518 Tasting Notes
Yeah, I don’t know why I ordered this tea. I like those chocolate orange thingies, so maybe that’s why. Or the tin. I’m not sure. This tea is not really doing anything for me.
The dry leaves smell absolutely lovely. Amazing. And they look so cool. The infused tea still smells great, honestly.
The base tea is stronger than I would like. It’s not a base tea I would normally pick for myself, which is why I wonder why I ordered this one. Why do I do this to myself? I also don’t get marshmallow at all from this, which is disappointing. Adding a little sugar helped as it’s now milk chocolate, and the orange tastes more…orangey?…and the base tea is a little muted. But still no marshmallow. :( I’m feeling defective this morning.
I know that someone after me in the TTTTB has this on their wish list, so I’ll be adding this tea there. I hope it finds a good home.
I had this one again yesterday afternoon. I didn’t like the first infusion as much as I remember liking it before, but then the other infusions after that were all spectacular. I think last time I had this, I did the first infusion for 4 minutes, and this time I did it for 3. This is really creamy and floral. After the first infusion, the floral fades out some, but the creamy definitely shines through. I really enjoyed it. I decided to use my coupon for 25% off and free shipping to order myself some more of this tea.
Preparation
This tea is not in what I would have called my tea wheelhouse. I’m not a fan of black teas, really, unless they’re flavored. But I ordered a sample of this one just based on the inspiration from the website. (Seriously, read the whole description of this tea. I mean read it. Traverse City, Mackinac Island, bridges (although I have to point out that you can’t take the Mighty Mac to the island), yes, this tea is supposed to remind me of a trip Up North.
So I added this sample, because I’ve been wanting and needing a trip up north (we’ve got one scheduled for next month, but that’s sooooo far away!)
And wow, you nailed this one. It is sweet, almost like a cherry, not quite, but yes, and chocolaty, like good dark Mackinac Island Fudge. I love the malt in this one. Not too malty, but just enough.
This mug really makes me want Northern Michigan all that much more. If you’ve never been, I suggest you go sometime. It is peaceful and laid back in a way that I just can’t explain. And beautiful. I love Michigan. I love Up North.
I’m really enjoying this tea. Like I said, it’s not my normal tea, but it is nice. I would like to have this one occasionally, when I need an escape Up North.
Preparation
you convinced me. I’m going ;)
I’m finally moving back…in a week! I can’t even contain my excitement!!!
I’m so glad that you get the references in my descriptions…I feel like a lot of people don’t TRULY understand Up North. I know that before I lived there, if you had told me that the most beautiful place in the world is northern Michigan, I would have laughed in your face ;)
I’m sooo happy for you! If I could live way up there, I would, but my spouse’s job does not allow for telecommuting most of the time. (Mine does, so I can work from anywhere he needs to be.)
I’ve been to both of these places, and I just love it up there. At least it’s only a “short” drive to Traverse City or the UP and we can make long weekends or even week long get aways.
Yay, to returning to a place you love Brendan! Up north, what a term… Growing up, up north was anywhere North of Barrie(less than an hour from Toronto). I don’t know why because I’d been to Wawa on Lake Superior a number of times when I was little, but the ridiculousness of my perspective didn’t hit me until I worked in Chapleau for two summers and experienced the 8-12 he drive up there and entered the Arctic watershed while watching the seasons regress that my perspective changed and even then several members of Steepster live in places much further north than that. I lived in a Crown Game Preserve and experienced worse culture shock coming home than when I returned from India. There is something amazing about being surrounded by life! The furthest North I’ve been is Iqaluit but only for a short period of time.
In metro Detroit, the term Up North is loosely interpreted as anywhere “north” of here, although it can also mean west in some cases. It’s getting out of the Big City and into the “wilderness”. Where I grew up, Up North was my family cottage 45 minutes away, about 2 miles north, mostly to the west. But it was on a lake and out of suburbia. Interestingly enough, that’s now mostly suburbia out there as well, so I’m not sure it counts as Up North anymore.
It’s always changing isn’t it? How awesome to have a cottage only 45 mine away. My cousin’s is in a beautiful spot it’s on a finger bay off Georgian Bay. It’s private enough that it seems to be on a private lake but they have easy access to the Great Lakes watershed. There is a wildlife reserve on one side ( The first time I was there, I went jogging and saw a bear), but it’s @2.5 hrs to get there.
Yep! I don’t think I could consider any larger cities “up north”. I’m moving to a city of 450 people (White Pine, MI) right next to the Porcupine Mountains. Now THAT’S up north ;)
I haven’t been to the Porcupine Mountains, but it’s on my list of places I want to go in Pure Michigan.
Well if you make it up to that area, let me know and we can break out some of my reserve teas! :)
Definitely!
LOL I grew up in Florida, so up north was anywhere north of the mason-dixon line.
Funny you say that. I have a friend from Florida who is coming to visit later this summer, and he said that it’s his “first trip up north because it’ll be the first time [he’ll] be north of the mason-dixon line.”
That is funny! He definitely picked the right time of year to visit “up north”.
Did my cold steep for much longer. In fact, it’s been in the fridge for a couple of days now. DE-LISH! Definitely handled the extra time very well. The extra time also helped bring out both the spearmint and the gunpowder.
I added a little bit of sugar to this and it made it even better. Yum! Nice for relaxing on a warm day.
I didn’t want this to get lost, in case people were curious.
I saved the leaves from yesterday and did two more steeps of it this morning.
I really liked the sixth infusion. It tasted faintly orange, faintly honey, a bit something else I haven’t been able to identify. This was really nice. Really nice.
The seventh isn’t as good. It’s really the last infusion I think one could get out of these leaves. The flavor is really faint, almost gone, still there but barely. Of all the infusions of this tea, this one actually seems the most creamy, but it’s really not at the same time. Nine minutes was a heck of a long time, but not a hint of bitterness or anything.
Take your time with this tea, enjoy all the infusions. Don’t make the mistake I did and start drinking it in a 15oz mug, though.
I’m going to keep writing tasting notes on this tea because I keep drinking it. Maybe someone else will get a chance to try it and there will be other tasting notes? Who knows? All I know is I like this one.
This was my morning tea today. I talked to my sister yesterday and this tea always will make me think of her since she is the one who had me try it. She was drinking this tea while I talked to her, actually.
I wish I could read this without reading “Vanilla Green Bean” every. single. time!
I laughed so hard I just spit out my lunch.
I’m sorry. I will probably do the same thing from now on.
Hah I’m so bad!
It’s all good. I needed a good laugh, so thanks.
Is this a hard tea to find, and thus why few/no others have reviewed it?
Well, went and looked — it’s not on their order website. :(
That’s too bad. I got it at a bookstore in North Carolina while I was visiting, but it was available on the website at that time. Maybe they’re just out. I hope they blend it again because it is just delicious.
Email them, you never know!
This is from a couple of nights ago. I forgot to add my tasting notes to it, but I don’t want to not add them because it’s an update from my previous tasting.
This tea absolutely needs to be sweetened. Without sugar, it’s overly tart and just blechy. With sugar, this tisane is really nice and balanced.
