788 Tasting Notes
Steep Information:
Amount: ~3 tsp (plastic lunch spoon)
Water: hot spigot water (usually ~160°F)
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: 4+ minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, sweet, fruity, a little coco (smell cross contamination?)
Steeped Tea Smell: apple, hibiscus
Flavor: bitter and sweet berry hibiscus, apple
Body: Full
Aftertaste: sour
Liquor: opaque red-purple
I got this in a swap with Mel.
A bit more bitter than I would like.
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2011/01/walnut-street-tea-company-loose-leaf.html
Preparation
Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 oz hot spigot water
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: a little over 1 minute (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: amazing, delicious! sweet, berries, hints of champagne and vegetation
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, vegetal, berry
Flavor: vegetal, berry, sweet
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: translucent murky olive green
I think less time cooler water or less time? and a touch of sweetener, really enjoying this berry green though.
Yes, let the spigot water cool and keep it to just a minute and it’s a sweet vegetal with hints of berry. I wonder how this would fair as a tea cocktail?
This was a surprise gift from Newman who had read about my trip to the tea and champagne bar in NYC. Not only did it have a nice note but it was the most observant gift I’ve received in a long time!
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2011/01/teas-etc-loose-leaf-green-tea-champagne.html
Preparation
Steep Information:
Flavia machine
Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: lemon head candy
Flavor: lemon, but slightly sweet (apple) and floral
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: apple, slightly sour tang
Liquor: bright yellow
It appears Flavia has been re branded THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY.
http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/bright-tea-company-fresh-pack-herbal.html
Steep Information:
Flavia machine
Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: citrus, floral
Flavor: light vegetal, floral
Body: Light
Aftertaste: chemical citrus
Liquor: opaque cloudy orange-green
Ick! Could not finish.
It appears Flavia has been re branded THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY.
http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/bright-tea-company-fresh-pack-white-tea.html
Steep Information:
Flavia machine
Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: jasmine, a little grassy
Flavor: artificial jasmine, chemical?
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: tangy grass
Liquor: translucent amber
Smell is much nicer than the taste.
It appears Flavia has been re branded THE BRIGHT TEA COMPANY.
http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/bright-tea-company-fresh-pack-green-tea.html
Combo Himalayan Majestic / Splendor and Raspberry Riot Lemon
Steep Information:
Prepared in store, iced, in a Perfect Tea Maker with 3 tsp rock sugar and poured over ice
Served: Cold
Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: berry
Flavor: lemon, berry, sweet
Body: Full
Liquor: translucent hot pink
A delicious treat while wandering the mall on a hot day. It tasted like a juice not a tea.
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/teavana-loose-leaf-black-tea-and-mate.html
My experience with Teavana is pretty minimal — but the one flavor combo/blend I’ve tried was pretty good. Do the sales folks suggest the combos or were you just luckily adventurous?
they are very pushy so you need to be in a i know what i want mood, or willing to spend an arm and leg (then again they get fired otherwise) – i went in and said i like snow geisha, and i like jasmine pearls + rooibos tropica, what would you suggest, iced – and ended up with this – we were on vacation in the summer (extreme backlog) and in a mall and saw teavana, i can’t resist tea
Combo Himalayan Majestic / Splendor and Raspberry Riot Lemon
Steep Information:
Prepared in store, iced, in a Perfect Tea Maker with 3 tsp rock sugar and poured over ice
Served: Cold
Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: berry
Flavor: lemon, berry, sweet
Body: Full
Liquor: translucent hot pink
A delicious treat while wandering the mall on a hot day. It tasted like a juice not a tea.
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/teavana-loose-leaf-black-tea-and-mate.html
Steep Information:
Prepared in store, and bought some for home.
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: (lapsang souchong) smokey
Steeped Tea Smell: (lapsang souchong) smokey
Flavor: sweet, smoky, black tea
Body: Full
Aftertaste: none
Liquor: translucent dark orange oaker
Lightly smokey, less than a lapsang souchong, with the nice hint of fruit.
MilitiaJim had this for breakfast at the Yerba Buena Gardens location. It was a part of the “Russian Service”
Tarragon-Marinated Beets, Smoked Whitefish & Horseradish, Devilled Egg with Caviar, Herbed Crackers, Fresh Fruit, Chocolate Brownie. They say that Tolstoy fueled his creativity by drinking Russian tea from the samovar. See what it does for you. Start with our zavarka, dilute it with a tad of hot water and add milk and sugar.
MilitiaJim experimented with it plain, milk, sugar, milk and sugar. The tea came from the samovar and then was diluted with hot water in a kettle on the samovar.
The location has comfortable benches, outdoor seating, huge windows for natural light and is very cozy. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.
The box we purchased was a nice recyclable cardboard, containing a plastic bag containing the tea, held shut by metal clip. There was also a sticker included. Not sure why.
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/samovar-loose-leaf-black-tea-russian.html
Steep Information:
Amount: 1 tsp
Water: boiling, 12oz
Tool: kati loose tea system
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes (http://steep.it)
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Cardamom, clove, POW!
Steeped Tea Smell: cinnamon, peppercorn
Flavor: bake-y, cinnamon, cardamom
Body: Full
Aftertaste: ginger
Liquor: barely translucent dark brown
+ honey stick
You can see all the spices, whole cardamom pods, whole cloves, it looks lovely.
Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/arbor-teas-loose-leaf-black-tea-masala.html
1 tsp is as good as 2 tsp, delicious!
