Azzrian

Full Review Will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 17th but here are my snippits:

Taiwan Muzha Ti Kuan Yin from Nuvola Tea is a complex, multiple layered taste exploration. It captures flavors of sweet, savory, salty, roasty, creamy, and more. There is an undeniable aroma that really captures the senses and makes you sit a moment, cup close to your nose, just breathing in its notes.

Nuvola Tea has some of the finest teas I have come across in my tea discovery. This is no exception. Hints of nuttiness capture my attentions first, followed by a creamy full mouthful and flavor that is captivating as well. While sweet berry notes dance about on my tongue the roasted backdrop comes into focus, but then the berry re-emerges once again. Its like a ferris wheel of flavors here! Flavor notes go up, then down, then round and round playfully dancing and playing on my palette.

A really surprising treat this morning!
Love this tea!
Full review going up on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 16th but here are my snippits:

Pomegranate Splash from Phoenix Herb Company is such a refreshing treat! It reminds me of everything about spring. It has this awakening, light, lovely flavor and aroma, that truly refreshes and makes you feel alive.

The first sip was like drinking in a ray of sunshine! Clean, crisp, refreshing, and fruity! The flavor of Pomegranate is spectacular! There is no artificial flavor here and I am choosey about that! I really was not anticipating having a flavored tea this morning but as I looked through my teas, I kept being drawn to this one and I am so glad I went for it. I have had three cups so far – two being re-steeps and I am finding that the tea is actually making me quite perky and cheerful! There is nothing like a really good cup of fruity flavored tea in the morning. Granted I generally trend more toward straight blacks, with the malty depth and complexity, but it is nice to wake up with a cheerful cleansing tea.

Well I am impressed. Both with this tea and with Phoenix Herb Company! I have made it my personal mission to make it INTO their store one day soon, but until I can, and do, I have plenty of wonderful teas to sip on as their prices are excellent as well.

Get some here: http://phoenixherb.com/

So I wanted to post this just so that anyone looking for a nice tea table would check out Dragon Tea House!
They have a HUGE selection and I am IN LOVE with mine – I got this one here.
Here is a full detailed review on it with my personal photos
http://sororiteasisters.com/2012/12/29/large-grape-sandalwood-tea-table/

Okay soooooo I really DO NOT like rooibos. I have said that many times but I have to say … as for a rooibos blend – this one is out of the park! I actually am throughly enjoying this cup!
I had to have one cup of this before it going out in a possible trade – I had to at least try it.
I will say this … its something that is hard to let go – that coming from someone who does NOT like NOT like at all Rooibos!
:)
However the other person has something I crave, desire, NEED – so I am willing to let this one go – I honestly do not mind – I really prefer caffeine. :)
I just need to make sure that you all understand – THIS IS a rooibos to covet!
Lupicia never disappoints me. Well okay one time – but that was ANOTHER rooibos blend as well. LOL
:) This rooibos gets a 100 from me for being the only rooibos I can safely say I just MAY one day order maybe should I ever need to cut back on caffeine! It could happen. I will remember this blend.
Just Editing to Add – another tea from my Lupicia Happy Bag.

A nice sencha. A right enjoyable cup. Salty, sweet, thick but not overly so. I prefer mine a bit thicker but this will do. Came in my Lupicia Happy Bag.
I would order it again for sure but I can’t say it is THE best sencha I have ever had, still very lovely.
I do love a good sencha – I am asking myself why I don’t have it more often. Hummmm I shall start drinking more sencha. :)

Mmmmmmm – that is all I have for now … going to go brew a tub of this and soak in it sipping down the level until I can refill – think I have enough leaf? Ahhhh Glorious!
A Tea from my Lupicia Happy Bag.

WOW! This really is quite different!
Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 14th but here are the snippits:

I will confess, I am getting a bit of a tea high while sipping on it. Either that or I just need a nap but I am feeling quite laid back and cozy in this sipping moment.

The aroma is a sensory explosion! Sweetly floral, and fruity, peppery notes, and the aroma of a wooded place. The aftertaste is so very familiar – what IS that flavor? Savory, vegetal, something buttered perhaps, GAH what is it? … Squash, Zucchini perhaps. I will come back to that another time it may drive me batty. It is delicious regardless!

Ah the second infusion really brings forth the fruit notes! Now I get that raisin note that another reviewer had mentioned on Steepster!

I am also pretty sure this is the type of oolong served at a couple of the local Asian buffets here local to me. Now granted I do not think they are near this level of quality of an Oriental Beauty Oolong but hey at least its not Liptons!

Oh and if you order from The Mountain Tea Company be sure to look for the button on their item pages that says “Tweet for Discount” if you have a twitter account you can get a code for 5% off your purchase.

Full review coming on the 13th here: http://sororiteasisters.com/
But in the mean time here are my snippits:

Morning Tea from Lupicia is quite soothing and deep. The vanilla is only a mere hint at the flavor note, so don’t expect this to be a typical vanilla tea. Also if you wait for the tea to cool a bit the vanilla peeks out a tad more, but not a lot. I get more of the vanilla note on the aftertaste which is a lovely little surprise.

There is a slight smokiness in the tea but nothing like a Lapsang Souchong whatsoever. Just a very faint hint at what may remain from a campfire that has been smoldering out slowly. The tea does remind me somewhat of the early fall months, when it is still quite lovely out and not too cold but you can feel the air changing around you, there is a crispness, a slight bite to the air, yet the sun is still shining and all is well with the world. That is the feeling this tea evokes for me!

Now if you desired, you could absolutely add milk and or sugar to this tea. It is hearty enough to handle it and I think would make it quite yummy, however I prefer teas on their own merit without additives usually. I may give it a go with this one though as I really think it would be delicious and maybe pull out the vanilla note more.

I will be keeping this in my morning rotation for sure. Mmmm, more vanilla just peeked through! I love that sneaky vanilla!

A Tea from my Lupicia Happy Bag

Full Review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 12th. Its a lengthy review but here are the snippits for now:

I have mixed feelings about my Libre Tea Glass n Poly Original.

To begin, there is one strong point about this tea glass that I want to point out. I have no idea why it is not highlighted more on their site, perhaps it is and I have not found it, but it is one of the most breathtaking parts about this item so if I were selling them I would have it very easy to find on the site. The part I am talking about is the lid! (stunning photo will be included in the full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ )

More on sipping: Maybe it is me, maybe I really do have a drinking problem, a tea drinking problem that is, but sometimes if I am not being mindful enough, when I take a sip there is a dribble, usually ending up on my shirt. I feel it has to do with the small sipping radius of the opening, and the threads where the lid screws on. The opening radius is small – my entire nose more or less has to go into the glass to get my lips around the opening. That makes it even more difficult to sip while the tea is still hot. No worries though that does not last too terribly long. Also due to the radius it is difficult to get enough of my mouth in the right place for proper sipping. Granted I may have a big mouth but it is something I have noticed. Due to it being a travel glass however I really don’t want the hassle of having to be all that mindful while sipping on the go. Ease of use could be far better.

Size: Yes it does matter. I got the original size Libre. Its a decent size. Fits my small hand perfectly. If I liked it more, if it retained heat better, I would probably also get a larger size for longer travels as I can sip a tea down in light speed. However I will pass on getting a larger one due to the issues I have with this one.

For me the downfall is I truly do not ENJOY sipping my tea out of the Libre Glass n Poly and tea should be enjoyable to sip.

I address heat retention and other issues as well so don’t miss the full review! :)

Sipdown – one of my first teas – not THE first but a close first. Still really like this one a lot – may reorder one of these days. :) Upping rating a bit since it is still good after all this time!

MATCHA TIME!
Seems like FOREVER since I had matcha so I HAD to go for this one today!
I really don’t think I can one up my previous tasting note here but I will have a review posted on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 10th and here are my snippits:

The matcha base is excellent! I normally go with a basic grade of matcha but for boysenberry I selected Royal Matcha base as I really wanted this boysenberry matcha to be a true treat, and let me tell you – it sure is!

I just can’t get over how succulent this flavor profile is. Sweet, yet tart, savory, yet sweet, tangy, mouthwatering, dark berry goodness! Then we have those grassy like earthy notes form the matcha which if you love matcha like me, are just simply divine!

Don’t be afraid of the boysenberry! If you are looking for a new fruit adventure grab some of this and give it a go! I can’t see how you could be disappointed in this one. It is so fresh, so refreshing, ripe, and juicy you will swear you are eating the berries themselves!

Reducing rating a tad as I have had better darjeelings now.
Full review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 9th

Here is a brief Snippit as I am still writing it now.

It is a smooth tea, perfect for morning or afternoon with some tea sandwiches. I am having cucumber sandwiches with mine today and it is lovely. I think however the reason it is so lovely with my sandwiches is because it is fairly bland and does not compete with my otherwise mellow food flavors.

SUCH a pretty tea!!!
Tastes wonderful!
Here are snippets from my review to be posted on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 10th

What a beautiful looking tea! When looking at Curled Dragon Silver Tip from Zen Tea Life, the leaves are all curled and have variegated colors of light to dark green. The appearance is almost fluffy. Its a fairy tale dreamy sort of tea that makes me feel like a Princess.

Regardless, this tea has an equally lovely aroma of sweetly steamed veggies perhaps caramelized in a honey butter, white flowers, and summer grass. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy sniffing it.

I really appreciate the masterful art work of this hand rolled tea.

Check out my full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 8th but for now here are my snippits:

Nutty & Sweet SororiTEA from Uniq Teas is a blend of two of my favorite things, Genmaicha and Strawberries!

If you are looking for a strawberry flavor that is intensely sweet to the point of almost cloying, or an artificial soda pop flavor of strawberry then this tea is not for you. This is something very natural tasting, very refreshing, and of course add to that the genmaicha, which is savory, nutty, green, etc … its just delicious!

I love my blend and now you have a chance to win a custom blend of your own! Check it out here:
http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/01/04/were-back-with-another-giveaway/

LOVE mine!
Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 7th but here are my snippits:\

The sifter comes with this scoop like tool that helps you push or drag the matcha along the screen to sift it.

Its easy to clean as well which for me is a HUGE plus!

The canister is quite large. I have sifted a full 60 grams of matcha and had plenty of room to spare.

I find it far more convenient than using what I had in the past which was just your basic kitchen strainer. I always made messes when using that and wasted some good matcha!

Please visit the blog to find out more!

Throughly enjoying a couple of cups of this tea!
Full review on SororiTeaSisters.com on the 6th but here are some snippits:

It has a rich full mouthfeel yet a savory element in the flavor profile that boarders right on the spicy side of life. I can’t think of many unadulterated teas that have so much complexity. From sweet to savory, spicy to fruity. Zhu Rong Yunnan Black Tea from Verdant has it all.

The berry notes I detect are not listed in the flavor profile of this tea but I get a dark berry and raisin flavor when I swish the tea around my palate.

FINALLY! Me and Lupicia Sweet Potato Pie get to meet! I am sooooo happy to finally have this in my stash! I will covet it! I wish I could get more I absolutely love this. I was not very pleased with the aroma of the dry leaf but am relieved to find a DELICIOUS cup of Sweet Potato Pie!
Full Review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 5th!

A lovely tea! Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 3rd of January but here are my snippits:

The mouthfeel is slightly full, a tad but creamy, and heavy enough that I feel one could ice this nicely.

The peach flavor in this tea is not over done, although personally I can never get enough peach, but it is nice, subdued, and well mannered. I do get just a touch of the flavoring as being somewhat artificial like, but not so much so that it turns me off.

It creates a soft balance between a fruity tea, a floral tea, and a tea that whispers in your ear gently, yet is strong enough to stand it’s ground. Just like the Heroine in one of my favorite books. This may just have to be in my tea rotation to drink while reading outdoors this spring!

Tried mine for the first time today. Had some issues. I am not rating until I give it another go. Was not user error – I read the instructions – watched the video ….
Not thrilled but giving it more time and more usage.
Will do full review when I am not exhausted – plus need to go get the tea stains out of my pants from the earlier disaster.
MEH.

I am STILL steeping this tea! I am SHOCKED at how many re-steeps I have got from it! I lost track lol I think probably 6 steeps now! I have worked several hours on one project and this is the tea I keep resteeping! YUM still great flavor from it.

Morning cup …. still love it! VERY good flavored tea! Mmmmmm yes I needed this.

A very light green – perfect for those who want the health benefits of a green without the typical green flavor notes.

Not my personal favorite but I can see why some love this.
Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on January 2nd 2013 but here are some review snippits:

Dragonwell Lung Ching as far as I can recollect is the first tea I have sampled from The Kiosque. Thanks to a Steepster friend I am getting to try this light, lovely, green tea, and a new tea company. The leaves look much greener in person than in the photo.

(note – Thank you to Indigobloom for this sample!)

For me, its a bit simplistic, and lack luster. Its not bad, please don’t get me wrong. It is good enough that I do want to try more teas by The Kiosque and I will, its not a turn off, just not something that is making me want to purchase a tin.

Now I will note that the mouthfeel of this tea is creamy, very creamy, and I like that – a lot. Yet I do miss the buttery, nutty nature that many greens have that this one is lacking.

A wonderful Daily Drinker Pu’er in my book! I enjoy it quite much. Full review will be on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 31st but here are my snippits:

This tea has a lovely earthiness to it without being too earthy. The mouthfeel does have a creamy texture which is quite nice. I get hints of notes of vanilla, and butter, but its not too intense on those notes. There is a nice woody taste to the cup as well.

To me, this is more of an every day pu’er – and that is not an insult by any means. Usually when I take the time to sit down and enjoy pu’er it is a process, an event if you will. To me, this is one of those pu’er that is not so complicated that you can’t just make some up and enjoy it every day, on the go, or while working. While it is quite good, very good, it is not so complex that I feel I need to do nothing else but sit down with my yixing pot and dissect it.

The notes come over as direct and are unassuming. Creamy, full, robust even, woodsy, perhaps a hint of mushroom, buttery, and warm. Simple enough to enjoy every day but delicious enough to savor and appreciate in the moment without it taking too much time to figure it out. I will not say it is my all time favorite pu’er, nor even my favorite from Mandala Tea, but for what it is, it is hardy, and delicious!

Delightful – as always from Stone Leaf Teahouse!
Full review on http://sororiteasisters.com/ on the 30th but here are the snippits:

Gui Fei Cha from Stone Leaf Teahouse is a more earthy tea but the honey note is one of the first things I tasted and the note that tends to linger along with the rose.

Gui Fei Cha has a wonderful note of bamboo, tropical rain soaked trees and plants, notes of honey and a slight spice note. And as for that bite as mentioned in the description, think of it like an astringency type of bite. Not bitter, but just this kick at the end of the sip.

With each sip I feel a little smile creeping over my face and by the time I am tasting the lingering notes that are left behind the sip, I am beaming.