, while still remaining mild. Light, roasty, & milky, with a peach-like fruitiness, cooling to reveal sweet honeysuckle/orchid florals. Surprisingly, the cup color and aroma is still quite mild, with only slightly deeper creamy sweetness and florality. The flavors mimicked the aromas, with the creamy smootness and peaches clinging to my palate, whispering a gentle “Hello”. [1:45 at 195F].

My last cup was even more gentle all around, from the leaf, to aromas, to the flavors on my tongue. Subtle fruit and floral qualities made this cup sweet, smooth and relaxing. [5 minutes at 212F].

This cup was the most mild of all the Fong Mong samples, and that’s not a distraction from this Blue Jade, and its serene, fruity, & floral goodness. Great for when I need a tea for relaxation, and when I’m in a contemplative mood. This Oolong is like a relative that doesn’t necessarily demand respect, but teaches it, if one is only willing to listen and learn. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Tuesday, July 10, 2012.

Another great Shu Pu-erh, and a special Thank you to Amy for a great sample! :))

The dry tea smelled fresh and sweet, mild mushrooms, but mostly like fresh, clean earth. While the tea steeped, there was slightly more pronounced aromas-gentle mushrooms, with a definite clean, earthy aroma. The wet leaves were the most aromatic-somewhat toasty, and I just couldn’t believe how fresh, earthy, and clean the leaves smelled! :))

The cup was dark, but not as dark as the Menghai I reviewed two or three days ago, and what a pleasant, mildly earthy aroma. This tea was so refreshing on my palate. Mild mushrooms and clean earth made this cup so smooth, sweet, and delicious, that I drank it very quickly. :))

The second cup was even better. The wet leaves lost their toasty quality, but the sweetness remained, and the clean earth aromas intensified-reminding me of a “fresh air after the rain” aroma. The kind of aromas where the soil and earth are cleansed and renewed, sharing their rebirth with my senses. :)) The cup was darker, & more aromatic. The flavors were deeper and full, yet still quite mild What’s not to like about mild mushrooms and clean earth?? So sweet and delicious, I drank this cup just as quicky as the first! [4.5 minutes at 195F].

I’m glad I saved the leaves for a third cup. :)) More mild in all respects, yet still so clean, smooth and delicious! What a lovely tea and three quality steeps. :)) [7 minutes at 212F].

I’m still amazed that I got three quality steeps (14 minutes total). Each cup delivered mild mushrooms and clean earthy flavors in varying degrees. Sweet & smooth and my favorite Shu so far. Truly special, and so pleasing to my palate. Thanks again Amy for a real treat! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Monday, July 9, 2012.

Today I decided to do a custom blend featuring Upton’s Fuding White Treasure and Harney & Sons Nahorhabi full leaf Assam. If you’re interested, my reviews can be found here:

http://steepster.com/teas/upton-tea-imports/10371-fuding-white-treasure-organic-zw85

http://steepster.com/teas/harney-and-sons/19065-nahorhabi-full-leaf-assam-2010

Initially, I was a little concerned that the Assam would mask some of the subtleties of the white tea, so it’s possible that I used more white tea than I normally would if I were drinking it straight. I used 2-3 grams in my glass press for my 8 oz cup. For the Assam, I used about 3/4-1 tsp. While steeping the tea, I was picking up more of the nutty or roasty quality of the white tea, and only slight aromatic qualities of the Assam. Had I under compensated and not used enough black tea?

The cup color was midway between each tea, being light brown in nature. Even in the cup, I was detecting more white tea aromatics, and only light maltiness from the black tea. On my palate, surprisingly the Fuding White dominated with its roasted taste, and I was only noticing light, malty, chocolate flavors. I believe the white tea smoothed out the Assam. I was amazed it had turned out this good for totally guessing on the amounts of tea. While my first cup was smooth & delicious, I was hoping for just a bit more of the Assam character and flavor.

I decided to reuse the steeped leaves for my second cup, adding roughly 1.5 tsps of the Fuding White & about 3/4-1 tsp. of the Nahorhabi Assam. Did I now run the risk of the black tea masking the white tea? Steeping aromas were more malty chocolate Assam, but the white toasty aromas were lightly noticeable. :)) Cup color was still a mixture of the two teas but darker. Cup aromas were more malty & chocolaty, but the roasty quality of the Fuding White refused to whimper away. The Assam flavors were leading here, with the toastiness shadowing the sunlight. The flavors on my palate were deeper, but still sssoooo smooth & delicious! :)) [2:45 at 185-195F].

I’ve gotten the best of both worlds with my custom black & white blend today. The first cup showcased more of the Fuding White Treasure, and in the more balanced second cup the Assam was master. All in all, quite a harmonious blend, like a good friendship.

Speaking of friendships, my loving Beagle Cookie died 10 years ago today. While it was a very sad day & time, I still think of her quite often, usually remembering the happy times! We used to go for walks almost every day-she (we) loved our walks! I still remember how I would worry when she snuck out “on the prowl” all night long. :// She used to love to chase rabbits (she was a rabbit dog), outside kitties, and eat crickets. I’ll never forget those clear, bright, sunny, blue sky days, when she used to roll on her back in the grass with a smile on her face [YES, I said smile :)) ]. She always enjoyed chasing butterflies-running, trying to catch them in the sunlight! :))

Oh, how the memories return, and give me sadness & JOY! :)) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-NB0GiPvh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yc8xyL0Xxo

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, July 7, 2012.

Last night I felt like having a Pu-erh, so I chose this one. Thank You Amy Oh for such a nice one. :)) I don’t usually do this, but I did read Amy’s review before typing this.

I used half of the sample in my glass press for this tasting, and I was struck by how sweet the wet leaves smelled! Maybe it’s because I haven’t had a Shu in quite a while, but they seemed sweeter than the usual pu-erh, and also had a light mushroom aroma. Am I the only one who noticed a purplish hued liquid at the bottom of my tea press??

My first cup probably could have been steeped a little longer, but I still got a rather dark cup with that purplish tea color around the cup. It smelled of light mushrooms. The flavor was light mushroom-like, smooth and sweet.

In my next tasting the wet leaves smelled like burnt sugar or brown sugar and sweeter. The cup was darker as was that hue I noted in the first cup. Aromas were deeper mushroom sweetness, & nothing but smooth, full, and delicious. :)) [1 minute at 180F].

I must admit, it was after midnight when I started cupping this Shu. I don’t know if they have more caffeine, but it seemed like it, because I was really wide awake and had trouble sleeping through the night. Caffeine usually doesn’t keep me awake! :// I didn’t want to let the tea sit until morning, so I had one more cup.

My last cup was steeped the longest, & the leaves smelled deeply of mushrooms and the sweetness wasn’t noticeable. The cup was darkest (purplish ring), and…….what can I say? Mushrooms anyone??! This was also the prominent flavor, while remaining so smooth and sweet on my palate! [5 minutes at 212F].

In my limited Shu experience, this Menghai Pu-erh was the best overall. The sweetness in aroma and flavor was great! I love the smoothness in every cup. I agree with Amy that there was no funky aromas or tastes, and that made this tea special IMHO. I wasn’t finding the chocolate aspects though Amy.

Look for an add-on to this review as I steep the rest of the sample soon. Note to self: No more late night Pu-erh tastings, unless I want to stay up all night! Thanks again Amy for a great Shu experience. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, July 5, 2012.

This is another tea I bought, mainly because I like Earl Grey. It is really one of my favorite [fruit flavored] teas. Surprisingly, I haven’t had all that many different brands of it, nor do I have it as often as I would like. ://

One of the reasons I like it so much is because I find the aroma almost INTOXICATING! Nice aroma greeted me right away filling the air around me. :)) How I have missed this tea! Sometimes I think not having a tea too often [even a favorite tea], is a good thing. It makes me realize & appreciate how special the tea is! Sometimes I’m an odd egg.

The cup is a nice light brown color with a fantastic bergamot aroma. The tea base is probably Ceylon, which I like, but I think the tea base could be a little stronger. The bergamot seems to cover up the tea flavor more than I would like. :// Less bergamot flavoring would help accomplish this, giving more balance to the tea flavor itself. A longer steep & hotter temperature might also bring out the tea flavor. I’m not sure if the bergamot is all natual, which does make for a better cup of Earl Grey.

More tinkering and a review update may be necessary. Overall, this is a nice cup of Earl Grey, and worth the price-although not my favorite brand. A fine hot cup of tea, and I can’t wait to cold brew this soon. :))

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY EVERYONE!! :))

This song is by Brian Setzer. He’s an underrated guitarist and he’s a good singer. It is a bit different, but I like it!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpz9k5myno

Cupped & Reviewed: Wednesday, July 4, 2012.

Good Day Steepies! Here’s my third iced tea review where I used my cold brew method giving the leaves a 30-45 second wake up call [using water no
hotter than 170-180F], then I added cold water and let the teas steep in the fridge.

Arizona-Green Tea With Ginseng and Honey

INGREDIENTS: Premium Brewed Green Tea Using Filtered Water, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Honey, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Ginseng Extract, Vitamin C.

Every once in a while I like a quick glass of this bottled, store shelf tea. It is my favorite bottled tea because it is not too sweet. The green tea flavor is there, but it is light tasting and seems barely noticeable. I really like the honey flavor, and I’m sure some of what I’m tasting is the HFCS. The ginseng is very light and barely there. You must be thinking to yourself, “If the tea and ginseng are on the light side, why do I like the tea?”. Well, even though that is the case, the honey and sweetness of this tea is light, yet quite flavorful, thirst-quenching and delicious. :)) Score: 73.

Cupped: Thursday, June 28, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, July 2, 2012.

AriZona-Arnold Palmer Lite Half & Half Iced Tea Lemonade 23-Ounce Cans

*Half iced tea and half lemonade
*Widely known for its refreshing taste and ability to revive senses
*Great tasting tea with 1/3 less calories

OK, here’s one more store bought tea I enjoy. I’ve always liked iced tea & lemonade, and I like this because it is not over sweetened. The tea is good but mellow. The lemonade is lightly tart, and only a little more up front and noticeable on my palate than the tea. I’m sure part of the reason for that is the citric acid. Overall, this is a nicely balanced and refreshing summer beverage that is great anytime. :)) Score: 72.

Cupped: Thursday, June 28, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, July 2, 2012.

Red Rose-Original Blend

I used four teabags & cold brewed in the refrigerator. I had intended to leave it cold brewing for 12 hours which would have been perfect, but I forgot about it and left it for 19.5 hours! Luckily, Red Rose is a rather mild blend, so the results weren’t terrible. The color was like a murky medium to dark brown. There was a good tea flavor, and the taste wasn’t harsh. The tea and its flavor were not quite as smooth as I would have liked, being somewhat heavy on my tongue. There was a mild astringency, and slight pucker factor on the back of my palate. Dispite my mistake, this experience was worth it and the tea tasted better than I expected. Score: 77.

Cupped: Sunday, July 1, 2012. Reviewed: Monday, July 2, 2012.

Irish Breakfast Tea-Twinings

I used four teabags & left this tea in the refrigerator for 12 hours. The tea is a dark brownish-red and I could really smell the Assam tea in this blend. The Assam was most noteable in the flavor too, giving it a deep malty character. This gave the tea a fullness while remaining smooth. What I found interesting was how flavor clung to my palate for quite a while after my tea was gone. A very satisfying & inexpensive cold brewed tea. :)) Score: 79.

Originally Cupped & Reviewed: Monday, July 2, 2012.

I’m not gung-ho on bagged teas generally, but I was looking for a cheap, decent black tea mainly to try for cold brewing. I had this about 7.5 years ago, and I thought it was O.K. I decided to have a hot cup, and so I did.

Most bagged teas aren’t very aromatic, but I did smell a nice black tea aroma from the box, which stated “Best Used By 2015”. It did smell quite fresh. The cup was a deep brown with a decent aroma too! After cooling, the taste was full and flavorful, but not astringent or bitter. The Ceylon tea seemed to smooth out the more robust Assam character-very nicely I must say. Keep in mind I did carefully watch my steep time and temperature.

Overall, this tea is better than I remember it, and satisfying enough when I need a relatively smooth, hearty cup quickly. A dash of milk could even enhance the flavor if the mood strikes me, and it sometimes does. :)) I will try cold brewing this and posting a review in a couple days.

Cupped: Saturday, June 30, 2012. Reviewed: Sunday, July 1, 2012.

I would like to thank Fong Mong Tea for this delicious sample. I knew I was in for a treat when I smelled the dry leaf aroma. It was FAN-TAS-TIC! This High Mountain Oolong has a deeper roasted aroma, which is exactly what I was looking for. :)) The wet leaves smelled even more A M A Z I N G! The aromas ranged from a roasted quality, stoned fruit, and flowers [like lilacs…….or possibly closer to orchids]. The cup is a yellow-orange color, and I didn’t smell much aroma from the cup-perhaps my sinuses were misbehaving. :(( The main flavors seemed to be lightly roasty, with a decent peach aspect, that was smooth and delicious on my palate!

My second cup was steeped the same as the first cup. The wet leaves smelled even more intense as the aroma seemingly filled the room! All the aromas intensified, but the aroma was sweeter-like that of a sweet ripe watermelon. This additional aroma was not pervasive, but coexisted harmoniously with the other aromas. The flavors were stronger as well. I experienced what I believe to be a mineral quality in the flavor, along with a stronger peach flavor, which balanced quite nicely as each coated my tongue. This was the best cup and a very satisfying, juicy cup. :))

The third cup exhibited less roasted and more fruity/floral aromas, which were still impressive. The cup flavors were less mineral and peachy, but still smooth and delicious, with good, milder stone fruit flavor and minerality [1.5 minutes at 195F].

The last cup sill possessed decent wet leaf aroma, which was quite surprising. After soaking these babies [tea leaves] until they begged for mercy, I was greeted with a light peachy flavor and a light astringency on the back of my palate [6-7 minutes at 212F].

This is the third of four samples from Fong Mong Tea, and the best tea experience from them so far. I really enjoyed the deeper roasted quality of this Oolong tea, with the balance of the stone fruits and flowers too [the flowery aspect was mostly noticeable in the wet leaf aroma].

It was 8 years ago today we said goodbye to my Grandpa [Paps]. I am so grateful his spirit, the memories, and all that he taught me lives on. I am thankful that he gave me a greater appreciation for tea, and a greater appreciation for the music he (WE) loved and shared! :)) Here is his favorite song if you wish to listen:

D. Ellington-Caravan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTzZKtnTnqI

Anything by Glenn Miller-his favorite, String of Pearls:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PfX-nDy4aU&feature=related

And of course Frank Sinatra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH21_YzuQ5s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feSz5S96svQ&feature=related

Originally Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, June 29, 2012.

I don’t usually wait so long to post a review, and I hate that I didn’t post it sooner. :// I’m sure I’ve forgotten a few minor mental notes. A special Thank You to Fong Mong Tea for this sample! :))

Right away I knew this was a deeper tea than the Jinxuan tea I sampled previously. While still green, this Dong Ding has more of a roasted aroma that really comes out in the wet leaves [which also exhibit floral qualities]. The cup is slightly darker, with roasty, peach-like fruitiness on my palate that is smooth and delicious. :))

The second cup has more aroma and flavor with the most balanced roasty/peachy character. the flavors are so juicy and smooth on my palate! [1 minute at 180F].

The third cup was more mild yet still flavorful. The wet leaves had more of a green floral character reminding me of honeysuckle. The flavors were lighter as well, with lighter peach notes, and the gentle touch of a white tea [1.5 minutes at 195F].

My last cup was like a white tea with light fruit qualities, and serene smoothness that calmed my spirit. :)) [5 minutes at 212F]. Overall, a great tea, that I enjoyed for it’s slightly deeper, peachy flavor, with every steep showcasing a smoothness that is so inviting and enjoyable! :)) I can’t wait to try the rest of the samples. :))

Cupped: Monday, June 18, 2012.

Reviewed: Sunday, June 24, 2012.

Another cold brewed tea review using three different teas! I steeped all teas in my glass press which is 18-20 oz. Also, I rinsed the leaves for 30-45 seconds at around 175F.

Ceylon Silver Striped, Ratnapura, Sri Lanka-The Tao of Tea

Using one level TBSP, with the water just covering the leaves, then I filled with cold water & put tea in refrigerator for 12 hours. This was a really good cold tea. I was getting a dark, full flavor with quite a bit of the molasses character. It also had a malty aspect that I enjoyed very much! This Ceylon had no lemony or minty characteristics that many Ceylons do. I also wasn’t picking up any astringency on my palate, which makes this tea ideal for an enjoyable cold brewed summer tea. :)) Score: 91.

Cupped: Sunday, June 10, 2012. Reviewed: Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Orange Cranberry Herbal Iced Tea-Stash Tea

I found this, and it was old, so I decided to use it up. My teabag was packaged in a silver foil bag and made 1/2 a gallon. I put it in the refrigerator for 8 hours. Here are the ingredients for this blend: hibiscus, rosehips, lemongrass, orange peel, natural cranberry flavor, natural wild sweet orange flavor.

So here’s the deal. As you can see the main ingredient is the dreaded Hibiscus. I hate the way the tartness from the dreaded H overpowered everything! Maybe there was some Cranberry flavor in there, but it was hard to tell where the tartness from the hibiscus ended and the cranberry flavoring began! :-// It took me two days to drink this crap. YUCK!!! Score: WAY below a 40, and after that who cares!

Cupped: Monday & Tuesday, June 11-12, 2012.

Reviewed: Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Ginger & Honey Green Tea-St. Dalfour

I used 5 teabags and steeped in my tea glass for 12 hours. This is another green tea that I like better cold brewed than hot. The Sri Lankan green tea is not astringent or bitter, but does have a full green tea flavor that makes my mouth pucker. I’m not tasting the honey, but the ginger has a stronger presence. The green tea pleasantly coats my palate, while the ginger dances [with chest high kicks] on the back of my tongue bringing a smile to my face. :)) I may use the rest of my teabags strictly for cold brewing refreshment. :)) Score: 88.

Cupped: Friday, June 22, 2012. Reviewed: Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Lately, I’ve been trying to reduce my current stash and visiting more with Brie, so I’ve even been drinking less tea. :-// I received my Fong Mong Tea samples Monday or Tuesday, but didn’t have a chance to sample this until last night. A huge Thank You to Fong Mong Tea for these samples! :))

Right away this tea looked greener. The few green oolong teas I’ve had never seem to infuse as well as a good Tie Guan Yin, but I do like them. My initial smell of the dry leaves reminded me of a milk oolong. When I put them in my warmed tea press, the aroma was more buttery than the two milk oolongs I’ve tried. The steeping leaves were sssoooo buttery sweet. The wet leaves were very buttery to me, and when cooling, they had a flowery sweetness I can only describe as gardenias.

The cup is ecru in color, with a definite sweetness and light buttery aromas. There is also a fruity nature in the cup. There is a very smooth, buttery quality that stands out, yet it is gentle and calming. The flowery sweet flavors are more discernable on the back of my palate after swallowing.

My second cup steeped even more buttery. The wet leaves were most buttery and vegetal-like buttered corn or peas, cooling to a vegetal sweetness. Cup is slightly darker, and more aromatically buttery and fruity. My palate was happy, with buttery goodness at the forefront, so sweet and so smooth. :)) Light fruits seemingly emerge-light peaches, not as pronounced as a good Tie Guan Yin though. There is absolutely no astringency at all!! The best cup of the three. :)) [1:15 at 180*]

Although the aromas in the third cup are fading, it was still quite creamy and sweet. The tastes are also waning, with a light creamy sweetness on my palate. This was the most vegetal of the cups, reminding me of peas on the back of my palate. The fully opened leaves are big & beautiful! [5 minutes at 180*]

I really enjoyed this cup of tea-the buttery nature and smooth cup really stands out. On a sad note, I lost my pet bunny Tchai last Saturday. Such a sweet, gentle girl! <3 :-(( Hop on Tchai!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6EeObPCMR8

Cupped: Friday, June 15, 2012.

Reviewed: Saturday, June 16, 2012.

White teas are great Springtime teas, with such a fresh, gentle character and flavor. Experiencing a white tea is like feeling a gentle, cooling breeze brush my face, soothing me for a little while until the next one comes along. This Formosan white is another pleasant example that makes it a special tea.

The dry leaf exhibits light, creamy aromas of cucumber and pear. The leaves are huge and beautiful, consisting mostly of darker green hues, with some well twisted leaves having lighter white tips. The wet leaves possess light wood notes and buttered greens (beans), cooling to a very light grassy, raw green bean aroma.

The cup is a very light and lucid yellow, smelling of light fruits and having a sweet and creamy nose. The flavors are pleasantly sweet and creamy, with very light fruits that my palate cannot discern. There is also a subtle vegetal quality I can only descibe as green beans.

With my second cup (3.5 minutes at 180) I added 1+ tsp to the previously steeped leaves, hoping to capture a slightly new dimension of this tea.
Aromas were grassy and somewhat fruity; while the hot, wet leaves definitely smelled of corn, cooling to a light grassy, raw green bean scent. These characteristics were deeper than noted in the first cup.

The second cup was a shimmering yellow, with the sweet smell of light unbuttered corn. After continually swishing and swirling the tea in my mouth, corn and light hay flavors pleased my palate. A light grassy character rested on my tongue and remained after swallowing the tea.

This Formosan white tea is quite unique, delicious, and enjoyable! I really liked the differences between the first and second cup. Mostly, the contrasts were very subtle, yet quite noticeable. It is alot like that gentle wind, blessing you for brief moments, seemingly when you need it the most. Like the wind its beauty is fleeting, only to be missed when it is gone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvCUJgnVg3o&feature=related

Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, June 8, 2012.

I haven’t cold brewed green tea before, but I thought I’d give it a try using three different green teas! I steeped all teas in my glass press which is 18-20 oz.

Gu Zhang Mao Jian Organic (ZG54)-Upton Tea Imports

Using two level TBSP, I rinsed the leaves for 30 seconds at approximately 170 degrees—just long enough to wake them up. :)) The water just covering
the leaves, then I filled with cold water & put tea in refrigerator for 18 hours.

The tea looked cloudy until I poured it in my glass. It smelled a little sweet. There wasn’t any creamy, or vegetal aspects I noted in my other review. It did have a full mouth pucker to it-quite astringent, but short of being bitter. It was flavorful and quenching, but not as sweet as I thought it would be. Slightly less tea, and/or cold steep (say 12 hours), would make this better. It was still enjoyable. Score: 79.

Note: The leaves did not fully open, so I had two decent cups of hot tea with the same leaves.

Cupped: Monday, June 4, 2012. Reviewed: Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Arya Estate Emerald Second Flush 2010-Thunderbolt Tea

This larger leaf tea is harder to judge and measure, but a best guess would be 3 to 4 TBSP at 170-180 for 30 second rinse as above. Refrigerated for 12
hours. Tea seemed only slightly cloudy, and lighter in color. This tea had a sweet smell to it. The taste was clean and sweet, with a creamy nature, & a light tangy grape-like quality. This was a really smooth, delicious chilled green tea. I could drink this cold all summer. Score: 91.

Note: Had one additional cup of hot tea. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Bangkok Blend-Harney & Sons

I used one heaping TBSP at around 180 and a 30 second rinse as above. Refrigerated for 12 hours. Tea had a nice yellow-green color. I could smell the sweetness of the coconut and lemongrass immediately! The taste was so naturally sweet and thirst quenching! Light, yet flavorful, the flavors of the coconut and lemongrass washed over my palate. The Bancha was in perfect balance, its light quality had strength & very light astringency. This character only added to the tastiness of the brew-adding a pop that rejuvenated my spirit. :)) To me, the ginger was lacking, but overall this blend-dare I say…….excited me!

The only disappointment was that I wish I would have made more. :-// The flavors and strength were not as full as brewing this tea hot, but for a cold brew it earns higher marks. Score: 93.

A cup or two of hot tea will be just right before I fall asleep tonight. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Wednesday, June 6, 2012. D-Day.

Here’s another sample from Bonnie and a Thank You for another good Lapsang. I think I like this Lapsang using these times and temps, and doubt if I will ever use boiling water. I also used 1+ tsp leaf per 10 oz mug.

The dry leaf smelled instantly of a campfire, with a certain sweetness that was inviting. This seemed less intense than my previous experience with Lapsang Souchong many years ago. As the tea began steeping, I couldn’t help but think, “Holy shishkabobs Batman!!”. The campfire smoke aroma intensified & jumped out at me. Tobacco aromas lingered in the air as well. My cup liquor was a rather translucent brownish-red color, with pleasantly sweet aromas reminding me of those summer campfires, and tobacco smoke.

The wet leaves smelled like tobacco smoke, with a definite ashy quality that cooled revealing new leather aromas and a natural sweetness. The flavors were surprisingly smooth and sweet, with tobacco and mild campfire smoke on my palate and the back of my tongue. Such a full flavor without being heavy.

I steeped a second cup somewhere between 5 to 5.5 minutes. Campfires were still ablaze, but this time with more smoked tobacco aromas. Sniff….sniff…yes, I was actually getting whiffs of smokey bacon! My cup was slightly darker. Wet leaves smelled of deeper tobacco smoke, with a more pronounced ashy quality. Once cooled, there was a deeper leather aroma that was sweeter, reminding me of pipe tobacco. The flavors on my palate were heavier-smoked tobacco/ashy quality, with less campfire notes.

Today I had two more cups yielding similar results. I decided to have a third cup resteeping the leaves, and was surprised by the continuing strength of the aromas and flavors. Through the second & third cups, the aromas and flavors were full bodied and satisfying-yet mild, and not bitter and offensive.

The demons of my previous experience with Lapsang Souchong are now conquered. I would imagine it’s much like the battles the Caped Crusaders would face every day, as Batman would exclaim, “To the Batcave, Robin!”. Sometimes, I wish I had a hermetically sealed cave, if only to store my tea there. :))

Cupped: Monday & Tuesday, June 4-5, 2012.

Reviewed: Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

What a wonderful surprise FULL of tea samples from kind Bonnie, and a special Thank You! :)) Another gift is my beautiful niece Brie on her way from Oregon. Right now she is in San Francisco with a three hour layover. I’ll be glad when she gets here. :))

This morning I must have been over-excited because I misread the tea label-twice. So I opened the pouch and smelled light smokey campfires, and a light floweriness, which is the Jasmine. It smells very light, and I’m so used to straight Jasmine teas where the aroma really hits you. There was a fruity aroma…….huh, orange?! I reread the label: LS, with Jasmine and orange. No wonder I smelled orange zest! Between the Lapsang and the orange, I didn’t notice the Jasmine-only a flowery aroma. The wet leaves only intensified the Lapsang and orange zest, leaving the jasm-aroma hidden. Still, the aromas were heavenly and almost magical, which brings me to my other reading error.

I let my cup cool. I thought the label said, "Lion & the Lamp. So I thought it was quite appropriate, with the magical aromas. The aromas in my cup are rising. I was envisioning the smoke cloud of a Genie rising up bringing me exotic, lightly smoked, sweet Lapsang, together with the sweet, fruity orange zest. Why does the jasmine remain hidden…….like the Genie in the lamp? If I could only rub my teacup and be granted three wishes. :)) Sure I would wish for more money, but there are SO MANY things that are more important for fullness in life! Alas, I tasted nothing but sweet, lightly smoked campfires soothing my palate. Then came the sweet burst of orange zest, and an elusive flowery goodness. My palate was awash with all of this gentle, yet very flavorful tea-not wanting to leave, but I couldn’t stop drinking this tea!

What a truly great blend and the perfect reintroduction to Lapsang Souchong. This tea really hit the spot and is something I could drink quite often and anytime of the year. As I was typing this something occurred to me. I don’t need a Genie to grant me three wishes. I received all this glorious tea, my niece Brie is coming today, and I’m alive, and well enough to see what gifts each day brings! That is three gifts right before me! Now all I need is another cup of this tea. :)) Thanks again Bonnie!

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, June 2, 2012.

This is the last of the pre-chingming teas I ordered fron Upton Tea Imports, and I have to say this tea is quite memorable. The dry leaves smell lightly creamy and fruity, and the leaf sets are beautiful-consisting of two leaves and a bud. The lower part of the leaves are green, but there are lots of white, extremely furry (fuzzy) leaves. This Snow Dragon looks alot like a high quality white tea!

I used roughly 2.5-3 tsps of tea in my glass press and an 8 oz cup. The steeping leaves looked beautiful, and smelled faintly of melons. The steaming hot, wet leaves smelled like…….Nori seaweed sheets: http://www.stashtea.com/Yamamotoyama-Toasted-Nori-Sheets/dp/B006E9T566 , mildly cooling with gentle spinach-like aromas; until, at their coolest, having more of a starchy green bean aroma.

The cup was a light yellow, and only after cooling a bit, could I detect slight creamy and fruity notes. This light character in the cup was somewhat deceiving, as the flavors washed my tongue and palate. As the tea flowed over my taste buds, my expectations were awakened and surprised by the gentle, yet full mouthfeel as a delicious creamy sweetness greeted me. Melon-like notes of cantaloupe mingled in harmony with the delightfully sweet, creamy texture and flavor of this tea! :))

For my second cup, I used roughly 1.5 tsp of tea added to the previously steeped leaves. The steeping leaves truly reminded me of lightly buttered lima beans. The wet leaves still exhibited aromatics of seaweed (to a lesser extent), cooling to a dry green bean aroma. The cup was a little darker, and had a slightly more fruity nose. Flavors were similar, with a little more depth on my palate. This depth seemed to sharpen the fruity melon flavor a little, along with a delicate vegetal quality, while the tea still retained its sweet and smooth character.

Of the five pre-chingming teas I sampled, Snow Dragon is one I would seriously consider repurchasing. From the beautiful leaf to the aromas, to the gentle and very satisfying, smooth, sweet, fruity cup-this is a special tea! Snow Dragon is….in a word…SUBLIME! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, May 24, 2012.

My experience with pre-chingming teas is limited, but from what I know and have tasted, all of them have been gentle and light in flavor. This Pi Lo Chun is no exception. The leaves are a very pretty, curly green leaf, with many curly, furry white tipped leaves. They are also very young and tender. Sample aroma is lightly fresh and creamy.

My first two cups were steeped between 175-185 in an 8 oz cup. The hot, wet leaves smelled creamy and nutty, until; at their coolest, smelled lightly of grass and dirt. In the cup, the color was a light yellow, with a very light aroma. I had to inhale very deeply to get nutty aromatics from the cup. My palate was pleased with a delicate sweetness and smoothness. The tea also possesses a nutty quality that teased me with its gentle nature.

I added the rest of the sample to the leaves of my second cup (195-200 for 2.5 minutes), and the mix gave my nose aromas of cream, nuts, and grass. The wet leaves smelled somewhat smokey and nutty. Interestingly, I also noticed straw-like characteristics.

The cup color became a cloudy darker yellow. The flavors were fuller with additional nuttiness on my palate. Even though half the leaves were steeped six minutes, there was no bitterness. There was still a smoothness and greater sweetness, with lighter straw-like notes piggybacking for the ride along my tongue. Light astringency was more noticeable as the cup cooled, and coupled with the nuts, coated the back of my tongue. The flavor nuances remained after the last swallow.

This Pi Lo Chun proved to be a very subtle tea in its aromas and flavors, and only after a longer steep (with additional tea) did a slightly fuller cup emerge. This is a good, gentle tea that I really enjoyed. Not an everyday tea in my opinion, but one that should be savored-when a tea is needed for quiet and relaxing times.

Cupped: Monday & Tuesday, May 21-22, 2012.

Reviewed: Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

This weekend has been a green tea weekend for me. Yesterday, I drank older China greens from my stash. When it gets hot like this (sunny & mid 80’s), I usually reach for white and green teas.

Did anyone else watch the Preakness Stakes yesterday? Man, what a great race. After watching the KY Derby, I honestly thought, ‘Wow!! I’LL HAVE ANOTHER is a strong closer…….he has a good chance to win the Triple Crown’. Well, I didn’t bet anything so just for fun I picked my top horses. I almost always pick #7 (which happened to be Bodemeister) to win, place or show. Then, I’LL HAVE ANOTHER (could win) was #9. I thought #6 CREATIVE CAUSE would place or show, and I picked a longshot-#2 TEETH OF THE DOG. Had I been betting, I would have thrown out my longshot, even though I like dogs. :)) My final decision was 7-9-2-6. I can’t wait for the Belmont in two weeks…….and to finally review this tea!

This China green is a really nice tea at $4.29/oz., and I used 1+ tsp per the instructions, and an 8 oz cup. In the bag it smelled sweet and creamy, and the leaf is very nice with some white tippy leaves. When steeping it smelled vegetal, and somewhat reminiscent of a Sencha. The steaming hot leaves had a mild smokey, creamy aroma, that cooled to a mild vegetal/grassy nose-once again reminding me of a Sencha.

The cup was a mellow yellow, and I waited for the cup to cool to sniff out the aromas. The sweet, mildly vegetal aroma brought back thoughts of a Sencha. The flavor is clean, smooth and mildly like a Sencha. Smooth on my palate and mildly grassy, without astringency or bitterness. Have I said SENCHA enough yet? :)) A very calming, delicious cup of tea! I’m off to have another…….

After adding roughly 1 tsp (3 minutes at 195) to the previously steeped leaves, I was smelling slightly stronger vegetal notes. The wet leaves smelled a tad more smokey, and a deeper more buttery aroma emerged, cooling to a fresh broccoli aroma. Cup color was slightly darker, with a stronger veggie quality. The warmer cup unveiled warm, creamy, vegetable goodness. As the cup cooled, I was finally picking up on some astringency noted in Upton’s description. This was a good green tea astringency that was not offensive, and stayed on my palate for quite some time. :))

This is a tasty green tea for the money. What I like about Jade Cloud Mist is the change in character and taste in the first and second cups. While I do love Senchas alot, this tea gives you a bit of that Sencha character. The first cup is more smooth with mild Sencha-like aspects, while the second cup gives you more vegetal astringency, without having to worry about oversteeping the tea quite as much as you do with Senchas. :)) This truly is the kind of tea that makes this Tea-aholic say, “I’LL HAVE ANOTHER!!!”.

Cupped & Reviewed: Sunday, May 20, 2012.

I’m not a huge fan of RoT, but I do think some of their fruity black teas are decent. Every year I get a few samples with a catalog, so I decided to try this.

There are twenty herbs in this…….TWENTY! I smelled the teabag, but got more aroma from the envelope it came in. From a distance it reminded me of Bubble Yum bubble gum. Closer sniffication reveals Rooibos, allspice, anise, lemon grass, cinnamon, and vanilla.

The main cup aromas were Rooibos, allspice, anise, lemongrass, and wintermint. My palate detected mainly Rooibos & allspice, while the anise hit the back of my palate. I did notice slight hibiscus in the aftertaste. Overall, a very mild cup.

I remember seeing somewhere that one of their teabags contains between 1.0-1.3 grams of tea. The standard is 2.25-3.0 grams per 6 to 8 oz cup. So you really do need two teabags to get a decent cup. That means IF I wanted to ice this tea (a general rule is to double the tea for iced tea), I’d need 3 or 4 times as much!! NOT FOR ME. :-[

To top it off this is a 20th Anniversary Tea! What a major letdown. I mean, I can’t believe they thought, ‘YES!! This is our best representation in celebration of twenty years in the tea industry! Now go celebrate!!’ This was NOT a celebration in a cup. Twenty ingredients is a mishmash in a cup-way too many, which turns out to be a mess in my cup.

I need a good FF Darjeeling RIGHT NOW! That’s a tea that is worthy of…….and IS a celebration in a cup. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, May 18, 2012.