SimplyJenW

Backlogging an iced tea from the weekend….

This, of course, is great iced. I still get the light bergamot and notes of sweet grapefruit in a refreshing iced tea. Thank you, again, Harney & Sons for making this available in loose leaf.

Usual iced tea method.

Tea of the morning……

Even though this is the end of my sample, there is no SRP* count on this because I bought some for my stash. This one has become my smokey tea of choice over the version I had from Upton. It is a little smokier and maybe brothier…..I kind of want to call it slightly bacony. The version from Upton was a great starter Lapsang for me. I would call this a little more in the medium smoke range and could be a little more long term for me…..or at least for 100 grams worth!

Usual teapot method.

*my Sample/Stash Reduction Plan

Tea of the afternoon…..(loose leaf version)

….immediately after the UPS man stopped at my house! I am so happy to have Diamond Jubilee in loose leaf and I have a whole pot to myself. It is just as wonderful as the sachet version….well, perhaps even a little better and you can see the tea. Oh my, the silver tips are huge! I still get the wonderful scent and taste of sweet grapefruit and lemony bergamot. Thank you, Mr. Harney, for listening to our pleas to offer this loose. I am still squeeing!

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning…..

I have enough of this for a few more pots of tea. I love the malty chocolate notes, and it is always fun to watch these open. It is definitely a good resteeper. In fact, it really takes two steeps to get the pearls to open all the way. Not sure I will purchase here as there seems to be a few vendors of very similar tea. It will depend on where I am shopping at the time. This is not the most convenient place to shop for tea in small amounts.

Usual teapot method….12 pearls in my 24 oz pot.

Iced tea of the day, again!

This is for the resteep. I put the used tea bag from yesterday in the refrigerator overnight and then steeped it all over again today for 5 minutes…..

The verdict: It is nearly as good as the first steep. I still get notes of creamy, citrusy, sherbert-i-ness. I do think the flavors might be slightly diminished, but not by much. Definitely ordering more. So refreshing!

Iced tea of the day……

I am so glad I decided to try a few of these. Iced tea is a necessity in the Summer, and what better way to get teenagers interested in good iced tea than Rainbow Sherbet flavor? It sounds so much more fun. I definitely get a creamy, citrusy, sherbety sweetness and the tea base does not compete with the flavor. Well done! While these fun flavors won’t completely replace my usual iced teas, I will be picking up a few more bags of this and trying a few more. How fun!

Usual iced tea method…one bag. I did add ice and water to close to 2 quarts. Definitely trying a resteep later.

Tea of the morning…..

I seem to be going through all of my floral, citrus, and Earl Grey varieties these days. I guess that is what I like in the summer. This one is always reliable hot or cold. It is definitely my favorite iced tea, but hot it is wonderful, too. Notes of citrus and rose perfectly together with a good solid tea base. It is definitely in my top teas to always have on hand.

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning…..

I am so glad to be home from a short trip to the lake. We had a lovely time with family, but it was so hot! Temps were over 100 deg and that is hot for this north east Ohio gal. Plus, the water is not ideal for making tea, so I was drinking mostly bagged tea. I missed my tea bar. (I am not sure what else to call it, as it has all my tea making stuff and a stash of more loose leaf than I can reasonably drink!)

Since I have been home, I have had some of this, plus Diamond Jubilee from Harney & Sons. I am trying to get a read on their differences since Harney will be offering Diamond Jubilee in loose leaf soon. This one is very light bergamot and orange, and Diamond Jubilee is a light bergamot (as opposed to very light) with sweet grapefruit. For me they are different enough. I do seem to be going through the Gout Russe pretty fast, too, so hopefully the Diamond Jubilee loose will help slow that down a little. I can’t afford to be ordering from Dammann Freres more than a few times a year.

And Happy Anniversary to my Jim. We are celebrating 18 years today!

Usual teapot method.

Hmmm. Thought I reviewed this before because I got a sample from Indigobloom and it was the reason I decided to purchase this….

Anyway, second tea of the morning…..

I think pu’erh is usually a cooler weather tea for me, but I decided to have this today anyway. I did pick this up on a recent trip to Williamsburg, VA where they have a Spice & Tea Exchange. It was a fun stop. I picked up an ounce of this, the Coconut Oolong, and a Hazelnut tea that I cannot seem to locate at the moment….This should tell me it is time to do some rearranging…. I do find their tea a little on the pricey side. I think $4.89 per ounce is very steep for some, but not necessarily for others like the Coconut Oolong. They did give $2 off for buying three ounces. I do appreciate the ability to buy in small mounts, though. Bulk amounts there are definitely cost prohibitive.

I really like this one. There is something wonderful about the combination of chocolate flavors and pu’erh tea. It is like they were meant to be together. The addition of the strawberry just makes it taste like a decadent dessert. I can’t really decide if I like this one or the one from Lupicia better. I guess it will just depend on where I am shopping at the time of needing more….

Mug method, 3 minute steep. Lightly sweetened.

Iced tea of the day…..

Oh, this is perfect for a late night pitcher of iced tea! We have been working in the yard today in the heat, so water was definitely the main drink of the day, but about 7 pm I decided I needed iced tea. I also like the idea of a good night’s sleep, and too much caffeine at this point could really hinder how easily I can fall sleep. So, I chose this! It is perfect. Refreshing, notes of black currant and bergamot with a hint of vanilla…..yes, I can taste them all!

Usual iced tea method, just with a 3 minute steep.

Tea of the morning….(SRP #48)

I definitely wanted the opportunity to taste a high quality Bohea. And this one is also from my favorite region for tea (it is a Fujian Province black tea.) Lucky for me and all of us, really, Upton offers just about anything in a sample. I have to admit, this is probably the most expensive sample I have purchased there, but this is worth it!

I will probably be comparing this to other smokey teas. I think it is sweeter and less smokey than Upton’s Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon. TeaVivre’s Lapsang has a slight bacony edge over this one. Hu Kwa from Mark T. Wendell is much smokier. Light notes of malt and honey, but no where near the cocoa notes like you would expect in a Keemun. I would not call it particularly winey, either, like Keemuns can run. I guess that leaves me with light smoke, malt, and honey. The stand out characteristic for me that makes this tea unique in comparison to other light smokey teas I have had…the honey notes.

I have enough for another cup or two, and I will thoroughly enjoy them. Does that make this worthy of purchase? Price is definitely a factor here. If I did not have a few other smokey teas or so many black teas in my stash, I could probably get over the price and purchase. With the current state of things, though, I need to pare things down a little more first.

Usual mug method.

Second tea of the morning…..

I have been so excited to try this. I have been curious about Frank’s new black tea base…..I have to admit, it is a winner. Nice and smooth…tastes like good black tea but is not in your face so that it can better highlight Frank’s awesome flavor ideas. You have to admit, the man does tea like no other.

On that good black base, is the flavor of cotton candy! Sweet that is definitely cotton candy, and maybe cheap strawberry candy (you know, the stuff you could not get enough of as a kid! I am thinking strawberry taffy-ish stuff….) This has been a great little flavor trip down memory lane, and I am so happy that it includes tea as well. I love fun tea!

Usual teapot method.

Iced tea of the day……

This pitcher has 4 scoops of thepuriTea’s Earl Grey and one tea bag of Lupicia’s Sakurambo from my New Year’s Happy Bag brewed up in my usual method for iced tea. I was to the point where both were on my cut list, but it is hard to just dump/rehome over 5 ounces of the first and 9 tea bags of the second. Hence, this was born. I am trying to do some serious stash busting and was to the point where the Earl Grey did not really appeal much to me even iced, as I have so many others that I love. Since my first sample of the Sakurambo bag of 10 sachets, it really has not appealed to me at all.

However, the combination of the two is really pretty good! I get light notes of bergamot and the sweetness of Japanese cherry. The iced version is nice and smooth. And I will be doing this 8 more times for sure! So glad this worked out. I guess once the Sakurambo is gone, I can try another berry flavored tea to perk up this Earl!

Tea of the morning…..

I am about halfway through this tin. It is a very rich Keemun, but there is a definite after-bite. I am sure it is a great example of a high quality Keemun, but I am finding that the higher grades other then Mao Feng don’t appeal as much as they used to. The last two ounces of this are probably going to be filed into my Franken Breakfast blending box. I am sure I can blend something with this to smooth it out for my palate.

Backlogging tea of yesterday afternoon…..

Very pretty! Long wiry black leaves with rose petals and pieces of citrus peel. Dry leaf smells strongly of chocolate, but there is not much of the bergamot. I will do a more in depth review later, but my first impressions of the brewed tea were heavy on the dark chocolate (definitely not in a bad way, though) and very light on the bergamot and rose. I also had time for only one steeping. I am going to let it sit for a week to see if the flavor oils will blend in a little more before trying it again. Right now, I wish the bergamot was a little more present.

Usual mug method.

Another tea of the afternoon…..

This is the second tea in my recent Dammann Freres order. I am always on the look out for a good Earl Grey. It is definitely my tea preference in the warmer months. I was looking for an Earl Grey at Dammann that was available loose (because the loose teas packaged in a bag are a great value in my opinion!), and this is what I picked because it seemed the simplest Earl in their current offerings. They do have one with Yin Zen white tips in the black tea blend, but this one just looked prettier. In sachets, they also have a plain Earl Grey. Since the blue flowers in this one are cornflowers and not lavender, I figured I would be safe (as lavender is usually a turn off for my palate.)

This is really good! I would call it lower on the bergamot intensity, but not as low as something like Earl Grey Supreme from Harney. It is more like a mellow version of bright bergamot. Let me explain that! My favorite Earl Grey has bright notes of bergamot…kind of an in your face bergamot that leans slightly orangey. You definitely know it is there. That version works because it is on a slightly stronger tea base. Since the tea base here is a little more relaxed, and the bergamot level is perfectly matched to the strength of the base, it is a more mellow and relaxed version of my favorite. No hints of floral on the perfumey side which I don’t like at all, but leaning slightly to the orange side of bergamot. I now count this one among my favorites.

Usual mug method.

Tea of the afternoon…..

I almost typed “second tea of the morning”, but we are getting a slow start today. Yesterday was full of activity, and it ended with going to the Drive In Movie to see “Brave” and the “Avengers”. If you know anything about that kind of movie watching, it means a late night as the second show did not even start until nearly midnight. We are moving a little slow today. The kids slept in until noon. Ahh, Summer. But man we need to work on readjusting our schedule a little!

It took just a little over a week to receive an order from Dammann in Ohio. They provide great tracking, but unless you know French, you will need to type a few things into Google Translate. There are a few fields on the page returned from tacking that did not translate in my browser. I did have to sign for mine, so that is also something to keep in mind.

Onto the tea…I purchased a tin/caddie as well as a 100g bag of Gout Russe. Originally, I was thinking that Gout Russe (the tin) and Gout Russe Douchka (the loose version) were two different teas, but it seems they are the same since the tin actually reads Gout Russe Douchka, too. I wish I had ordered something different, but I do love this one, so I am sure I will drink it. The bags for loose tea are not actually sealed, but the roll up kind with a long bendable tab. They did send a few sachets for sampling.

Wonderful China black tea base with orangey citrus done so well it almost leans slightly foral. I love this!

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning…..

My first order from Verdant! I am definitely impressed. I ordered a few ounces of this along with the new Bergamot Rose Laoshan Black. Really, it was the new Alchemy blend that put me over the edge, because this company has been on my list for a long time. I also received a sample of the Yunnan Jin Jun Mei….I was hoping my sample would be another black tea because I completely forgot to request one! I am so excited to try them all as I’m a stuck in a phase where only black teas sound good and my greens, oolongs, and a few whites are probably feeling neglected. I think in this instance, it just makes sense to go with it, rather than forcing myself to drink all of the lovely teas that are not in the category I am craving.

This is rich and wonderful. I get notes of dark chocolate, and even a bit of coffee. It is very thick on the palate for a black tea. While it does not have much in the way of smokey notes like my beloved Keemun Mao Feng, this will definitely need to be renamed my beloved Laoshan Black. It kind of reminds me of Emperor’s Red from Premium Steap and tastes like a more refined version of some of the gong fu blacks I have been drinking. I am thoroughly enjoying it, and a little sad I did not try it sooner.

Mug method with a resteep only minutes away. Just the lightest touch of sweet to bring out the dark chocolate notes, even though this is a black tea that I could drink straight.

Edit to add: Second steep was fabulous. I agree with Angrboda that it is cinnamony! I upped the rating a little. LOVE!

Tea of the morning….

I needed this today. Just enough smoke to wake me up. A good balance of malt and kick. Lower on the cocoa notes and honey notes that I usually drink. A hint of breadiness.

I highly recommend playing around with your moderate to inexpensive teas to come up with something completely suited to your palate. It is like home in the morning, if that makes sense.

Special thanks to ScottTeaMan for the awesome product pic!

Usual teapot method.

Backlogging tea of yesterday afternoon… (SRP #47)

This one is from Dinosara! Thank you for the chance to try this one.

I was not sure what to expect, but with Earl and Grey in the title, I thought it would be something I would enjoy. I steeped it up at least twice, and sipped it a few times, but it did not hold my interest for very long. I don’t think that is completely the fault of the tea. I was not expecting the prevalent notes of vanilla/cream and a perfumy version of bergamot. I think it is just slightly on the soapy side of floral. I am also not in a phase where I like vanilla much. Vanilla seems to be seasonal for me in that I appreciate it more in the cooler months. I am not rating this one as it was a poor choice for timing on my part and I should have at least saved the sample until Fall. As far as it being a cream version of Earl Grey, I do think it an interesting one. I am just leaning toward citrus and berry versions more and more in the warm months.

I am glad to have tried it, though. The perfumy bergamot is probably a deal breaker for me at this point even though it is light.

Usual mug method.

Backlogging tea of the morning….. (SRP #46)

I really do like this one. I almost bought without sampling just because many of those who like similar teas than me are fans of this one. But then I remembered that I had many versions of a good basic black tea in my cupboard at this time. So I opted for a sample to see if it would be good for purchasing at a later date.

For those who are not fans of the smokey notes in Keemun, this one is for you. Lightly chocolatey, malty, a hint of caramel, and a light bit of bite at the front of the sip to make it interesting. I do think it is worthy of having a place in my cupboard, but I need to pare down the stash of good basic blacks for a little while longer. It is going on the list.

Usual teapot method. Lightly sweetened.

Tea of the morning….

And this has come to take up residence in my cupboard. For some who are tea addicted, that might not seem very significant, but I am on the “paring down the stash” phase rather than the ramping it up. Additions to the stash at this point have to be exceptional to secure a place there. I am sure it is just part of the progression.

Leaves are medium length, with a good sprinkling of bright golden tips (brighter than the product photo in my opinion.) Very light on the notes of smoke, but everything else fits the profile of a good Keemun. This one also has a heavier mouthfeel than most of the Keemuns I have been drinking. It was the heftiness and body that made me pull the trigger on the purchase since the last version of Keemun in my cupboard was kind of thin. Yes, this one costs a little more, but it is worth it!

Usual teapot method.

Tea of the morning… (SRP #45)

Leaves are large and loosely packed due to their size and very dark brown. The tea brews up a little lighter than I expected. Not a very red brew, but somewhere more caramel in color. Resteeps well which does help offset the cost a little. Definite notes of honey, but much lower on the cocoa notes that I usually search for on this type of tea. I don’t get as much of a complexity that I would need from a tea in this price range (just over $17 for 80 grams). I would choose Imperial Golden Monkey for a similar flavor profile from Upton at a slightly better price.

Usual teapot method at 4 minutes. Resteep at 5.

Tea of the afternoon….. (SRP #44)

I have had this sample in my stash since last November. Not sure why I have not tried it until now, but I am pleasantly surprised. The tea base is very smooth and complements the almond flavor very well. Yes, pleasantly surprised. I find it very relaxing. And very much like dessert in a cup. I would definitely consider purchasing some.

Usual mug method. Lightly sweetened.