ESP Emporium

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Recent Tasting Notes

66

Tried this again today and I will say I really did taste the flavors. It is a nice light chocolate flavor. I think the coconut really adds to the flavor. It is naturally sweet but not overly. It is slightly creamy. Overall a decent cup.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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66

I won’t rate this tonight. I feel like my taste buds weren’t working. I just wasn’t tasting the ingredients. Here is to better luck tomorrow.

Preparation
Boiling

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76
drank China Rose Tea OP by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Iced/cold-steeped rose black tea is awesome. This one in particular. That’s all. :D

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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76
drank China Rose Tea OP by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Before my package from JacquelineM, this was the only rose black tea I had. Since I haven’t had a cup in quite a while, another was in order so that I could compare it to the other rose blacks I’ve had recently. Previously I steeped this for 4 minutes, but I dropped it to 3 minutes this time to match up with the others.

This one definitely has the sweet-rose aroma, but it seems tempered by the black tea. A taste confirms that it seems to fall between Harney’s Rose Scented and Upton’s Rose Congou in that the rose flavor is sweet and floral like the Rose Scented (not herby rose like Rose Congou), but it features equally with the black tea base like Rose Congou (not overwhelming it like Rose Scented). This black tea base is malty, and almost bready, which plays well with the warmth of the rose florals. I think a four minute steep is probably better for this one since it seems a touch weak, but it’s still tasty.

All in all, this tea holds up well to both Harney’s and Upton’s, actually, and it seems like it might be what Harney’s would be like if the rose wasn’t so all-consuming. ’

Side note: I really wish all tea companies would list the origin of their black tea bases. All black teas are not created equally! I always assumed this black tea base was Chinese given the name, but it’s possible it’s only referring to the Chinese process of scenting the tea, not the origin of the tea itself, and honestly it tastes more like a Ceylon than the various Chinese teas I’ve had. Not that I can be totally sure because most of the time I’m not sure exactly what kind of black tea I’m drinking! I guess I really am going to have to break down and go through samples of varieties of plain black teas so that I can start identifying them better myself.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
JacquelineM

…and to further complicate things it could be referring to the rose itself (there are Chinese roses, Bulgarian roses, etc etc etc). I too agree – I want to know the tea bases of the teas I drink. :) :) :)

Dinosara

Oh geez, add another layer of confusion! :D But it is amazing how few tea merchants provide detailed information on their flavored teas. That tea had to come from somewhere!

ashmanra

True, true. My favorite rose in my yard is Chinensis mutabilis, the Butterfly Rose. Any rose with Chinensis in the scientific name is a China rose, and there are many. I love how different the rose aroma can be from one varietal to another. Like tea!

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76
drank China Rose Tea OP by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

I really love rose-flavored candies and such, so I didn’t hesitate to get some rose black tea when I had the chance. The dry leaves of this tea have a rose scent, but it’s not super powerful. The instant you pour hot water on the tea, however, a much stronger rose aroma is released. The tea brews up with a dark liquor and smells of rose and the Orange Pekoe base. The tea itself is quite lovely… the black tea doesn’t have any traces of bitterness, and it has a pleasant, slightly malty flavor. The rose is well blended with the tea; it neither overpowers it nor fades to the background. This is the flavor of rose water, rose baked goods, rose loukoumi (turkish delight). This tea actually reminds me of Paris as much as Paris tea, eating rose macarons and rose candies from Fauchon. If you’re a fan of rose-flavored foods and drinks, this tea would be a good one to try.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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79

Nice, not at all tart. Even with a sore throat and stuffy nose I could smell this one before and after steeping. Well balanced. I can taste the raspberry and rose very well. The vanilla is tying it all together but isn’t as noticeable. Overall not bad. Can’t wait to drink it when I am all better.

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

This is another flavored oolong, although this one does have that formosa base. It’s not as roasty as some of them, though, making for a very mild background to the mango/tropical fruit flavors, and of course rose. This one isn’t super rosey, partly because it’s got a lot of other flavors going on that are really the stars of the show, but a little of it peeks through. Today the oolong base (apparently I brewed it hotter than I usually do) is a bit nuttier than I remember, which is pleasant. This is a blend I always enjoy and today is no different.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Kashyap

anybody else read this title "shalimar’ and hear the song “sham-a-lam-a-ding-dong?” …eh…must be me :)

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

I have drank this tea after having fantastic plain oolongs, but I haven’t had it since I’ve really become obsessed with oolongs. This is a kind of generic formosa oolong base, neither green nor particularly roasted (though it is dark in color). I still really enjoy this cup even though I can tell the oolong base is nothing fancy; it’s still dark enough to add some heft and body to the sip, but still light enough to play well with the fruity and floral notes. I’m not big on plain “formosa” oolongs, just like I’m not big on plain black teas, but I do really like them as a base for flavorings like in this tea.

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Cold steeping this one really brought out the earthy leafy flavors of this oolong. The other flavors are more subdued, but definitely present: hints of lovely rose, a bit of berry, some tropical fruit. It’s more rosey than when brewed hot; I’m starting to find that cold steeping seems to draw out some flavors more than others (florals and vanilla flavors seem to come to the forefront with cold steeping). Overall I’m really enjoying this one cold steeped, and it just adds to my appreciation of this tea. Every time I drink this tea it endears itself to me more.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Initially when I brewed this cup I got a ton of rose flavor, which was kind of surprising given how many berries and mango cubes ended up in the infuser. But now that’s cooled a bit I get much more fruit flavoring, and the rose is a nice supporting note. This is one of those teas that I’ve noticed shows up from several retailers; at least I don’t have to worry about it disappearing, unless the wholesaler stops making it!

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

This cup is more floral and rosy today for some reason, though there’s definitely tropical fruit (primarily mango) underlying it all. It’s fitting in well with my recent kick of floral teas. I’m really liking this one, so I’m going to bump it up a few notches on my rating system. I like that it’s an Oolong because I think it goes well with the delicate flavors; a black tea might overwhelm it.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Shalimar Oolong by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

This is a very tropical tea! The dry leaves smell of sweet/tart mango, passion fruit and berries. Brewed up the liquor is a medium amber color and the aroma is still predominently general fruity-tropical, but it’s more muted now and I can smell the more of the underlying oolong tea coming through. The flavor maintains all of these notes but I think I can detect some of the rose (faint, and more of a background flavor that just adds to the other flavors).

I was at first skeptical of this tea because sometimes the “berry” flavor in fruity teas can overwhelm all the other more delicate flavors, but I think this is a good balance. There’s so many different flavors they’re hard to pick out individually, but they come together nicely.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

The other day I had a cup of China Rose Black from ESP Emporium that I’ve had in my collection for forever, it seems, and it was definitely underwhelming. Not nearly as good as I had remembered, and I was wondering if it was a result of changing palates or old tea (since it just didn’t seem as rosey as it once did).

So I thought this morning I would have a cup of this, which I haven’t had in forever, just to see how this has held up. I got this at the same time as I got the rose black, and it’s been in the same kind of containers during it’s life (ESP’s non-airtight folded bags for a while, then some small tins toward the end).

This one has held up better it seems, though it does seem a bit… old. The flavors just aren’t as strong, but this cup isn’t overly weak or anything. I guess I am finally getting to the point where some of my older teas are fading, which is sad. I’ve been doing better about working through my stash and not buying new teas, but I still have a huge amount right now. Guess I better get drinking!

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
CHAroma

Thanks for the heads up! I’ve been worried about those non-airtight bags that ESP teas come in. I’m going to go home and stick them in something else right away!

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

This morning I needed something safe and comforting and not too busy or complex. Something that would wake me up but not upset an iffy stomach. This worked pretty well. I’m still tired but in better shape than before. This is a nice EGC with a good balance between the bergamot and the cream, and it never gets bitter.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Inspired by my successful cold-steeped Earl Grey Cream a few weeks ago, I decided to try cold steeping this one. Delicious! I really like a cold steeped Earl Grey Cream. The bergamot is bright and fruity, and the vanilla is very creamy, and they play so well together. Bergamot seems to come out strongly in cold steeping, as does vanilla, and in combinations with other flavors sometimes they can overwhelm everything else, but paired together they work very well. I’ll definitely be returning to this one often.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

I think my taste buds are still a little blown out from that last tea, so this one doesn’t taste quite as good as usual.
…after a couple of Cadbury Mini Eggs…
Better. I can count on chocolate to smooth over any bad tastes. Now here’s my creamy Earl Grey, although I might have over-steeped or over-leafed a little because it’s a hint more bitter/astringent than normal. Still pretty good, though.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
ashmanra

Hooray! We always need a great tea to soothe the affront of a bad tea on our lips. And chocolate can go a long way in fixing the wrongs of life.

Dinosara

Too true!

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Right now, this is my go-to Earl Grey Cream tea. I haven’t had very many, and I plan to try more, but I enjoy this one a lot and so it pretty much becomes the one to beat. The bright, citrusy bergamot (without being bitter!), complimented by the creamy vanilla, are very well done.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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73
drank Earl Grey Cream by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

I seriously needed something to cleanse my palate after that last failed experiment, and this one called out to me from my cupboard. I’ve yet to log it, but I’ve had it for a while now. I got this one a while back when I was first beginning my assay of EGs. Now that I’ve had a number of high quality plain EGs, I’m coming back to this one with a slightly different palate. I still enjoy it as I did before, but now I can really appreciate how vanilla-creamy this tea is. I haven’t actually had too many of EG creams yet, but I can see myself trying more definitely. I like that I never have a problem with bitterness when brewing ESP Emporium’s black teas, and that’s true here as well.

The aroma of the brewed tea is strongly vanilla cream, with a sharp note of bergamot right at the end. In the taste the bergamot is more prominent, adding a bit of crisp astringency, but the cream smooths it over. This isn’t an EG blend where you can hardly taste the bergamot anymore; the bergamot black tea is still the main event here, but the sweet-cream flavor is strong as well. Overall well blended between the cream and the bergamot.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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49

The description of this tea makes it sound so good! I was looking forward to all of the individual flavors. I’m tasting just black tea.. a breakfast blend of sorts. No strawberry or cream or rum. If you sat this cup in front of me, I would really think that it’s a plain black, not flavored.

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45
drank Macabeo by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

The last time I had this one I didn’t really enjoy it much, but its been long enough that I wanted to try it again just to see. Also, there’s still some vague recollection of having it back when I first got it and liking it ok at least. The dried leaves still smell like sour cherry candy to me. I tried a low temp and a short steep this time since last time the flavor overpowered me a bit, and the liquor is a very pale yellow but it still has a strong aroma. Still very fruity, still smells a bit medicinal, but it doesn’t seem like too much this time.

The taste is much better, and I’ll bump the rating, but it’s still not great. Not one I’d reorder, but now at least I feel like I can finish what I have! The flavor is very light (initially, it got stronger as it cooled), but being as it’s kind of an odd flavor that’s a good thing. The green/white tea clearly isn’t going to make itself known on the first steep, though perhaps on later brews. I think part of the problem is that I still get primarily cherry flavoring from this (as in cherry candy, not fresh cherries), and I don’t really like cherry flavoring. The promised jasmine and rose and mallow blossoms just don’t show in this one.

Eh, second steep’s not much better. Oh well, I guess this one will go back to sitting at the bottom of my cupboard (until I forget what it tasted like and try it again!)

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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45
drank Macabeo by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Guess I’m in a green tea mood today! When I first open the bag of this tea the aroma is so powerful; it’s smells sweet and sour/tart, like a sour candy. The dried tea itself is gorgeous: big whole flowers spread liberally all through it. Brewed up, the scent is less powerfully tart, but it still is very fruity, and the taste preserves that. I’m thinking sour cherry is a good way to describe this one? There’s something almost medicinal about the flavor which is offputting. I thought I remembered liking this one better the first time I had it. I don’t really taste the flavor of the green or white teas much.

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Wild Grey by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

I forgot how pleasant this tea was. There’s so much extra citrus in the blend that you definitely get hints of lemon and such, but the overall flavor never loses sight of the bergamot. It’s a really nice pairing between the green tea and the bergamot, too; neither overpowers the other. An Earl Grey green can be so nice because you don’t have to overload on the bergamot for it to be the primary flavor, so there’s less chance of getting that bitterness or astringency that can come from too much bergamot. I mean really citrus and green tea go so well together anyway, it’s a natural extension to bergamot. Yum.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Wild Grey by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Don’t have much to say on this one today, except that it was delicious. And it’s looking more and more like the bird I saw will be a confirmed sighting (second ever in North America!)

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Wild Grey by ESP Emporium
2201 tasting notes

Just the ticket this afternoon; I was pondering a traditional Earl Grey but I’m still not sure if I’m really up for a hearty black tea, so I went with this one. Very citrusy-bergamot, with sharp lemongrass lemony flavor. The green tea is present here but not overly vegetal or grassy. Very tasty.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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