Personal Collection

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drank Oolong by Personal Collection
90 tasting notes

This is a very dark oolong, the leaves are extremely uneven in size and range in colour from dark golden-brown to nearly black. It came in a pack of 6 mini-tins that cost me $7.50 or so… so I was not expecting much. In fact I’m not quite sure why I purchased the pack except that a.) I occasionally have a perverse desire to drink cheap tea just to see if it really is worthwhile paying out so much money for quality as I usually do, and b.) I needed to make up my purchase amount to be over $20 so I could use EFTPOS as I had no cash. Also sometimes given that the baby can disrupt my tea drinking occasions so greatly, I don’t always get the proper value out of the fancier, more expensive teas that I have… so I feel a bit better about drinking something less precious. Is that bad?

Anyway, so as I said, I wasn’t expecting much from this tea. And it’s not spectacular, but it is ok. It is not stale tasting or musty as I feared it would be; it is a little leathery, a tiny bit fruity, a reasonable oolong to get by with. Not sure if I’ll go buy any more once the little tin is finished but I’ll keep it in mind.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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14
drank Yunnan by Personal Collection
90 tasting notes

This is just gross. I can’t even drink it. Musty, weird smell and taste. Leaves that are a real dusty, rusty, dull dark brown. Good-coloured liquor but that’s the only thing it has going for it. It’s rare for me to throw away a pot of tea undrunk but I did last night.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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55

Had a yummy cup of this on the go this evening when I was trying to walk my baby to sleep (didn’t work, but the tea was good). Splash of milk, terrific!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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55

This is not your average run of the mill roasted dandelion… it’s pretty hard core. Mixture of finely- and medium- ground particles, dark brown in colour, brews up a cloudy very dark brown infusion. I’m drinking it plain this morning although it also goes well with milk. It’s a nice toasty flavour, a touch of bitterness which is what I’m really craving for some reason today.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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58

Had another cup of this this morning, was tossing up between this and the Ti Kuan Yin, this one won because it was already on the bench near my teapot. I was a bit worried actually that 4 minutes might be too long and make it too strong, as I put in quite a heaping teaspoonful into the pot, but it was still very smooth and good to drink. This is definitely a good flavour for the colder weather.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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58

This tea consists of very small, relatively neat, dark black leaves. It’s quite pleasant. A touch smoky, quite smooth drinking. Not that much different to the Keemun from The Tea Centre actually. I am always craving teas that I don’t have, and this morning I could really have gone for a strong malty Assam, but this actually was not a bad substitute. Haven’t tried it with milk yet – next time maybe.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 15 sec
goodTea

interesting tea! thanks for the review

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47

This was a bit meh this morning. I got interrupted and had to let it get nearly cold before I could finish it, which kind of defeated the purpose of having a warm drink on a cold rainy morning. Never mind!

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 45 sec

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47

This is very similar in looks, scent and taste to the ‘oolong’ tea that came in the same pack. The main discernible difference is that it’s a little less fruity, a little more earthy. Ordinary but still ok drinking, especially in this cold weather that is less conducive to very flowery oolongs…

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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93

With lemon and honey this morning. Yum.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 15 sec

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93

Have had a couple more pots of this over the last 24 hours, the most recent this morning. Yum. My throat is feeling somewhat better. I am getting a bit sick of it plain though. Lemon and honey in the next batch for sure.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
Cofftea

On the rare occasion I drink this plain I drink it ice cold w/ a slice of lemon- GREAT for when you feel like you’re dying of thirst.

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93

I like my ginger plain and un-lemongrassed. I may be in the minority here, but that’s ok. I steeped this strong and I’m drinking it as hot as I can. My sore throat is feeling a more pleasant burn as a result. May add some lemon juice and honey to my next pot just to mix things up a bit; we’ll see.

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec
Cofftea

While I do add true tea to my ginger, I’m not a fan of ginger and lemon grass either. Although I have a tea bag that has green tea, matcha, peppermint, and lemongrass I’ve been thinking of steeping in ginger tisane.

Veri-Tea

Wow, that’s an interesting combination…

Cofftea

Yeah it should be:)

I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Hope you are feeling better today.

Veri-Tea

I am, thank you! :)

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93

This now also has some slightly elderly dried orange peel in it, that was sitting in the cupboard from when I did my first experiment with drying the peel. Enjoying the slightly sweet aftertaste.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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93

Yum, just what I need for an afternoon pick me up today…

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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93

This just gets mishier and mashier… and better and better. I did a tea cupboard clean out yesterday and added a bunch of additional spices and tea to the mix. Much hotter flavour now, genius!

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 30 sec

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93

Yum. The perfect cold weather brew. Less apricot and more just chai-y now (I throw in whatever odds and ends of spice/chai blends I’m working on)… spicy goodness!

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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93

Just steeped this today (didn’t brew it like chai) and added a splash of milk. Lovely. Unfortunately had to let it get a bit cold before I had the chance to finish it otherwise would have rated it higher, but it’s just not as nice cool. Ah well.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 15 sec

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93

Perfect for the grey and gloomy weather today. Being able to drink this while I was feeding the baby reinforced for me why my Keep Cup (which has a lid, like a disposable but not disposable) is the best thing I have purchased in ages. Comfort and convenience!

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93

Didn’t have time to make this quite as strong as I would have liked, but it was still tasty. Milky and mildly spicy and helped see me through a hungry morning to lunchtime.

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93

Have had a niggly, slightly sore throat the last few days. The gingery burn in this was very soothing this morning, especially as it is – thank goodness!! – actually quite cool in Melbourne this morning. Both the tea and the change in the weather are most welcome. Made it relatively strong on the stovetop with milk and drank it as hot as I could stand topped with my Hari-Har Chai Sprinkles… mmm.

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93

Actually, this is really quite nice. I brewed it up super strong as a chai on the stove yesterday and it didn’t need any honey – the apricots sweetened it enough without being overpowering. Had a weaker, normal-teapot brew today with a bit of milk and sugar and it was also pretty good (got the thumbs up from my dad as well, not the most adventurous tea drinker out there). The apricot taste actually still came through ok as it didn’t when I tried it just black the first time. May re-think about sticking this one in the shop, following a bit of further experimentation.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 45 sec

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79

This is a pretty ordinary tea but sometimes that’s just what you want. Comforting and reminds me of the tea my dad used to make us with our breakfast when we were kids. Brews up nice and dark, a little malty and a little sweet, and takes milk well. Doesn’t really need sugar unless you totally overbrew it. I use this as a base for the black teas that I blend up for my etsy shop, and keep a supply of this on hand, plain, to serve to my folks who are not renowned for being adventurous tea drinkers. Surprisingly refreshing in the hot weather.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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84

Drinking this on ice this morning (and last night). It’s the remains of a trial batch I made for a custom blend for one of my etsy customers – Earl Grey and I added rosebuds and jasmine flowers. It’s gorgeous to look at and the roses add a really delicious note, they soften the bergamot which I can sometimes find a bit overpowering in straight Earl Grey. Tis is awesome over ice whether stronger (more Earl Grey flavour) or weaker (more rose flavour). May have to mix up some more when I run out (oh, and the customer’s aunt, for whom it was a gift, loves it too apparently).

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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71

A really sweet tea with some banana bread.
I must remember to use an alternative teapot for this tea, Clarence has a spout-width of exactly one re-hydrated raspberry and it makes it difficult to pour it.
It’s sweet and fruity, and lays back. You get sort of a real raspberry taste first, then it strengthens toward more your raspberry flavoured sweets.
Very, very nice.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec
Veri-Tea

May I ask where you get your dried raspberries from, they’re not easy to find…

Robert Godden

They come with the tea, which I acquired by going to someone’s house for dinner and tithing their tea collection as I left.

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71

One of the joys of being male is that Rasberry tea holds no fears. After all, raspberry leaves should be avoided in pregnancy as they can bring on labour.
Having established that I can drink it with impunity, the fact remains I have waited 45 years to actually do so, But whilst on a tea-stealing mission last night in my son’s cupboard, I found this and decided to give it a go.
It seems to be a good black tea, possibly a nilgiri, with raspberry leaves, obvious dried raspberries and I imagine some oils.
I had some trobled pouring it, the dried raspberries swelled up and blocked Clarence’s spout. That’s not really a negative, though.
Overall, the aroma ahead of drinking it, and the aftertaste, are better than the actual tea. It’s sweetish, and basically tastes like raspberries. There’s a hint of tea. I’m glad they used nilgiri (if indeed it is) because a lesser tea would have vanished completely.
It’s OK. I might indulge occaisionally.
I suspect it would make a great syrup. I might make up a big batch, reduce it with sugar and then pour over pancakes on the weekend.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 30 sec

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