Becky

Let me preface this note by saying that my experience is probably just a matter of personal preference, so I’m not rating this tea. I love some green teas, but they tend to be mild and sweet varieties, with delicate vegetal and/or floral notes. The stronger a green becomes, the less likely I am to love it.

I wanted to like this tea. There was a strong green-bean aroma in the dry leaf and the broth was very green, thick, and salty, like soup. Unfortunately, with each sip it took on a bitterness that crept in incrementally until its presence was overpowering. I actually had to spit out the last sip I took because I thought about it too hard and the bitter notes in the cooling tea activated a gag reflex (I’m sure you wanted to know that…?).

The good news is there’s probably someone out there who would love this freshly-opened package of tea.

Whoa, hello mixed reviews! I can’t remember where I got this sample, but it’s been staring at me for weeks through the wire mesh tea-bin and I finally decided to polish it off last night.

When I opened the pouch, the smell of cinnamon was so hot it felt like my nose was burning (or I had to sneeze?). It brewed up a medium brown with sweet cinnamon aroma and an astringent black tea undertone. I would have preferred a more rounded blend; the dry mouthfeel was at odds with the spicy sweetness. I did appreciate that I could taste the tea under all that other stuff, so there’s that. :)

Many kind people have sent me sample, but I can’t remember exactly who sent this sachet of Kandy. Whoever you are, thank you! This brewed up nice and strong, with bright floral notes and astringency. It reminds me of the sun tea my mom used to make. I bet it’d kick ass with a little honey and lemon.

Good cup, would drink again—though I would probably not order it for myself.

No notes yet.

I forgot all about this sample. It’s one of the half-dozen Claire sent me six months ago when I was first learning about tea. It hardly seems like six months could have passed since then, but here we are.

The first time I tried this, I was very discouraged by how temperamental I thought it was. Now I’m a little more careful about brewing temperatures, and I never ever ever let a green tea get cold if I can help it. This cup brewed up nice and brothy with an olive-amber color and sweet, slightly vegetal aroma.

First steep:
The sip is dainty and sweet, with mild vegetal flavor and a light grainy note. My sinuses are giving me hell this morning so I don’t completely trust my nose, but sinus issues for me usually mean that unpleasant tastes and smells are enhanced. I get none of that from this tea. A tiny bit of smoke as it cools and a wee bit of bitterness on the last sip.

Second steep: More of the same. Great cup!

Overleafed the pot (on purpose), then SQUIRREL and steeped it for…one hour? Two? Not really sure. It was a long time, I know that much. I decided to reheat it in the microwave and found it’s still drinkable.

I’ve had this before and it was really light and smooth. It’s pretty close to that now, except for a little acrid afterbite that is punishing me for my indiscretions.

Now can finals week be over, please?

Another sipdown. Sad, but necessary—cupboard real estate is at a premium around here. Did a nice long-ish steep on this sample from the wonderful Jude. It might be mislabeled, as there was no Organic Darjeeling from Wegmans in the database, but I’ll assume it’s the right thing unless I discover otherwise.

Dark amber in color, roasty chocolate aroma with caramelized squash notes and a hint of florals. Has an almost silky mouthfeel, which I didn’t expect from a Darjeeling but is really nice. I’d definitely drink this again. Too bad it doesn’t exist! ;)

Sipdown, so sad. It lasted until March, but barely! Juicy as usual, really refreshing. I love this stuff (though I have to move it down a peg or two since I’ve spent some time refining my score criteria…it’s just so dang subjective).

Thanks for the sample, Sara!

This one came in a nice sachet and was a decent cup of tea. Slightly astringent, brown in color with mild flavors of the breakfast tray: buttered toast and a tiny bouquet of wildflowers. I wouldn’t buy it, just because there are so many other darjeelings out there I love more (I miss the big floral, big orange-squash flavors), but it hits the spot well enough.

No notes yet.

I love free samples. This has a tangy apple flavor, like a Jolly Rancher candy. The flavor of the tea hides behind it a bit, but I liked it anyway. Kind of an inoffensive comfort-drink to remind you of things you liked when you were a kid.

I was about to ship the rest of this sample when I realized I had yet to do a tasting note. Made just enough for a quick cup and here’s what I think: om nom nom.

Molasses, toast and malt. Bold but smooth blend. Dark and tasty, perfect for morning tea. A very mild astringency with a slight bitter note at the end that doesn’t linger. I’d actually consider buying a pound of this.

Dry leaf: roasty & mineral with a hint of anise

Brewed: Roasted orange squash x1000

Good roasted sweet flavors. I love that in a nekkid tea.

The strong smell of the dry leaf scared me a little, so I made a test cup first instead of committing to a whole pot. It smelled something like a wine tea, much more sharp and fruity than I expected from a strictly rose + Darjeeling blend. Turns out I had nothing to fear; the brew has a dark, floral Darjeeling flavor with potent, but balanced rosy taste and aroma. Exactly what I’d hoped for. Yay!

T.C. sent me just enough of this to make a ~20 oz pot of Ontario Icewine, which put uberpressure on me not to screw it up with heat or oversteeping (I ruined a perfectly good re-steep earlier because SQUIRREL). TA-DA, a perfect pot! Lucky me!

After a 30 second brew this is amber-colored and strong, with a fruity, slightly sharp white wine aroma. It has the bright mouthfeel of other wine teas I’ve tried, and the sip is impressively well-balanced (IMO) between the delicate white tea flavor and the wine. I can taste both easily and there’s a harmony of flavor between them I really enjoy.

There’s nothing fake about it, which is usually where a tea and I part ways.

Anyway, the leaves were a little beat up from their trip in the envelope, so there’s a lot of detritus in the bottom of the pot. I have a sinking suspicion that it will be bitter by the time I get to the rest of it, but we’ll see.

I managed to leave most of the swirly leaf powder in the pot. I’m smelling sweet spring flowers now in addition to the juicy wine grape. Yum!

Now I’m sad I don’t have any more. But you bet I’ll try to re-steep it later and see how it goes. Thanks again, T.C.! Great cup.

Another generous sample from Dinosara, which couldn’t have come at a better time. Crappy day, tasty tea. Tea makes everything better.

I couldn’t tell you too much about the actual tea used here. I’m not sure if it’s just subtle, or if the chocolate flavor cancels out my ability to smell! Reminds me a little of sassafras; when I added sugar it was basically identical to a chocolate-flavored Tootsie pop! (I like that flavor, personally, so it’ll definitely be a good one for when I need a candy fix.)

Dinosara sent me a generous sample of this tea (and several others… can you say TEA KARMA?). It smelled like a delicious sweet almond cookie when I opened the bag. Brewed, it had a mild spiced nutty flavor, slight velvet texture, and a sweet tobacco note that strongly reminds me of flavored cigars. Very interesting! Thanks Dinosara! :D

Thanks to T.C. for this sample! Brews up yellow-green and very slightly cloudy (that could be from the broken leaf). Aroma is highly vegetal and sweet, as is the flavor. I used to get these vegetable chips that were basically flash-fried green beans, carrot and other assorted root veggies. This is basically the same flavor profile: a sweet, beany broth. Spinach notes as well. I want to pair it with a slice of salty buttered toast.

Grr! Steepster ate my tasting note. :( I knew I should have copied it before I hit save.

Anyway, I got a box full of awesome today, from the lovely Miss Claire. I smelled all the unsealed teas and had a really hard time picking one to try first. I ended up with this pu’erh…my very first. (OMG, PU’ERH VIRGIN.)

Dry: Orange! Yum yum. Hubby said “YES! Make this!”

Rinsed, then made a 15-second 1st steep, which I gave to the husband.

Then I made a 2nd 15-second steep for myself.

Aroma: Musky earth and an undertone of sweet orange. This will sound unflattering, but there’s a brand of pump soap I’ve used in public restrooms that has a very similar scent profile, only this is cleaner, organic, calm.

Sip: Complex earth & good antiques, compelling orange flavor. Amazing balance. I’m actually shocked at how mellow and pleasant this is, considering my first impression of the steep smell.

Finish: Slight cooling effect that lingers on the palate for a long time. Also, I feel effing fantastic. What is this? Is my tea spiked? :O

In summary: Great first pu’erh! I’m intrigued and very satisfied. Teas like this are the reason for tea ceremonies. I can’t even imagine just tossing back a cup of this without a thought, like I would a coffee or breakfast black.

No notes yet.

I usually brew blacks for 3 minutes, so I ignored the instructions that said 4-5. FOLLOW THEM DIRECTIONS. This is a really nice tea, but the flavor at three minutes was a whisper compared to a longer steep. Delish.

PS. Do not attempt tasting notes right after eating guacamole ’n onions.

My kid had a bad day, so I made a strong pot of Strawberry Vanilla and whipped it with hot milk and sugar. I also put mini cocoa marshmallows on top (the little crunchy dehydrated kind. I love those things). I’m pleased to report he feels better now.

This is definitely best as a dessert tea. I don’t add too much sugar, though, because I don’t want to pay for everyone to get new fillings done every six months…just enough to make a slightly sweet and pleasant strawberry latte.

No notes yet.

Here is my official tasting note: OM NOM NOM.

Proper notes later, when I don’t have a huge stack of homework to do. x_x