Had a SIP DOWN of this both hot and cold. Very relaxing and tasty. REad more at my blog.
102 Tasting Notes
This was from one of my samples from my last order from DAVIDs TEA. I was wondering how well this would taste with the chocolate in it. Chocolate teas don’t always seem to do to well. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Even with out any creamer it was very chocolaty. Plus the cinnamon in it was awesome, not too little, not too much. Just a good amount of cinnamony goodness. Though if your not a fan of cinnamon, you should probably pass this one up. I kinda wish they used a toasted mate instead of yerba.
Overall it was a good tea. Not something I am dying to go out and buy, but not bad by any means. I would recommend it to someone who likes hot chocolate and cinnamon.
Check out the full review on my blog.
http://tunesntea.wordpress.com/
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Brewing Specifics
Pot: Porcelain
Water: 8oz per steep
Leaf: 5g
Sweetener: just a pinch of light agave
OMG THIS TEA!!! I am so glad I was able to snag a pouch of this when it was re-blended. This tea is one of the best 52 Teas I have had to date. I don’t have a lot of time to do a good review but for an over view this is what I will say:
The base tea is wonderful. Light, sweet, and crisp with just a touch a smokey character. The spices don’t over power the base at all. They add just a nice high note taste and tingling warm heat on the tongue and mouth. Not overwhelming which is good; aka spice weenies no need to fear.
Over all A+++ and would reconmend it to anyone who likes green tea in general.
Have had a few cups of this, both hot, and iced, and I got to say I am enjoying it. It has a nice sweet strawberry taste with just a pinch of tartness. It doesn’t need sweetener, thought it does bring out the strawberry more. The only down side is that there is supposed to be cinnamon in here, but I can’t taste it. Darn. Still a great bagged herbal. Thanks Yssah for the tea!!!
First I want to say thanks to Yssah to all the tea bag samples.
On to this tea. Ok before I even took this tea out of it’s packet it had a super strong order of honey. I did two tea bags in my 8oz pot, poured it into my BFM and then filled the rest of it with hot water; so 16oz. I then only lightly sweeten it with a few drops of agave; since it already smelled so sweet.
Ok, I don’t know if I did something wrong, but this tea was badd. It tasted pretty much like fake clover honey. I don’t even like clover honey; I’m an orange blossom honey kinda girl. I couldn’t even finish my cup.
I am not going to rate this, since I only give bad ratings to teas that I have tried every which way to make good. So just a word of cation, if you don’t love honey stay away.
SIP DOWN!!!
Finishing up the rest of this today and tonight; got about 3 tsp left. When I opened this I so many feels and nostalgia. It reminded me of last summer when I really got into loose leaf tea.
Wrote a bit longer review on my Blog; never thought I would have one of those. Basically though I am sad to see it go, I need to get threw these teas. At least I had a nice memory come back.
SIP DOWN!!!
Another sample pack is gond; well there is 2 grams left, but I am not counting it.
This is a nice pu-er. It didn’t have that salty fish smell that some shu can have. Also after lots of infusions, lets say 10, the 5g piece that I put in my teapot was only slightly broken apart. Also man can this tea steep. After tons of gonfu infusions, I did a 1 minuet western style brew and it was still full of flavor.
As for the flavor, it wasn’t a mondo amount of earthy flavor. It was kinda like a mix of black tea with a hint of pu-er earthiness to let you know it is a pu-er. The earlier steepings were more musty spice but the later ones had nice ceder wood flavor and tingle.
Overall I would recommend this tea to people who are on the fence about pu-er or are new to it.
Specifics
Pot: porcelain
Water: 4-5oz & one 8oz steep
leaf: 5g
sweetener: no
Gonfu Infusions between 6-10 seconds
SIP DOWN!!!
First I have to say that this reminds me a lot of Samurai Mate from Teavana; in smell and flavor.
It make a light yellow liqoure and smells strongly of lemon grass. The main flavors that I got from it was lemon grass cinnamon and clove…. lots of clove. Then again there were two in my 8 oz pot. I am getting light hints of fruit, but it is mostly lemon grass and clove. It didn’t need sweetner, but just a little drop of agave helped to bring out the flavors. I am getting a little bit of coconut; more of a texture then strong flavor. I kinda wanted this to wow me more then it did, but oh well. Still good…..
Overall it was good. I wish I could see how this tea does blended.
I would recommend to anyone that likes lemongrass and chai’s
Specifics
Pot: Porcelain
Leaf: .5g
Sweetner: not needed, just a little bit brings out the flavors
After eating all of that football food me and my mom were craving this. Definitely seems to help us de-bloat.
SIP DOWN!!!!
This little bit left has been around in my cupboard for a while now at least I can get rid of it to put my Yu Lu Lan Cha tea in.
Ok the last time I tried to spice this tea, I ended up burning the back of my throat…… to much red pepper flakes to blame.
Then when I tried it again with added red pepper flakes, it didn’t even register. This time I think I got a lot closer. It was about a pinch and a half of red pepper flakes.
Also I used almond milk which was put into the microwave for 30 secs. I don’t like trying warm up milk or H&H cause I am afraid of it curdling. Also I am starting to like mix it in my drinks. It is more flavorful then milk.
Also to revup the chocolate I put in a square of Lindt chili chocolate….. it’s spicy you see.
So after much trail and error I finally got a decent brew from this tea. The strawberry doesn’t get pushed to the side and shines through the chocolate. The red pepper flakes add a nice heat and tinge in the mouth, mostly on the back of the throat, but in a good way; not like last time. After drinking the whole cup my mouth has a nice warming and numbing to it….. hmmmmm.
Any ways on to the rating I give a eh. It is really just watery chocolate strawberry; plus you have to add stuff to get any heat. There are a lot of spicy hot chocolate recipes out there. You could probably make your own mix with a strawberry tisain and mix in chocolate chips and pepper your self that would be better and cheaper.
Specifics
Pot: Porcelain
Water: 8oz
Almond Milk: 4oz ish heated
Additives: pinch and a half of red pepper flakes, and one square of lindt dark chocolate
Sweetner: Not needed.
Ok I am making a resolution to not buy any more tea until I get rid of 80% of my stash. I have SOOOOO many samples that I haven’t tried. I need to drink them away; or become a crazy tea hoarder……. nope.
This was one of the samples with my chirstmas order form Davids. It was pretty good. Though it is one of those teas that makes you wonder why it wasn’t an herbal. In my pack it was 80% herb, the rest white tea. I was also shocked when online and the pack they wanted me to use almost boiling water for a white tea mix………..WUT?
Anyways on the the smell. This tea smelled like Jolly Rancher watermelon, the wet leaf smelled like it, and the brew smelled like it.
This warm tasted pretty good, but this is diffidently an ice tea mix. The taste when it was cold was good. I mainly detected strong notes of watermelon and undertones of lemongrass. Also I think the apple pieces in it is what kept it from tasting sour. It does have an artificial-ness to it, much like JR candies, but it is decent. I kinda wish the pumpkin and fig flavors were there; don’t know why they are listed.
Overall it was good but not, “ER MER GERD”. It would be interesting to see what would happen if they took out the watermelon bit and try to up-play the fig and pumpkin flavors; also just scratch out the white tea and make it a herbal one…. would be cheaper.
I would recommend this to someone who likes JR watermelon, isn’t artificial sensitive.
My mom was a really big fan though. She kept trying to steal sips out of my cup.
Specifics
brewed at below boiling. First 5min then 7min and put both steeps in a cup
Pot: Porcelain
Water: 2x 8oz
Leaf: 5g
Sweetener: a bit of light agave but not necessary
Ok so after drinking plain chamomile tea for a while, which I really like, I wanted to add stuff to it. I was kinda wanting to add a spice note while playing up the floral taste.
I decided to put my usual 4-5 tsp of chamomile in my 8oz teapot; I make it concentrate so i fill up the rest of the 8 ounces in my big 16oz cup with hot water. Then I put in one whole clove and half a small stick of cinnamon in, put boiling water in the pot and brewed for 10 minuets. After that I strained it into my cup and added 1-2 tsp of light agave.
I loved it! The clove really adds a nice vaporous floral flavor to accent the creamy fruity floral chamomile, while the cinnamon adds a nice sweet spicy tingle. This is easily becoming my night cape…. or was till I ran out of chamomile. I need to get some more soon.
Specifics
Pot: Porcelain
Water: 8oz
leaf: 4-5 tsp of Chamomile, 1 clove, 1 half small stick of cinnamon per pot
Sweetener: 1-2 tsp of light agave
Steep: 10 minuets
Tea related: So even though I won’t be able to buy tea for a while i still go and look around on websites of things I want to buy; I don’t know why I torture myself. Then I decided to go looking around on 52 Teas to see what Frank has been coming up with. Then I saw it……… Smaug tea. IT LOOKED SO AWESOME!!! Not only is it have Dragonwell tea, but it has cayenne pepper in it. The whole tea flavor profile in general just sounds awesome. Then that sad moment, when you go to insta buy it…… and it’s sold out. URGH!!! Hopefully it will get revived. (
Tea Review: I deiced to have this the other night. It was one of the samples that came with my Christmas sale order.
The dry-leaf was very pretty. It was for the most part all yellow color with flecks of red rose petals. It smelled almost like orange blossom tea; though that’s not what it is. I also have no idea what a gooseberry is, but it sounds good.
The taste of this tea is nice. It made a nice yellowish, pink liquor and smelled like citrus tea. The flavor how ever doesn’t taste like orange blossom tea. It reminded me a lot of Sweet Tarts or Spree candies. It had a nice berry-citrus taste with a pleasant tart after taste. I added a pinch of agave, but it really wasn’t needed. I did do another steep, and it was ok. It was more like flavored water, but in a good way.
It should be noted that while this tea has spearmint, it doesn’t really come up much. I actually forgot that it was even in there until the last steep; were it was easier to detect. It seems that instead of really adding to the flavor, it adds a nice vapors texture to the tea.
Overall I would recommend this tea to citrus-fruity tea lovers or anyone who likes Sweet-Tarts and Spree candies.
Specifics
Leaf: 5 grams
Pot: Porcelain
Water: 8 oz
Sweetener: a pinch of light agave, but not needed.
I was so ecstatic when I found out that I got Moonlight White tea in my tea of the month package. Ever since I heard about this tea and it’s unique process to make it I have wanted to try it.
Ok, sadly I don’t have a little scale so I just took out a chunk of tea that look likes it would be about 5 grams; I need to get one soon.
Dry leaf Smell: Sweet and light, almost a little earthy woodiness, but faint.
Wet Leaf Smell: This smells so interesting. It smells really sweet, slight dampness and like honey!
Wet leaf look: While most of the leafs had turned brown, there were some that stayed pitch black and super crispy with a slight fuzzy texture…….. interesting.
1st Steep: Sweet light crisp effervescent tingle. very white tea like. Floral as well. Slightest coco malt flavor whit an after taste of pine dew???? Smooth texture, is that the linen maybe.
2nd Steep: Still effervescent tingle. spicy maybe. Very fresh and floral. The Pine dew taste is stronger. Slight coco malt aftertaste that mixes with the dewy tastes. Honey flavor maybe.
Slightly cooled malt coco a little stronger. Still very floral, fresh, sweet and dewy. Mouth is left slightly dry.
3rd Steep: Malty coco is more stronger now but fresh crisp floral taste is still there. Also the dewy aftertaste.
4th Steep: I am detecting a spicy tingly feeling left on my tongue after drinking a lot of this tea. It still taste crisp refreshing with a bit of malt
5th Steep: It is tasting more black- teas -ish then white-ish, but there is a nice floral sweet crisp after taste after the malt coco with the persistence of pin dew.
6th Steep: I did a longer steep about 40 seconds. Even more black tea flavor. It has strong nice honey malt flavor yet with that nice dewy peppery piney crisp after taste.
7th Steep: 1 minuet steep. Very strong dewy pine crisp flavor with light coco malt, and an aftertaste of dew and apples. It is kinda like yabbo in a way, but much stronger and fuller body,
8th Steep: 45sec to water tasting to me. Guess I have to go with western brewing from here
9th Steep: 2 minuet: a lot of the white tea flavor is gone. It has a strong black tea honey flavor to it. There is still a somewhat effervescent and sweet after taste.
Cooled a little. even more strong black tea flavor, but still a pinch of crisp floralness. Also there is some maltyness and bit of astringency, but not bad.
At this point I am going to drink some green teas that I need to log in, so I am going to cold brew the rest of this.
P.S. The liquor color started of pale brownish yellow, but quickly got darker over the steeps and was a nice orangey brown.
P.S.2 I also did a quick rinse.
I would recommend this tea who likes experimental tea and woody tea.
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Specifics
Water: 4-6 oz
Leaf: 5-6 Grams maybe?
Pot: Porcelain
Steep Time: started at 10 secs and added 3 each steep
I don’t know if I am getting more use to green teas now or what, but I really like this one. I have had a genmaicha once before, but didn’t really get excited over it. I decided to give this one a try; glad I did. It has a nice robust flavor with out being to overpowering or burnt tasting. It almost seems like it just makes the base tea a little more fuller tasting. Not to mention I love the symbolical combing of the wonderful green tea that Verdant brings in and the use of Verdants’ local rice fused into one tea. Hopefully when my budget allows it I can get more that the sample size next time.
I would recommend this to some one who likes Genmaicha or wants a good introduction to them.
Specifics
leaf: 1tsp
Pot: porcelain
water: 8oz
Additives: sometimes added a pinch of roasted sesame seeds, but only sometimes and isn’t needed.
Having the cold steep from last night. It is a good mix of citrus and floral, yet smooth. The Frankincense I think is what is making it smooth. It sometimes can toast a little soapy but I did brew it for 24 hours instead of a smaller bit, but it’s still good.
Also I need to learn this song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWja8o5cb3o
Specifics
Water: 20oz
Time: 24 hours about
Pot: Glass
Leaf: 4 times infused 1 tsp amount
Having some of this tonight after work. So glad I have a day off tomorrow. Anyways due to the holiday eats I am sooooooo bloated. I find that Oolong has a de-bloating affect.
I did 4 steeps with the leaves and am cold brewing the rest over night. Can’t wait to see how that goes…
Back logging…
This tea is a Chameleon. Every single steep changes; not in the normal way tea does either. The smell of the dry leaf and when wet for some reason reminds me of roasted salted nuts… not sure what kind though.
1st Steep: Malty smoke, sweet after taste, smells like roasted slated nuts, strong yet smooth.
2nd Steep: Malty, with a tingle left on the tongue. Not as smokey. Kinda of a powdered coco after taste.
Cooled down: More flavor coming through; more smokey cocoa. Slight creaminess. Smells like roasted nuts.
3rd Steep?: Weaker, light citrus taste, less malt, more brisk taste.
Not sure what happened to my notes on Word but I don’t know if that was the description for the 3rd or 4th steep…
It should be noted that the coco taste isn’t typical. It is kinda like roasted and slightly smoked coco beans; Not the kinda of smokey woody flavor, more sweet roasted smokey.
I almost feel like the early steepings are like a fine Assam and morphs into a really good Ceylon, but through out is done with a bit of Yunnan flare to it; I haven’t any of these strait so I can’t be sure. I can’t wait to see how this tea does Gong Fu style.
Specifics
Leaf: 2 tsp
water: 8oz
Pot: Porcelain
Sweetener: A bit of light agave sometimes
Steeps: 1:35 and add 40’s from there on…
This is a tasting note for the early version; the one that was wild picked
Backlogging…..
I had this last month western style to finish up my sample. I brewed it just like how I would brew the second version of this.
1st Steep: Rich smoky tobacco dry roasted malt
2nd: Similar but less intense and more subdued. It also has a slight smoothness/powdery smoke mouth feel. Has smokey bitterness as well.
3rd Steep: Tastes like cocao, has a slight spice, light smoke, and some woodyness in the flavor.
4th Steep: Last steep more sweet and cocoa like. Very malty and rich.
Cooled: slightly juicy flavor added
It should also be noted that the flavor of bourbon persisted through most of the steepings.
I find it interesting that the different pickings (one wild the other farmed) created a completely different flavor. The wild one has a more manly flavor while the cultivated one is more sweet and feminine. They even look different: wild picked is darker, while the other is lighter. In hindsight I should have added a little milk to the steepings; since I think it would make it taste really chocolaty. I might get another chance though….
I have only a little left of the 2nd version of this tea, which I am saving for a special occasion. Hopefully Verdant Tea gets some more of this in, but if not I am so happy I got to try this wonderful tea. (8^D)
Specifics
Pot:Glass
Sweetener: Sometimes added a bit of light agave
Water:?
Leaf:?
No notes yet.
No notes yet.
Back logging this…
When I went back and tried this again, it was alot better then last time. The trick is to use a bigger measuring spoon; since it is really chunky.
This is a awesome nutty desert tea. Depending on the temperature the cream flavor stands out more or the oolong/ nut flavor does. Next time I can I’m grabbing some more of this. Also the longer it is steeped the better. It is one of those teas that doesn’t get bitter, but is kinda weak.
P.S You can get 2 good steeps out of it!
Specifics
Water: 8 or 16 ounce?
Leaf: 3 TBL (I think)
Sweetener: a little bit of light agave and brown surger
Pot: Glass
So much good stuff today.
1. I got to see my grandparents and cousins
2. My verdant tea of the month came in
3. And the world didn’t explode!f YAYYYY!!!
So when I was at the store I noticed that they had just two more boxes left of this, so I bought them. That means I currently have 3 boxes unopened of this flavor….. totally not hording or stocking up on this flavor. (B^>)
Made some of this for me and my brother. I FINALLY FOUND A TEA HE LIKES!!! MUAHAHAHHA!!!! We were going to watch some anime, but he started to play LOL…. ugh
At least it has FINALLY got’n cold here. It is kinda nice for a change; plus I can wear my leathers more comfortably too.
Had some of this made Ice tea style while I am waiting for the world to end, ahahaha. I tell you what I am going to buy another few boxes of this stuff before it is gone. IT IS SOOO GOOD!!! It really feels like I am having a nice cup of eggnog spice; yet it isn’t over powering in flavor. I wonder if it has something to do with the green tea in the mix? Hmm…..
OBVIOUS SONG IS OBVIOUS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzqiPvGrkTo
Specifics
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Leaf: 4 Tea bags for 20oz
Pot: Glass
Ice: about three cups worth looking in a Pyrex
Sweetener: 1 big spoonful of Agave
