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Hmmm, apparently never drank this . . . I’m sure I have and Steepster lies (or I was lazy). Very yummy. We’re making the opening of the Advent calendar a tradition – open it, and make a pot to share.

This tea smells amazing. Every time I open the package it just hits me in the face, the smoky gunpowder and the bright, fresh lemon. It’s incredible.

Brewed up, the lemon taste is very strong, but still clean and fresh, not like lemon-scented cleaner or something. The green tea is a little bit of a lighter note under the strong lemon scent. I think next time I might try brewing it even shorter, maybe 45 seconds or less, see if I can get more green and less lemon.

God, I love this tea. I’m on steep number twelve of the day, in my new gaiwan. Every sip is a little different, so many grassy and floral notes combining in different amazing ways.

I think I still have to play with the steep times and temperatures for the Say Tea blacks, because like the Monks Blend, this one brewed up dark really fast. The bergamot was a nice deep note in the tea, but I hope that I can figure out to how to brew it without it getting bitter in a matter of seconds.

Bah, the internet ate my review.

Very sweet black tea with just a bare hint of bergamot, but a nice clean flavour. Need a few more brews before I make a stocking decision, but for the price is a great little mid-afternoon tea. Next time, smaller infuser so I don’t get bitter dregs.

Okay, yum. I made cherry chocolate tea, but only enough for one cup, which makes me saaaaad. Need more pu’erh, stat. Anyway, the cherry herbal blend I was using was laced with hibiscus and other pink additives, so I think I need to sift through it a little more before I blend it again. Dry, the cherry smell smacks you in the face, and that is only mitigated a little when it’s brewed. But drinking, it’s more the smoky pu’erh and just a touch of sweetness from the cherry. Need to make more.

Accidentally oversteeped. Was aiming for a minute thirty, and didn’t realise my timer didn’t work until a few minutes later. I also brewed it too hot, so this cup should have been a total failure – but it wasn’t! Okay, the sencha was a little burnt so it definitely tasted grassy, but there was a nice strong smoky bergamot note. I think I prefer gunpowder over sencha in general, so will have to have another cup (properly brewed) before I make a stash-enhancement decision.

First trial of my new gaiwan. I now know why people use gaiwans on some kind of tea board – this is a messy process! But very soothing. The tie kwan yin is holding up wonderfully to the multiple steepings, each time releasing a bit more of the light floweriness that I love about oolongs. Used up the last of my stash for this; maybe it’s time for a restock.

Mmmm. The bergamot perfectly rounds out this smooth, smoky darjeeling. It had a light sweetness to it and then a darker aftertaste. Definitely glad I have a whole package of this.

Hey, I found the bergamot! I think the trick is a shorter steep – longer, and the jasmine takes over. This cup was delicious, until it got a little cooler and it was all jasmine, all the time.

“I have a surprise for you!”
“Oooh, what is it?”
“Well . . . let’s just say that there was something new . . .”
“gasp! New tea at David’s!”
“And it’s one of your favourite things . . .”
“extragasp A new Earl!|”
“And one of your favourite teas . . .”
“Green? GASP OOLONG?!”

Needless to say, I was excited to get home and try this one. My amazing wife even had a cup waiting for me. On the first sip, I could taste the beautiful buttery oolong – David always does a good straight oolong – and a hint of Early bergamot. Unfortunately, that bergamot disappeared beneath jasmine the further into the cup I got. I think I’ll need to make another few cups of this before I make a final decision – come back, bergamot!

OH MY GOD THIS TEA WAS AMAZING.

My amazing and incredible wife made a Thermos of this for me to take to work, and it was incredible from the first sip to the very last. It was fruity but not too fruity, and smooth not bitter, with an nice light natural sweetness. This tea has renewed my faith in Earl.

Mmmmm. This is a very tasty tea, but I didn’t realise that it was decaf so I think I need to go inject a mate directly into my veins now. Zzzz.

But. I think we have figured out the key to Tealish blacks: short steeps. This turned out light and creamy, the vanilla very mellow and natural-tasting. Delish.

No notes yet.

After my very dark Monk’s Blend, I decided to try a much shorter steep for this one. I think I would go even shorter. This is a good cup of Earl, but I let it sit too long and it lost some of the bergamot taste as it cooled. When it was hot, it was amazing. My wife aisling of tea suggested I line up all my various Earls and taste test to find the Ultimate Earl. I think I do not have that kind of time, but it is a tasty idea.

I know why this is one of their most expensive teas. Of all the straight oolongs I’ve ever had, this is a solid second place, and definitely worth the money – I’m just too cheap to buy it except by the cup. I made a few cups of this tonight, and I love how the character of the tea changes with every steep. A nice light, smooth oolong, buttery on the tongue with a faint floral note that doesn’t get stronger or overwhelming with more steeps.

Started at three minutes, then thirty seconds longer for each steep, and tried to get the water around 90C, which is a little cooler than usual for oolongs but I know I can’t stand mine scorched.

Why? Why does this one have to be discontinued? It is the perfect tea! And I’m down to about 30g! I think I might cry. Had an almost four-hour write-in today on the subway, so made a huge Thermos of it to take. It was blissful. Blissfully, wonderfully, amazing perfect. I will never get tired of this combination of flavours. And a Moroccan Mint just won’t do it – I need that earthy touch of pu’erh in there. Guh. I love it.

Actually drank this a couple nights ago. The Monk’s Blend was delicious and flavourful, but I oversteeped it and it got bitter quick. This tea turned almost black in like thirty seconds, it was bizarre and kind of awesome. I would recommend less than two minutes for a steep, maybe even a minute.

Hmmm. I’ve had jasmine greens before and enjoyed them, but the floral taste is overwhelmingly clashy in this tea. Makes me look forward to trying the rest of the Earls from Say Tea, but I don’t think I’ll be making this one again.

No notes yet.

Free TotD from DT if you wear your poppy instore – scored me a nice hot cup of Santa’s Secret to gird my creative loins for the NaNoWriMo write-in I was on my way to.

Mid-morning tea break. Still love this tea. Luckily, hard to mess up (I’m looking at you, McD’s employees). Can’t beat a large tea and a muffin for a buck fifty.

Took my life into my hands and snuck some of this from my wife’s stash for my morning cuppa. Was amazing all the way to work and carried me right up to my first break. Think I understeeped it a little, but not by much.

Am not having a good oolong day today. Wasn’t sure about this tea, because my experiences with Tealish have been hit or miss. Miss. Definitely miss. No matter how you prepare it, the caramel tastes burnt and the oolong is nearly invisible. Tried a couple different steeps to see if I could take away the burnt taste and no joy. Sad.