ScottTeaMan

I’ve been wanting to try a raw Tuo cha for years, and the rice aspect seemed so appealing. A special Thank You to AmyOh for sending some my way!

I thought the rice scented tuo cha smelled just like a lightly sweetened rice cake. As it was steeping, I was getting lots of hot steam in my face, and light sweet rice aromas. The wet tea leaves had doubled in height and were still cylindrical. It looked like the inner leaves were striving to break free, but the outer leaves were holding them back. They smelled so aromatic- more smokey, with good sweet rice aromas. As the leaves cooled, the smokiness and sweet rice aromas were more balanced. Still cooler, the sweet rice aromas stepped up and the smoke receded somewhat; until-at their coolest, there were more sweet rice aromas, toastiness, and only light smoke.

The cup is a light yellow, which I found deceiving, because the aroma is much stronger than I expected it would be. Major toasted sweet rice aroma, with lighter smokiness in the cup (as the cup cooled).

Man, this was very tasty! Very sweet, lightly toasted rice-like putting a rice cake in the toaster, and lightly toasting it :)) So smooth on my palate-Aaahhhh toasty rice, with no smokiness detected! I like how it coats and stays (lightly, not too heavy) on my palate, even after the tea is swallowed. After swallowing the tea, I taste a light sweetness-like plain Rice Crispies cereal.

While steeping my second cup (45 seconds at 190), I saw light foam and bubbles, and good rice aroma. After pouring a cup, the wet tea leaves had finally broken free-some were even climbing my tea press trying to escape! “Oh, noo you don’t….I’m not done with you yet!” :)) The wet tea leaves smell even more smokey. As they cool, still quite smokey with faint rice aromas; until even cooler-less smokey & more rice aromas.

The cup is a darker yellow. The rice aroma is apparent, with a mild, lighter smokiness. A toasty aroma is there too-overall, the cup is aromatically lighter. The flavor seems light, until the tea hit the back of my palate. WOW!! Flavors are more smokey and astringent (in a good way) than my first cup, with a lighter rice quality. Tasted even more like a toasty rice cake on the back of my palate, with a full, toasted rice flavor. My best cup yet! :))

Am I the only one who swirls and swishes the tea around & ‘round my mouth to intensify the taste & flavors of the tea?!? I also inhale oxygen into my mouth. What can I say? It helps me enhance the taste and flavors of the tea. :)) If you dare….or care…to read on, there’s more to come later. I’m not done with you yet! Well, some of you anyway.

In my third cup (45 seconds at 195), it appears that some of the smaller leaves did escape into my cup on the pour. Actually, I remember reading or hearing that if some leaves end up in your cup, it’s OK to leave them there. Oh…….when my friend Elise was in China, the Chinese would leave them in their cups. She said they left them there because it added to the overall tea experience.

The tea liqour continues to darken and the smokey aroma continues. Leaves still possess smokey/toasty aromas, with the rice character waning, cooling to reveal less smoke and more fruit (lemon fresh?). I’m also getting that fresh “distant, grass in the air” aroma. On my palate, there is less smoke, but a greater toasty/nutty astringency.

Boiling water for 2:15, reveals leaves that STILL smell of smoke and nuts, that also exhibit the fresh quality of the third cup. The flavors are fading, but still retain a good tangy green quality.

Thanks again Amy for broadening my tea experience with this delicious tea! I love teas like this where each steep reveals different qualities and flavors of the tea. :)) I’ll just have to remember to Gongfu teas on the weekends when I have more time.

I always remember my Grandma (Dad’s mom) on her birthday. She was very kind, caring and loving. She liked coffee with her fish. She was a great cook. Before we would leave on our journey home, she always baked fried apple pies special for me, because she knew I liked them so much. I always hated goodbyes (still do), but the pies would help a little. So tonight, I will have a cup of coffee, and think of her and all of the fond memories, filled with the good times we shared. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, May 17, 2012.

I received this bagged iced tea as a gift from my sister in Oregon, and I really do appreciate it. I always love getting tea gifts even though I have several buttloads of the leaf.

As the water was getting hot I read the box-’Flavor with lemon or lime (I really like lime), Thai black tea, FD & C Yellow #6, and Vanilla. Huh? Uuhh Ohh….artificial coloring, and… {Sniff Sniff} arificial flavoring. :-[

The cup color was a very pretty deep orange in my glass, but it smelled artificial. I added sugar-much more than necessary, and added a little ice. I like some sugar in my iced tea sometimes, but this was WAAY to sweet. I am still tasting artificial vanilla-BOOO & hiss!

Even the additional sweetener couldn’t hide the artificial flavoring, and may have prevented me from tasting any tea. I was going to buy real limes, but maybe I’ll save a little money and go for the lime juice in a bottle. I need something more to help this tea!

My sister is a rather short, feisty person, with a great sense of humor, but if she reads this poor review, she could kick my butt, several times over!

I don’t know why I looked up “buttload” in the wee hours of the morning.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=buttload

After reading the first definition, I couldn’t stop laughing! :)) Perhaps I was slap-happy. Anyway, it sure was more entertaining than this tea!

Cupped & Reviewed: Thursday, May 17, 2012.

I was thinking about psychics recently, and while I do believe most psychics aren’t what they claim to be, I do believe some phychics are the real deal (like the ones who help law enforcement find people). Well, on May 12th I posted a review, saying my Birthday was today, along with many family members having May birthdays. Now yesterday, I got a package filled with tea samples. These samples were mailed before I let the cat out of the bag.

Thank You Amy Oh for the samples and for this delicious tea! You must be psychic! :))

This Darjeeling may be the best I’ve ever tasted-definitely the best in the last few years. The dry leaves are beautiful, well varigated green/brown hued leaves. When the tea was steeping I thought it smelled of asparagus and nuts-pecan-like pehaps. The wet leaves had similar aromas, and occasionally I thought I caught light wiffs of artichoke.

The cup color was light orange/brown, with a real sweetness that to me smelled nutty and green. I had a hard time pinpointing the aromas. There was not a deep nuttiness like a second flush, or a deep green profile. I also smelled fruits I couldn’t describe. That is rare for me. Definite aromas of what to me was asparagus and pecans were there, along with fruits, in a light yet full and balanced combination.

The taste was FREAKIN’ AWESOME!! The asparagus, nuts and fruits were so magical! The full flavors pleased my palate beyond explanation. There was no harsh astringency on my palate. I really thought there was little to no astringecy, except a minor amount upon swallowing, which was nothing but exceptionally pleasing!! :)) The flavors clinged to my palate long after the tea was gone. :))

This tea is VERY addicting- so juicy and delicious! I’ll sample this again soon! I wasn’t picking up on the pineapple, so I’ll see if I pick up on it with another superb cup. Thank You Amy for a nearly perfect tea, and the perfect close to a great Birthday! This tea made today a better day. :)) The party’s over :((…….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_-pcD9WqpA&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659zk35_wRQ&feature=related

Cupped & Reviewed: Tuesday, May 15, 2012. THE IDES OF MAY!

A second steep at 212 for 3 minutes, reveals a light, flavorful cup. The cup itself was only slightly darker. Leaves revealed light, more fruity aromas, some of a light muscat quality. Aromas in the cup were lightly sweet, consisting of butter and honey notes. My palate was greeted with light fruitiness and light astringency. Overall, a cup of light aromas, flavors, and astringency-still worthy to be called a nice, gentle cup of tea. :))

Cupped: Thursday, May 17, 2012. Reviewed: Friday, May 18, 2012.

Hey everyone! I will review this tea later. Time to bolt for lunch. Here are a few songs that are fun-say for a party and/or a good time! Enjoy!! :))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e37DBJ2SBYw&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QSyaBHr1jU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCy8Xtp2P20&feature=related

Later…….

I’m back, and WOW, what another beautiful, warm sunny day! I got a sample of this a couple weeks ago, and it is so different-AMAZING! In the dry leaf, I was getting a creamy sweetness, and lots of flowers. The leaves are mostly green and tippy white, and I think I know why I call It creamy. The tippy white leaves add a softer, sweet, creamy texture-which I love. :))

I used at least 1.5 tsp for a 9 oz cup. As the tea steeped I was getting alot of white foam on top, nice sweetness, alot of flowery aromas, and fruits too. The cup color was yellow/orange-put another way, a very lightly orange hued color. In cup aroma, I was getting some fruits, but this cup is alot more flowery; but what flowers? Gardenia came to mind, but something else. What? I couldn’t put my finger on it.

I had to taste the cup at this point, constantly swirling the tea around my mouth. I thought it was extremely smooth-honestly buttery. Then it hit me! This tea is flowery like buttercups, or the yellow heads of dandelions. I know I used enough leaf, and I know I steeped it 3 minutes. I have NEVER had a Darjeeling tea so smooth, yet it had definite qualities of a Darjeeling tea! If there was astringency-for me it was slight, because I really had a hard time detecting it. That is not a bad thing. It is a big part of why it was so amazing! Normally, I like more astringency, but in this case I didn’t miss it at all. :))

This tea is so savory and delicious! I’m gonna go have another cup. :)) More to come! Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKj30Ltiqxk&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHU7EdyAYrg&feature=related

I added 1 tsp new leaf to steeped leaves to see IF I could get more astringency. I do this mainly because I try to coax different flavors and aromas from the tea (200 for 3 min,). I was still getting alot of foam on top while the leaves were steeping. At this point I was getting light asparagus, and light grape aromas. Wet tea leaves smelled less flowery. I was thinking white grapes at this point, and they had more of a white grape fruitiness.

Surprisingly, the cup color was only slightly darker-still yellow/orange in color. Aromas in the cup were a little heavier in sweetness-with a light honey aroma, and light muscat grape aroma. Even after the leaves from the first cup were steeped 6 minutes now, the astringency on my palate was light-again, I’m thinking white grapes.

This is such a unique, smooth, sweet, and delicious Darjeeling tea that is unlike any other I’ve tasted! Let me tell you, it’s harder to settle for lesser Darjeelings (or other types of tea), when you taste a top tier selection like this one! One could go broke quickly buying teas like this one all the time. :-// Note to self:’ You must exhibit self control!’. Or I can find ways to divert my attention. Like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3HulT8reO8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I18pVZVUbVE&feature=related

It might work sometimes anyway! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Tuesday, May 15, 2012. THE IDES OF MAY!

I’m going to start with a little story. Yesterday, members of my local family (my Momma, Grandma, Aunt), went for Mother’s Day brunch and we had a good time. I passed on the horrible restaurant tea and opted for….wait for it…COFFEE!! Egads! It was bad too-only a little sugar made it tolerable. As the conversations moved along, occasionally, I thought of my good tea at home and my fellow Steepsterites. Then it occurred to me-while I am not a huge fan of Facebook (extremely rarely on), I love Steepster. :)) Steepster IS my Facebook! Then I smiled. :)) I spent the rest of the day with my Momma.

I am sending a huge Thank You to JenW for this delicious sample. :)) Beautiful long and slender leaves that are a combination of colors-some black, some black/beige, while most are a tippy golden beige color. The aroma is terrific, with a sweet honey aroma, and lighter chocolate notes.

The wet leaves exude a toasty, woody, medium to dark chocolate sweetness. The thought of sweet potatoes crossed my nose (maybe a little). Then came the smell of musty/earthy fallen leaves. Ahh….the sweetness…I inhaled so deeply, so many times, I was nearly hyperventilating! Is it true? I was picking up on a lighter candy sweet cherry note. Maybe it was just the lack of oxygen to my brain, because as the leaves cooled I couldn’t detect it. Now, I was detecting toasty and wood-like sweetness.

The cup was a dark brown. Where was the bottom of my cup? The cup revealed aromas of sweet honey (raisins?), combined with a musty, earthy aroma. The flavor was quite malty, earthy, and dark chocolatey, with a mild sweetness. The feeling on my palate was smooth, with no bitterness.

Then other aromas in the kitchen invaded my senses :-//, so the review will be continued…….

At 9:30 PM tonight, the Horseshoe Casino is opening in Cleveland. I’ll get there sometime soon. I steeped the leftover leaves from my last steep with about 2 tsp of additional leaf (190 for 3 min.). I hope my leftover tea leaves aren’t too much of a gamble for my intestines! :-//

My second steep unearthed honey, earthy sweetness while steeping. The wet leaves also had honey earthy aromas, cooling to a more earthy than honey sweet aroma. The cup was even darker-or seemed to be. I was thinking, “Is there anybody in there?!”. Oh yeah….there was…I saw my own reflection! :)) My sinuses were really bothering me, so my cup aromas were hampered. I did detect darker honey, slightly earthy yunnan mustiness, and some malty aroma. The flavors I noticed were slight & thin (sinuses), with some mild astringency-not bitterness. This is in large part due to steeping the previous leaves again.

This was not quite the review I was hoping for, but I will review this tea more after dinner with my Dad and a friend of ours at a local sports bar called Bootleggers. For now, I have to bolt (as in Thunderbolt). :)) Steep on steepies…….

Had a great dinner on an outdoor patio with lots of sunshine, but it did get cooler before we left. It was also very calming listening to a water fountain. :)) Good conversation, laughter, and music (Led Zeppelin, Journey, America, Def Leppard, etc.).

So for my third cup (2 tsp, 185 for 2:20), I did read some reviews after my first cup. Some people got (baked) sweet potatoes, or a raisin quality. Dry leaves smelled of honey, malty sweetness with chocolate notes. My sinuses were clogged AGAIN, so the wet leaves smelled mainly honey sweet (possibly raisins), mild chocolate, and some sort of baked sweetness. The cup smelled malty sweet, chocolatey, and earthy. Flavors in the cup were mainly malty, chocolatey, and earthy.

My last cup was similar (boiling for 3 min.), and I added the rest of the sample to the steeped leaves from the third cup. I tasted less sweetness, and it was mainly full of musty earth, and less chocolate. I was hoping to taste some of the baked qualities. :-// The feeling on my palate was smooth and quite full without bitterness!

What a great and delicious tea! I will definitely be ordering some more. This tea reminds me more of Autumn, but it is awesome anytime! Thanks again JenW-this was much appreciated. :)) A perfect end to another beautiful day! I’m gonna go…….seems I keep rambling on…and on….and on. :))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3HemKGDavw

Cupped & Reviewed: Monday, May 14, 2012.

I am supposed to be asleep right now. :// I must drink too much tea late in the evening, although it doesn’t usually keep me up at night.

I tasted this tea many, many blue moons ago, and I was positive I had posted a public review on Upton’s website. At the very least, I was sure I typed a personal rating (private) of this tea years ago. I’ve purchased so much tea from them, that maybe that had to limit some of my ratings; or, because it is out of stock, perhaps any public review is gone. At any rate, I can’t find it so I’ll do my best. :))

To aid in my review, I have pasted my comments for what is this tea, from Amy Oh’s review of #TT51-a slightly differnt Formosa Keemun.

2 days ago: WOW…….This one takes me back at least 8 yrs, and it was $2 cheaper, so not really a huge price increase. Anywho, without giving a full review (and I really do remember this one), I thought it was really good. I must have used more leaf, because I remember a fuller falavor.(S DAY!!

I love the month of May, and today was such a beautiful day. Warm and sunny, and a good day to get a haircut. :)) There are lots of family Birthdays in May too.

My cousin and his twin niece and nephew celebrate on the 5th. We took in four kitties last year born on the 10th (Blackie didn’t make it :(( ). My Mom’s sister’s is the 11th, my special Beagle, Cookie was born on the 12th-she was born on Mother’s Day! My Dad’s is the 13th, his sister’s is the 14th. Then there’s [EH-HEM], Yours Truly, on the 15th. :)) A dear friend of mine is one day younger than me -the 16th. My Grandma’s was the 17th, & I miss her sweet, loving soul. I’m sure there’s a few others as well.

So yes, I love the month of May. Cookie was a black/white Beagle & Cocker mix; although, I didn’t notice much Spaniel in her. Everyone wanted me to call her Oreo, but I refused to think of a brand name every time I called her name. She was such a loving girl, and really special to me! She LOVED WALKS….WE loved walks, and we spent many happy hours together! :)) She always slept in my room with me like Lotis does now. He’s snoring at my feet right now.

It’s always so fun to celebrate my Birthday with Dad, as it was with Cookie. I wanted to remember her today by wearing my black Pittsburgh Steelers hat, a white T-shirt, and drinking a special tea. On with the review my friends.

When I opened the bad I noticed a stunning dark brown and furry (tippy) beige leaf- very tippy, the colors are intertwined. The aroma….SNIFFFF!! MMMMMMM….MMMMMMM…OMG!! That was my first reaction. The dry leaves smelled like a malted milk shake! Seriously….I was sniffing, until at some point I realized I had to stop and drink the tea. :))

I steeped per instructions using 2.5 -3 teaspoons of leaf. When the leaves hit my warmed glass press, the aroma intensified. Definitely malt milkshake aromas. The cup was a medium brown hue. In the cup, I smelled lighter choco-maltiness, with a light brown sugar sweetness (not dark). The wet tea leaves smelled chocolatey, toasty, with a medium (more mild) roasted marshmallow aroma. The cup flavors were malty , with a nice light (yet full mouth feel) chocolate goodness. My tongue and palate were satisfied without being heavy. I really didn’t detect the sweetness I noticed from the wet tea leaves and cup aroma.

After dinner, I added about 2 tsp leaves to the previous leaves and steeped for 5 minutes. The wet tea leaves smelled similar, but with more of a dark brown sugar sweetness. The cup itself was also slightly darker, more malty, with similar sweetness. Then I fell asleep and woke up to a cold cup of tea. :-// Well, it was still really good and malty, with slightly more chocolate flavor. I’m convinced you cannot oversteep this tea, as it was still smooth, mild-yet full flavored, and not bitter at all! :))

I’m glad I cupped this delicious, Pre-Chingming Golden Pekoe on this beautiful day and evening. A perfect tea to remember Cookie, my sweet dog, and all my family and friends-who I love, and celebrate. ’Here’s to us all’, and to the beautiful and special month of May! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, May 12, 2012.

It’s rather late tonight, but I really wanted to log this tea. The leaf is truly beautiful-flat, sort of like a miniature pea pod. The leaf looks closer to an olive green, with white tips surrounding the leaf edge. There is also a light sweetness to the dry leaf.

I used close to 1 1/2 tsp for my 8 oz cup. The steeping leaf initially smelled lightly of corn. The leaves were floating on top of the water, with a few being daring and taking a verticle dive for deeper waters. The wet leaves smelled of fresh cut grass. Not like right there next to me, but like when I’m taking a walk or a bike ride, and the fresh air carries the aroma to me from a distance.

The cup is a light yellow, with a faint aroma. The flavor is very light, with similar green flavor. I feel like I need to use more leaf, so I will add more leaf to the already steeped leaves! I’m not giving up on this one, and I figure by the time I get this right the tea may be nearly gone. :-// Stay tuned…….

Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, May 11, 2012.

I decided to do a second tasting adding 1.5-2 tsps. of fresh tea to the previous steeped leaves. A slightly deeper corn aroma (although still on the mellow side), was evident as the leaves steeped. A 3.5-4 minute steep at around 180 degrees was used. A slightly deeper, grass in the air aroma from the wet leaves teased my nose. The cup was a slightly darker yellow color, and a sweeter, mellow corn aroma was present in the cup. The flavor on my palate was clean, fresh, and bright. There is quite a bit more of a nice, smooth green tea flavor, and no bitterness-despite the longer steep.

Pre-Chingming teas are harvested in early Spring, on or before April 5th, so the leaves are tender, and the aromas and flavors are more gentle on the nose and palate. That’s just the way it is. Overall, this tea is very beautiful, and the aromas and flavors are very enjoyable, gentle, smooth, and sometimes elusive.

I’m sure there are better teas if you want a tea with more flavor, and consider that more important. For me, this tea is worth it once a year. It is a very pleasing tea, with unique qualities not found in most Chinese green teas.

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, May 12, 2012.

I’m glad I bought some samples before this one sold out. The leaf alone is beautiful-the dry leaves being green and black, with white furry tipped leaves too. They smelled lightly fruity and creamy.

I decided to dump the 5 gram sample in my glass press as noted below. The cup color reminded me more of an oolong, and the aroma was fruity, milky, and creamy. As my cup cooled, I inhaled the wet leaves. WOW! They smelled very lightly smokey, but there is more of a deep toasty note-like roasted marshmallows….perhaps…but not that intense. Also noted was a fruity, cantaloupe note somewhere in the mix. The colors of the wet leaves intesified, with brighter green, white, and black leaves (with black stems). The cup can only be described as smooth, creamy, and delicious! It also had a milky texture to it, and a sweet, lightly fruity quality.

My second cup was steeped for one minute, at around 190 degrees. The wet leaf aroma was similarly noted, but seemed more toasty and fruity. The cup was slightly darker, and was slightly more fruity and creamy-so smooth. :))

I tried a third cup with boiling water for 3 minutes. A dissipating, toasty aroma still greeted my nose from my glass press. The cup was darker still, but lacking in aroma and flavor. I did notice light green tea flavors with little else. All three cups were smooth and without bitterness.

Today I drank another sample vowing two steeps. I used half the sample and steeped at 180 for three minutes. The wet leaves were very lightly smokey, but with a deeper toasty aroma I noted the night before. The fruity, melon note was secondary, but deeper as well. As I was looking at the bright colors of the wet leaves, it reminded me how when I look at a beautiful woman, she is beautiful! Her hair shimmering in the sunlight. When the same beautiful woman is wet-say in a pool, or on the beach, her beauty (hair and body) only intensifies, as the water reacts to the sunlight, reflecting her beauty even more! So does the light intensify the beauty of the wet tea leaves. :))

The cup is a deeper oolong color, with deeper creamy sweetness in the cup. Flavors follow in toe-so fruity creamy, milky smooth, and delectable. My last cup (190-200 for 3 minutes), was the best of the five. I added the rest of the dry leaves to the wet ones. The only thing I can add is that the sweetnees coming from the cup was so sugary sweet, and the fruit notes were strongest as well.

Golden Jade is a great tea. Not a WOWZAA, in your face, aromatic, palate pounding delight. This tea is still quite delicious! Like the beautiful lady coming out of the water on a bright, sunlit day—she may be a WOWZAA; but, once you get to know her, her real beauty lies in her many layers-diversity, sweetness and subtlety.

Cupped: Thursday & Friday, May 10-11, 2012.

Reviewed: Friday, May 11, 2012.

I know I haven’t been reviewing as many teas lately, but I’ve been trying to drink teas in my stash & finish swap samples. This green tea was received just a few days ago & is from the 2011 season.

It is still very fresh. The dry leaf aroma is somewhat vegetal, and it smells really creamy! So inticing and delicious smelling. I used about 2 tsp for my 8-9 oz cup, in my glass press. The steeping liqour smelled like spinach, and reminded me somewhat of a sencha. The surface of the steeping liquid had a white foam on top, giving it a brothy charactristic of a sencha. Again a creamy aroma greeted my nose. The wet tea leaves smelled great-vegetal, with a mild smokey character. They are also tender, if that makes any sense?

In the cup, the medium yellow liqour had that vegetal spinachy aroma, again with a creamy sweetness, and I didn’t notice any smokey aroma in the cup. The flavor was very full with a really creamy sweet, mildly vegetal goodness on my palate. Guess what? Are you ready?…….Now, are you ready?? OK….OK…There is no astringency (ie bitterness) that is associated with most senchas-not as prepared below! BRB…….Ok, where was I? Oh yeah-there is no cupped bitterness or smokiness that I noticed in the wet leaf aroma. I really liked this great cup of tea.

Sometimes, I resteep the leaves (which I did here), but added another tsp of tea for the second cup. Steeped at 180 for 4 minutes. Still a good cup…vegetal….but the tea lost most of the creamy sweetness of the first cup. Still minimal astringency….I’d say it had a moderate “pucker” factor, but not overly astringent-and not bitter!

The next night, I had two more cups. The first one steeped at around 185 for3 minutes. This cup was much the same-mild smoke in the wet leaves, vegetal (spinachy) and creamy. In short, it was quite delicious. :)) I must not have used quite as much leaf though, because I wasn’t getting the brothy character from the first cup the night before. I steeped a second cup around 180 for 3 minutes adding another tsp to the wet leaves. Again it was very similar-vegetal & delicious, less creamy, and less “pucker” due to the reduced steep time. This second cup was better for that reason.

I’ve been trying to drink more green teas-especially at night. This tea is so good-and at a good price! :)) It is nearly (or may be) sold out. :// I hope Upton’s is able to restock it, because at the rate I’m drinking it, my Gu Zhang will not last long at all! :// As a matter of fact, I’m going to go have a couple more cups right now! Peace fellow Steepies. :))

Cupped: Thursday & Friday, May 3-4, 2012.

Reviewed: Sunday, May 6, 2012.

Arrgh!! I just lost my complete review before posting! What the He** happened?! Many thanks to JenW for this delicious sample. :))

Well it was 5 years ago today [May Day], that I fell and broke my right shoulder blade. What a horrible few weeks that was! I always tried to stay positive during my recovery though. So, today I needed a special tea to make this day more special, and this tea did the trick. :))

I couldn’t detect much dry leaf aroma, but the steeping leaves immediately reminded me of a Keemun. The wet leaves were long & slender with a good amount of tippy white leaves. The cup aroma was mildly smokey, and a molasses like sweetness filled the air. The cup itself was dark brown in color, and again, smelled mildly smokey and of sweet molasses.

This Hunan tea was very flavorful, with a thick, chunky mouth feel on my palate. The mildly smokey, molasses sweetness coated my tongue, and is so smooth-with no bitterness at all! :)) I was also experiencing light berry like nuances on my tongue, which I can only describe as black raspberry. These flavors stayed on my palate for several minutes after the cup was gone.

What a great, comforting tea to start the month of May. I want to buy this tea again somewhere-even if Harney & Sons doesn’t restock it. It is really delicious, relaxing, and comforting. Thanks again Jen for this tea, and for making today a better day! :))

Cupped and Reviewed: Tuesday, May 1, 2012.

I couldn’t wait to try this tea. :)) It is an organic Sri Lankan green with ginger-LOVE IT!!, & organic honey-LOVE IT!! I feel the price was decent for 25 teabags so I snatched some.

The teabag is neat-it is tagged without a staple, so when you pull on the tag the string emerges from inside the teabag. I let the kettle temp get away from me a little, so I steeped my tea a little shorter than usual. I smelled the ginger more than the honey in the wet teabag, but the honey more than the ginger in the cup. The aromas in the cup were rather light, which was just fine. The green tea and the honey, had slightly more presence than the ginger, which was lightly aromatic.

The flavors are not….WOW!!…KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF DELICIOUS!!, but more of a mellow flavor. The green tea was smooth, the honey added a little soothing sweetness, and the ginger a little tang on the edge of my palate. While mellow, you know you’re drinking green tea, with the honey and the ginger showing up nicely, but not showing off. While being mild, the honey and ginger stayed a short while on my palate after swallowing the tea.

I’d surely drink this tea anytime-it has a juicy quality, and was warm and soothing for my throat. See, I can drink a tea bagged tea, and enjoy it! Je ne suis pas un snob du thé! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Saturday, April 28, 2012.

Thanks so much TeaNSympathy for this delicious Chai! I’m glad I sampled this one. :)) I sampled this first on April 7th-two cups at 3.5 and 5 or 6 minutes, and again today, (with similar results), so I’ll focus on today’s cuppings.

I really like Chai tea, so I thought this one was pretty good. I could definitely smell the cardamon, clove, ginger, and the cinnamon was there to a lesser extent. The caramel aroma came through nicely. At times, I thought I could smell the vanilla-yes….no…I wasn’t sure. The other aromas seemed to overpower the vanilla.

The wet leaf aroma and the aroma in the cup is very nice. All the flavors mentioned are noticeable and well represented. The caramel flavor was soothing, and delicious. :)) The 3.5 minute steep seemed perfect. I really couldn’t smell the vanilla in the cup or taste it. Again, the other flavors masked the vanilla. My second cup at 5 or 6 minutes was very flavorful and not bitter. I thought the vanilla would come through with a longer steep time , but I couldnt smell or taste it.

Truthfully, I didn’t miss the vanilla. Too many dessert blends use vanilla, and usually it is overdone or artificial tasting anyway. Not noticing the vanilla made this chai better! The caramel was a nice addition though. I wouldn’t buy this chai myself, but it is a really good chai that I am glad I got the chance to sample. Thanks again TNS! :))

Cupped: Saturday, April 7, & Monday, April 23, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, April 23, 2012.

WOOF!! WOOF!! Hello…….My name is Lotis. Six years ago today, I was adopted & brought home…….NO FOOLIN’! I was rescued & kept in a cage for long hours until I found this nice home (or it found me)! I didn’t trust such a strange place, and I even bit Scott a few times-I didn’t trust him either. I was so confused & scared, but he never hit me. :))

Woof!! Woof!! He let me bark, and played ball with me. I played with my squeaky ball, and I played with & ate icy cubes! We still like to do these things, and more! Sometimes we go for walkies, and I still like to chase outside kitties! Lately, I haven’t done that…….sometimes my leg hurts. :// I really like to eat my food with Scott, and sometimes he mixes treats with it. When I go potty outside he gives me even MORE TREATS! :))

Woof!! Woof!! After I eat, I lay under Scott’s feet and sometimes I get sleepy, and catch myself snoring. He pets me alot. I like when he rubs my head, puppy ears, my moustache, and sometimes I let him rub my belly! He always says I’m sssoooo soft, and a good puppy, good buddy, and a good boy. He tells me I have pretty eyes.

Woof!! Woof!! Sometimes, when he drinks tea, I lay by him. Sometimes he drinks tea for a llooong time. He must have had some good tea today, because “good” is a word I understand, and he kept saying it over and over. Sometimes, I look at him & think, “ARE YOU TALKING TO ME??” [Head tilt]

Woof!! Woof!! So, now I am very happy, and I know I make him happy too! We really are good buddies. I even have a soft, warm puppy bed next to Scott’s. I really like sleeping on it, but I haven’t been too often lately. I’m trying to tell him I need a new puppy bed!

Woof!! Woof!! So, we’ll keep doing what we do-eating, playing & chasing kitties (as much as I can), walking, sleeping, snoring, AND I like riding in the car, and so much more! Scott will keep drinking his good tea. I’ll do my best to be a good boy, and we will ALWAYS be good buddies! :)) WOOF!! WOOF!! :)) [wags tail] WOOF!! WOOF!!

Sunday, April 1, 2012.

What the ??…….I’ll have keep an eye on Lotis! I never knew he was so good with computers! :)) I agree with everything Lotis said. Now for a more in depth tea review.

I just heart Darjeeling teas, and this one is no exception. From the bag the aroma didn’t wow me, but while the tea was steeping that changed greatly. I was smelling artichoke characteristics in the steeping cup. In the wet leaves this is more apparent. The leaves are the greenest I’ve ever seen for a first flush Darjeeling, with only a sparse amount of brown leaves. I thought I also noticed a light nuttiness in the wet leaves.

The cup was a light orange color with a sweet aroma emanating from the cup. Darjeelings can sometimes be tough for me to describe. This one was fresh, with mint-like qualities, and fruity like a beautiful Spring day. There is something about this Goomtee though, and I wanted to pin it down-be more descriptive.

As I swirled this tea over my palate it really seemed to sparkle, and POP! Like a sparkling beverage (soda or cider). Sparkling, not like carbonation, but in relation to the way it reacted to my palate. The artichoke aspects were present, but there was (IS) more. Fresh minty qualities came through. Fruity…….but what fruit? The best or closest fruit I can come up with to accurately describe this is LIME, or lime zest. I’ve heard it described in FF Darjeelings before, but I’ve never came close to tasting it until now. :))

This Goomtee is very flavorful. On the palate there is good presence, without being heavy or overly astringent on the tongue. After swallowing, there is only mild astringency in my mouth! What I taste and remember most is sparkling, minty limes, like tropical heaven.

I could drink this 24/7, but I will pace myself and savor every sip-every moment! Like Lotis, this tea is a wonderful gift in my life! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Thank you so much to Anna for this delicious sample!

I have never sampled an Alishan Jinxuan before so I wasn’t sure what to expect; although, I knew it is a greener Oolong, and you can definitely see that. I wasn’t getting much aroma out of the bag, so I warmed my glass press and warm, creamy, toasty elements greeted me. The wet leaves were creamy, roasty, toasty goodness. The cup is a lighter yellow with similar, but milder notes in the cup.

The flavor is so smooth and creamy (buttery), with decent roasty, toasty notes enticing my palate. Very smooth-I am wondering if juicy is apprpriate here, even though there isn’t fruity flavors coming forth. On the back of my tongue, I did notice a definite herbaceous quality to this tea, that is secondary to the other qualities.

My second cup was more aromatic from the wet leaves (more creamy, roasty, toasty, & now vegetal) to the cup itself. The cup was more medium yellow, with a sweeter, more pronounced aroma. What a soothing & calming cup, with a balanced and most flavorful creamy texture. Roasty, toasty, and buttery, with vegetal notes marching forward. Yes, definitely herbaceous in nature, but not bitter. The most enjoyable of the three cups for me because of the balance between the toasty and vegetal notes. Steeped for 1.5 minutes around 195 degrees.

My last cup was still full and enjoyable, but the toasty, creamy qualities were fading fast while the greener, vegetal notes stole the show. While smooth, these characters seemed a little boastful, and I wasn’t quite ready for the turn of events! I was pleasantly surprised, but longed for the former flavors. I used boiling water for a 5 minute steep.

The next night I used the rest of my sample, which was more leaf than the previous night. I was hoping to, and managed to get four quality steeps. My steep times and temps were as follows: 1.5 min at 180, 1 min at 180. 1.5 min at 195, & 5 min with boiling water. To avoid getting repetitive, I’ll say that the qualities and desciptions were similar, but more pronounced, aromatic, and flavorful from leaf to cup to stomach! The 3rd cup is worth noting, because the roasty toasty, creamy notes hung on a little longer, before completely abating to the vegetal qualities of the last cup. I did seem to notice lighter fruity flavors on my palate (peaches, possibly peaches), in the 2nd & 3rd cups. Juicy is quite appropriate here for sure. :))

Overall, a very delicious Oolong I would like to taste alot more. I did enjoy the vegetal qualities in the latter cups as well. Thank you Alishan Jin Xuan, for a delicious tea experience, and a special Thank You to Anna! :))

Cupped: Tuesday-Thursday, March 27-29, 2012.

Reviewed: Friday, March 30, 2012.

Thank you SimplyJenW for this tasty tea.

I figured this tea would be fragrant, but WOW-it was even more fragrant than I thought it would be! Amazing aroma of roses. I really like Congou teas, and I think this tea was perfect for the rose flavoring.

The cup color was brownish red, and I could smell the cup from several feet away. When I tasted this tea my first thought was, “Delicious!”, and I could swear I’ve had this tea before. Years ago from another vendor, yet, I couldn’t remember actually having it. I’ve had a few different Congou teas over the years, and I could definitely taste it here. I have some of Upton’s Congou Select, which is naturally sweet, lightly smokey, and has fruity overtones. I’m pretty sure they don’t use that Congou as this tea base, because this tea is not smokey, but I was definitely getting fruity notes here. I think part of that is from the Congou tea, and perhaps more is from the fermentation of the rose petals.

This tea is smooth, naturally sweet, and very aromatic. The base tea is strong enough to be noticed, and the rose petals and aromas make for a very calming cup of tea. IMHO, the rose aromas are not overpowering or cloying in their sweetness. They are strong but not overdone. The Congou and the roses compliment each other nicely! Even after a second cup steeped at 5 minutes, the cup is well balanced, smooth and sweet. The Congou was deeper in flavor and not bitter at all.

A really great Springtime tea-sweet and delicious! Nothing says Spring like roses, especially when they’re in my cup! :))

Cupped: Wednesday, March 21, 2012.

Reviewed: Thursday, March 22, 2012.

This is a tea I recenly purchased because of all the teas I do have, I didn’t have a Ceylon, and this one looked nice and delicious! Plus, my first experience with the Tao of Tea was a memorable one indeed.

You can definitely see the silver (white), tippy leaves in the tin, but the leaves are much smaller than in the picture, and a pretty tea regardless of the fact. I couldn’t detect much aroma from the leaves.

Upon steeping my first cup, the cup color was a deep brown, and at times it looked to have a dark red hue to it. The sweet aroma is one of dark brown sugar. Then I read the description, which states aromas of molasses, and black cherry. It has been quite a while since I’ve had molasses, but the aroma really may be more like molasses. Come to think of it, the darkly hued cup is akin to molasses. As far as the black cherry aroma, I wasn’t getting that at all, but there are woody and somewhat fruity aromas in the cup.

This really is a full flavored cup, but not stout. A definite woody flavor coats my tongue-oak comes to mind. The fruity aspects are secondary. I can’t really describe them except to say they are dark, like the brew itself. I detect no black cherry per se, but upon swallowing, there is a definite tang on my palate. There is also a light, unoffensive astringency as part of the flavor profile.

I had another cup on St. Pat’s Day, with much the same result. I was questioning myself as to this black cherry aspect, as far as aroma and flavor. I decided it wasn’t there (at least for me), with the possible exception of the tang on my palate I mentioned earlier. Also, I had plans to drink only green tea the rest of the day, & peppermint tea later at night, but that didn’t happen. ://

As Lotis and I were finishing dinner (he really does eat with me when I eat), he started acting peculiar raising his leg. I thought he was about to have an accident. The Monday before Thanksgiving he got out and chased the neighborhood cats-yes, he does like to chase cats! He ended up tearing his left hind ACL, and it was about 85-90% healed, when he slightly reinjured it about a month ago. Well, he got up from the floor raising his leg, and I got upset, because I knew he had stressed his ACL again! So, long story a little shorter, I sat on the couch by him and fell asleep early Saturday night. No green teas for me on St. Pat’s Day, and no tea for the rest of the night. [SIGH!] Lotis does seem to be doing better, but will have to take it easy-as much as possible anyway.

I had a couple more cups of this Ceylon today. Sweet, dark brown sugar/molasses, somewhat fruity aroma, with woody (oak), tangy flavors, and slight astringency on the palate.

Overall, I found this to be a worthy Ceylon tea to have in my cupboard. It is not my favorite, but it is unique. I’m used to Ceylons that are predominantly oaky (this tea wasn’t), lemony, or even minty. Honestly, I wanted this tea, EXPECTED this tea to have one (or a combination) of these qualities. I’ll say it again-I appreciate this tea for what it is! As a matter of fact, I’m glad it is different. It is a sweet, solid, delicious Ceylon, and a new tea experience! That’s what makes tea drinking so much fun. :))

Cupped: Friday, Saturday, & Monday, March 16, 17, & 19, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, March 19, 2012.

I’ve been wanting to review this tea for a while and I finally got around to it.

This tea is really pretty. Long uniform leaves with buds. The leaves surround the bud in many cases. They are also white tipped, soft, and furry. As the leaves rested in my rinsed glass press they smelled nutty and mildly fruity.

My first cup was a soft yellow brew with a mild sweetness. As I tasted it and swirled it in my mouth, it is warm and smooth with a nutty flavor, and mild fruits of melon on the back of my tongue. I usually equate the melon notes to cantaloupe or honeydew, and in this case, cantaloupe fits the bill.

As I wait for my second cup to cool, the wet leaves smell sweet and nutty. The cup is somewhat darker in color, and a natural sweet aroma comes through. This is the best cup of the three I had. The nuttiness was somewhat stronger, as were the fruity notes. This was still a gentle cup, as white teas tend to be. It was again naturally sweet and smooth. Brewed 195 for 1 minute.

In my last cup (212 for 3 minutes), the nut aspects faded, leaving it more fruity on my palate-but even these were lighter than my second cup. Still a sweet and flavorful cup. Overall a very light, creamy smooth, naturally sweet brew I love.

It reminds me so much of the warmer months. This tea is so appropriate right now, as it has been in the 60’s the last few days, and today in the 70’s! What a nice welcome to what has been a warm March, and an early Spring! :)) Oh, how I do welcome thee…….

Cupped: Thursday, March 15, 2012. THE IDES OF MARCH!

Reviewed: Saturday, March 17, 2012.

Thank You to TeaNSympathy for a very intriguing sample.

When I opened the bag, the aromas blew me away! The tea smelled AHHH….MAY…ZING!! If I could do backflips, I would’ve rounded out a couple. :)) I sensed the aroma of coconut and vanilla, and there is a chocolate aroma to this blend. Could it have been coffee? I have read and seen blends where coffee is blended with tea. Maybe it was roasted mate. I remember drinking roasted mate, which gave me a similar sensation when drinking it.

Then I read the ingredients. I couldn’t believe it! There is no chocolate, coffee, or roasted mate listed. Maybe they just didn’t list all of the ingredients?! Yet the choco-coffee, mate aroma is there! Coconut is the obvious and dominant aroma. Then there is the chamomile. Any chamomile I’ve ever had didn’t look quite like the flower in this blend. And I didn’t recognize any part of the aroma as chamomile. The teas listed are Bai Mu Dan and a black tea-probably an Assam. At any rate, these aromas are a dance for the senses (or sense).

The cup aroma was a coconut concoction, filled with choco-nutty goodness, and a sweetness, all of which emanated from the cup. The flavor was really good. Delicious….yes…but, not to the extent the dry aroma would lead you to believe. Still, coconut and that choco-nuttiness played on my tongue! Bai Mu Dan whites tend to have a nutty character to them. The creamy sweetness was brought forth by the chamomile, but I can’t believe when blended, it is responsible for this tea’s chocolate notes.

Check Mate’s shortfall for me is the lack of strength in the base teas. The wonderful coconut and chamomile overpower the base teas for me. Yes, they are present and noticeable, but I just prefer more balance between the teas and the other ingredients in this case.

It is really a very nice, quite delicious dessert tea. If the game of Chess was strictly based on aromas, I would concede to Check Mate, and a match well played. But the base teas didn’t bring their A Game, so I’d have to call this one a draw, and demand a rematch. In this case a rematch (another cup of this tea) is an event worth savoring!

Cupped and Reviewed: Tuesday, March 13, 2012.

My mom got this tea from a friend and gave it to me. I’m always excited to try new teas, so I was excited to try this one! I did read that this was an herbal tea, so I thought it might be another delicious late night tea. So I opened the tin, and the bag, and…….

…….smelled a wonderful cinnamon aroma! WOW! This is obviously the main ingredient. I was just hoping this blend didn’t include hibiscus (NOT a fan of hibiscus). I read the ingredients: cinnamon, rosehips, and hibiscus [BIG SIGH!!]. I wasn’t expecting much. :// The cup color was a beautiful purplish-red, and did smell of cinnamon (AAHHH!), and hibiscus [UUGGGHHH!].

I really could taste the cinnamon, and the hibiscus. The hibiscus gave this tea the tart, plum-like flavor. I like a little tartness, but the tartness was a bit too much for me in this blend. I also noted a spicy quality on the back of my tongue, which I originally thought was ginger. I’m not sure. Could it have been the rosehips?

Overall, an average blend; and, thanks to the cinnamon, this will be a tea I will finish-one occasional cup at a time.

Cupped: Sunday, March 11, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, March 12, 2012.

Thank you to TeaNSympathy for this great sample! I admit it….I am a huge fan of peppermint tea, so I was really looking forward to this one.

The aroma is so soothing, with a good mint and chocolate combo coming through. The mint was slightly more dominant, but the chocolate aroma wasn’t shy either. The wet leaf aroma was even more fragrant, with a good balance of aromas filling the space around me. In the cup, I detected more of the chocolate aroma, but of course the mint was not to be denied.

The flavor is delicious! My palate was filled with minty/chocolatey , and chocolatey/minty goodness! Such a good balance of flavors too. The tea base was there, but the flavors were somewhat stronger than the base tea. In this case I don’t mind it, because it is a dessert tea after all. It tastes like creme de menthe candy, or Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark squares.

I remember quite a few years back, getting this tea for my sister, because she likes Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. She said it was delicious….and she is right! It is very delicious, and a perfect anytime treat! Thanks again TNS for such a tasty sample! :))

Cupped: Friday & Saturday, March 9-10, 2012.

Reviewed: Monday, March 12, 2012.

Let me start with a heartfelt Thank You to TeaNSympathy for the sachet samples you sent me, and for giving me a new perspective on decaffeinated teas!

I’m not really a fan of decaffeinated teas. My experiences with them (few that they are), have been bland, nearly tasteless cups of tea with almost no aroma. I have avoided them like the plague…….until now.

I was eager to try this until I saw it was decaffeinated, and I wasn’t expecting much. When I smelled the sachet, I couldn’t believe my nose, so I inhaled even deeper. AAAHHH! What an amazing smell! I’m not even a fan of vanilla teas, because they smell and taste artificial to me. Not the case here…….the vanilla smells so naturally sweet and fresh. I don’t even know if this is an ingredient in the blend, but I was picking up caramel notes as well!

The cup was a medium brown, with a sweet, smooth vanilla aroma. The flavor was a good balance between the black tea base, and the sweet vanilla. What I really like is that the vanilla didn’t overpower the tea, and it tasted so naturally sweet. I was picking up on a lighter caramel flavor as well. A really delicious, sweet dessert tea, and that says alot from someone who loathes decaffeinated teas! :))

I’m so glad I’ve experieced a delicious decaffeinated tea! Now I have at least this ONE tea to drink late at night when I don’t want the caffeine, and when I’m not in the mood for herbals. This tea is great at any hour of the day or night! Thanks again TeaNSympathy. :))

Cupped: Friday, March 9, 2012.

Reviewed: Saturday, March 10, 2012.

Thank you TeaNSympathy for this generous sample! I have always wanted to try this blend, and was so happy to receive this sample. :))

It is nice sometimes to drink a cup of tea that is a good, quality cup if tea, without having to think about it too much. Enter Malachi McCormick’s Blend. It is a decently aromatic blend in the leaf and cup. Well balanced as it is, I did notice the Keemun slightly more than the Assam, which is a good thing because the Keemun aids in this tea’s smoothness. What you get is a strong yet smooth, delicious tea. I drank two cups neat, and was very satisfied.

This tea is perfect in the morning, and I think it could stand up well with a dash of milk (which I will try eventually). Now one of my go to teas when I just need a cup of tea, and don’t want to think about it. Sometimes, there is nothing more relaxing than simply having a decent cup of tea. :))

Cupped: Thursday & Friday, March 8-9, 2012.

Reviewed: Saturday, March 10, 2012.

It was after midnight and I wanted a good loose tea, but decided on something simple, because I didn’t want to be up all night. I had Orange Juice in a cup a few minutes earlier, and decided to add a Red Rose teabag to the “after” cup.

It was really quite good. My cup had an orange hue to it, and I could really taste the orange in the cup. A good citrusy combo, and a decent cup before bed. Me happy! My tea month is already improving. :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Sunday, March 4, 2012.