Emily M

Had a few steeps of this last night, and I totally forgot how much I love this one. I was just trying to sipdown on some older tea I had to make room for a few bags I have yet to open, BUT as soon as I tasted this one again I decided that I’d need to order more. Smooth, sweet, and so yummy!

The dry leaves actually seem grayish-blue in color and are very tightly rolled – they almost look like pebbles! Once brewed they expand slowly. The smell of the brew isn’t much, I’ll admit. It’s all in the taste!
It’s a smooth green-ish oolong (it doesn’t have a huge vegetal presence), with hay notes and DELICIOUS licorice aspects at the end of the sip! Goodness, how I love the aftertaste of this one.

Glad to say this is still one of my favorites and hasn’t diminished over my months of tea tasting. Hooray!

On a personal note, I only have two finals left before I am graduated and free from college! Super excited, but super nervous about real grown-up life starting. Gotta find me a real job and say “Good-bye” to Ruby Tuesday. ;)

Good luck on finals for all those in school, and Congrats to all the graduating seniors out there!

Yum! Approaching a sipdown of this one soon. This oolong is so nice.

This time around I’m getting honey and apricot notes…it’s fruity sweet! So good. There are very subtle roasted notes in this cuppa, but it’s much different from the typical taste of roasted oolongs. It isn’t powerful, but soft and soothing – none of that irritating the back of the throat feel I get with some really roasty teas. I’m also getting the hay notes I had gotten before, which really help to ground the sweetness of this tea. I’m really loving this one this morning.

Off to make resteep! Finals are hitting me this week and next, so you most likely won’t be seeing a lot of me. I’m hoping to get back to my regular tasting/posting schedule soon. The past month or two have been crazy! Anyone else graduating this month?

This lovely tea comes from Shelley_Lorraine! Thanks again, Shelley!

Because of time restrictions, I couldn’t do my first tasting of this one the way I really wanted to: gongfu. So I put a few teaspoons in my pot and brewed it up western style. I will update this once I’m able to brew this gongfu, but for now here are my findings:

Smell: This one smells really nice. I’m getting a roast-y oolong smell, as well as really nice mineral notes. The mineral notes are both “earthy” and sweet. I’m also picking up a fruity note – I’m thinking cherry. There is a cream-like (not exactly cream, but that’s all I can call it) aspect, too. Finally, there is a nice underlying cinnamon note.

Taste: This one is very mineral-y, or “rocky” as I say. There is a nice sweetness accompanying this aspect. Toward the middle of the sip is a surprise caramel taste – not overly sweet, but definitely caramel in flavor. The roast-y flavor is present throughout the sip, but really pops in at the end, along with a citrus element. There is a subtle spicy/sweet note also- most like cinnamon. Finally is the slight fruity sweetness; while I said cherry was in the smell, in the taste I can’t exactly pinpoint it in the taste.

I’m really digging this oolong! I can’t wait to see how it holds up brewed gongfu style. Glad I tried this one! Reminds me of a really good hike – all the rocks, streams, trees and fresh air. AWESOME.

Drinking some of this again (finally) while working on the boat loads of work I have to get done for the end of the semester. As much as I’d really like to go into great detail with this amazing oolong, I can’t at the moment (again). So I’m going to keep this brief.

Smell: Honey notes, with some nice vegetal notes, and slight nutty aspect. I can’t exactly pinpoint the veggie in question, but it’s slightly sweet. Maybe spinach? Anyway, this smells heavenly. There are also some creamy notes in the cup.

Taste: Stronger vegetal notes (spinach?) than honey notes, but there is still a sweetness present. Nice and smooth cup, with some floral notes floating around. There is also a milky aspect in the taste, which is reminiscent of my favorite milk oolongs. Light, vegetal, and smooth – that’s what this one is.

Next time around I’m going to try this one in the gaiwan – I think that’ll be really good. I like this one a lot. It’s light and smooth, and perfect for this nice Spring nights. Enjoying this one a lot right now. More on it later.

EDIT – As I continue to sip on this one, another taste popped into my head. Stone or rock. I’m getting a mineral aspect here, which is refreshing and really nice, in my opinion. I’m glad it finally came to me, because I was sitting here trying to pinpoint exactly what it was I was tasting. Now I might be able to concentrate on my work (yeah, right…).

No notes yet.

Alright. Got a late start this morning, but here goes!

When people say these two teas (Premium Taiwanese Assam & Premium Taiwanese Assam Upgrade) are two separate and unique teas they are right! Even just from the smell I can tell they’re different. While they share some similar malty aspects, they have some differing profiles.

This tea smells very interesting. Malty, sweet, and slightly spicy – that’s my overall impression. Probably most noticeable are the chocolate notes: rich and milky. Following that are the spicy notes: cinnamon for sure, but also clove-like. I’m also getting some leafy/hay-ish notes in the scent.
YUM. I don’t even really like chocolate, but this tea smells amazing.

WOW. This is so different from black teas I’ve had before. I don’t know if I oversteeped it or not (I admittedly got distracted), so I may have to brew up another pot to double check, but I do like this regardless. This is what I’d call a breakfast tea, although it isn’t overly bitter/astringent like breakfast teas I’ve had and disliked. The spice notes are clear throughout, with the clove being a bit more pronounced than the cinnamon – it kinda sits on your tongue after the sip. Also in the aftertaste is a smooth, creamy chocolate. Interesting. The malty aspect is also prominent throughout the sip, giving this a bit of a heavy mouthfeel. I’m liking the sweetness in the cup – it isn’t overt, but it leaves an overall impression. It mixes very nicely with a very slight astringent bite and the spices. The leaf/hay notes I picked up in the smell do come across in the taste, mostly at the back of the sip. They provide a nice earthy aspect that really ties in nicely with all the other flavors going on in this tea.
What I’m finding most interesting right now is that the upgraded version of this tea was what I’d consider savory, while this one is…not. I don’t know that I’d exactly call it sweet, even though there is a definite sweetness in the sip. But it isn’t exactly savory either. I suppose it lies in the middle somewhere. If this doesn’t speak for these two teas being separate beings, I don’t know what does.

I’ve really enjoyed this tea. It’s bolder than I usually dare to go with blacks (I’m learning to be less hesitant), but it is so nicely balanced and flavorful and surprisingly UN-BITTER and smooth. I may just have to make this on my go to breakfast tea. So yummy and so unique!

Finally getting around to tasting this one. My exploration of black tea has so far been pretty positive. I didn’t know I could like it, but I’m so glad I’ve been trying them out. I’ve learned a lot about my likes, and I’ve grown to appreciate black tea – not all black tea is bitter tea, and not all astringency is bitterness! This one is another win in the black tea category.

The smell of this one reminds me of sweet potato or yam, with some honey notes, and a slight hint of cacao. This is definitely a savory smelling tea. Bake-y, earthy, and slightly sweet.

I’m definitely getting the bready/baked notes in the taste, as well as some of that sweet potato-y aspect. I’m picking up slight sweet fruit notes throughout- citrus fruits, like lemon. There is also a cacao taste, most present at the back of the sip. A malty taste runs throughout. In the middle somewhere is where the tobacco taste comes through. It’s fresh, earthy, and subtly sweet. Pretty smooth mouthfeel in this cuppa, too!

Other flavors I’m picking up in subtle amounts:
Honey
Brown sugar
Yeast
Astringency (only very slight amounts – adds more of a spice than any bitterness)

I’m really enjoying this one. It’s different from any black tea I’ve had so far. I mean, tobacco notes? That’s pretty unique! I like the savory profile here. Can’t wait to try the regular Premium Taiwanese Assam and see how it compares/differs.

No notes yet.

Sipdown! I’ve been waiting until my tastebuds are back to normal to try this one. Sure glad I did!

The leaves of this one are huge, and remind me of a Shou Mei I had once. Awesome.

This one tastes really nice. It is a delicate, smooth tea for sure. Slightly malty in taste, with a nice sweetness – almost fruit like in nature. Maybe lemon? It’s not sour, but the sweetness seems familiar. A slight buttery feel and flavor are present…yum. There are also some vegetal notes, with a hay-like taste that makes this cup super calming for me. Brings me back to a time where I used to muck horse stalls and take the horses out in the field and watch them play. I’m picking up very subtle floral notes – nothing screams I AM A FLOWER to me, which is nice. =)

Overall, I may have to add this to my list of future purchases. I enjoy nice cups of white tea, and this one is towards the top in my book. Very pleasing. Thanks for the sample, Stacy!

Back after a long, and quite frankly awful, absence. I’ve been sick for a week after having an allergic reaction to some antibiotics. Wasn’t able to have any of my tea! =(
The worst seems to have past. Now I’m just resting up so I can be back to my normal self.

This one came from TastyBrew!

The dry leaf smelled amazing. Very sweet and caramelly, with just a hint of the black tea base. Once brewed, this tea it picks up an even stronger, almost melted white chocolate/caramel aspect.

Unfortunately, I don’t seem to be a huge fan of caramel teas when it comes to taste. This one, like many of the others I’ve had, ends up tasting too artificial for me to really enjoy. The caramel flavor is there, but it’s got an odd taste and aftertaste. The black base is present, but slightly astringent.

I’m happy to have gotten the chance to taste this tea, but I wouldn’t buy it for myself. Oh well. If every tea were a favorite, I’d be in debt and seriously out of space. =)

Backlog and sipdown! This one came from yssah!

This tea was very sweet smelling upon opening the package and smelled faintly of the Rootbeer tea it was packed with (oops). Luckily, though, this didn’t seem to translate in the brewed smell/taste. Once brewed, this one smelled slightly like Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum – there are some berry/raspberry notes, as well as a carbonated smell (don’t know how it’s possible, but that’s what I’m getting). I’m also getting some subtle floral notes here. Interesting.

Taste: I am still getting that Hubba Bubba/pink chewing gum note I found in the smell. It’s strange, but not awful – it isn’t chemically or anything. I’m also getting the raspberry notes with some clear floral notes throughout the sip. There is also a champagne-like aspect here, though it obviously isn’t carbonated. I can almost taste the bubbles. Lastly, I’m getting grape-ish notes here, too. Hmm. This has an unexpected mouthfeel – its silky smooth. Kinda strange for this tea, as I was expecting a fresh, crisp mouthfeel. I guess I would say it’s almost buttery/milky.

It tastes nice, but it isn’t a favorite. The mouthfeel is strange and I’m not really digging it in this tea. I also don’t really care for the artificial chewing gum taste – like I said, it isn’t awful, but it isn’t exactly what you want in a tea, either. Unless of course it’s a bubble gum tea…then I guess that’s what you’d want, huh?

Overall, happy I got to try this. Is it awesome? No. Was it terrible? No. I think this one is a bit higher than middle of the road. I’d drink it if it was offered, but I don’t think I’d purchase it.

Glad I got to try this. Thanks again, yssah!

SIPDOWN! Finished up the last of what TastyBrew sent my way.

This time I did add a bit of sugar, just to see how it compared. It made it a bit sweeter, while also enhancing the cookie aspect I picked up before. YUM! Still buttery, almondy, cinnamon-y goodness! The smell was also to die for. It reminds me of a sugar cookie my mom makes during the Christmas season – she adds almond extract to the frosting, and they are my absolute favorite. The black tea is nicely balanced, and adds a nice earthy note. Still loving this. In fact, I ordered more late last night!

Sugar or no sugar, this one is a keeper. Increasing the rating slightly.

Thanks again, TastyBrew!

Backlog from the beginning of last week! Whew am I behind. Luckily I found these notes! This was my first aged oolong – and it was a WIN!

I put this one in my gaiwan and shared with my Dad, my twin sister (who was home last week) and my little sister. We had a nice, relaxing ceremony. It was a lot of fun.

Wash – I did about a 10sec wash on this one, and of course I tasted it. It was buttery and slightly roasty. I poured the rest of the wash into the cups to warm them, then onto my tea pet.

Now for the real deal!

15 sec 1st Steep – The smell of this cup kind of reminds me of hazelnut coffee…interesting. It’s roasty and sweet. Taste wise, the cup is nice and creamy/smooth, roasty, with a slight green bean flavor. Interesting.

25 sec 2nd Steep – This brew smelled like straight up roasted coffee beans to me and my twin. My little sister thought it still smelled like hazelnut, and my dad thought it smelled “nutty” in general. Taste wise we all picked up the green bean taste again, though it was a bit morphed this time around in that it also resembled snap peas. The roasty flavor was still present, and there was a nutty flavor this time around, too. The creaminess I got in the first steep was very subtle in this one, but the brew itself was still very smooth.

35 sec 3rd Steep – This one tasted more like straight up snap pea. The roasty/nutty flavor is still present, but not as strong. This one also sees a reemergence of the thick cream taste/mouthfeel, and has some nice buttery notes at the end of the sip. Yum! This one is my favorite steep so far.

50 sec 4th Steep – This one has a nice, strong cream/butter scent mixed in with the vegetal and roasted aspects. Cool. This translates in the taste as well – very creamy/buttery taste with roasted green bean notes. Very smooth and velvety. There is also a nutty and slightly coffee-like taste at the end of the sip. Yummy.

1 min 5th Steep – Butter and green beans in both taste and smell. What all four of us got was the taste of buttered roasted green beans… seriously. I didn’t even know a tea could naturally taste so much like food. Everyone enjoyed this smooth, creamy steep, but I still think the 3rd steep was my favorite.

We stopped there, but I suspect I could’ve gotten a few more steeps from this one. It was sure an interesting tea. I’m glad I have more to mess around with and enjoy. I can’t wait to compare this one to the 1991 Aged Oolong from Butiki.

Sample sipdown! YAY!

The leaves on this black tea are really neat. Black with gold tips (it is in the name, so I don’t know why I was surprised) and wiry looking. Really cool.

Dry, this one had honey notes, bakey/croissant notes, a malty aspect, and possibly sweet potato? Yam? Something like that.
Once brewed, it picked up a slight spicy note (cinnamon, but not quite…) which is very interesting. The honey notes have calmed down, and the sweet potato/yam aspect has increased. The maltiness has also increased some. The bakey notes are still present (hooray!) and there is a slight earthiness to it.

Taste – Honestly, I think I screwed this up a bit (doesn’t taste bad, but it is a bit bitter). I forgot about the water in the kettle until it was at a boil, and then thinking “Black tea, boiling water”, I started to pour the piping hot water on the leaves…before realizing it called for a lower temp! Oops. I drained the water out and started over, but I think it had already affected the leaves. That being said, I will share with you what I’m getting from the cup.
So, other than the bitterness, I’m picking up some bakey notes, the sweet potato/yam aspect I found in the smell (it also happens to describe the mouthfeel – this one is almost potato-ish feeling), and a slight spicy aspect that is NOT attributed to the bitterness. I’m also picking up some earthiness and maltiness in the sip.

Luckily I have another sample of this one, so I can try again and hope for better results. This brew isn’t undrinkable, but I fear the bitterness is masking the full flavor profile of it. Holding the rating until I get this right.

Sample sipdown! I’m slowly getting through all my samples/swaps…there are way more than I thought I had. I’ll get there eventually!

The leaves of this one are so pretty. Long, twisted, and deep green. Once the steep, the green becomes more vibrant and the leaves unfurl a bit – so pretty to watch.

The smells I’m getting from this are delicious. Dry, the scent is slightly vegetal, slightly floral, with a crisp/fresh aspect. There are also slight butter notes present. Once brewed, these scents morph a bit. I’m getting a much stronger buttery vegetal note – smooth vegetal, though, not grass (more like a sweet spinach smell). The floral notes are also still present, though not as prominent. It’s a sweet, fresh smelling cuppa and I can’t wait to sip it!

Taste-time: So, I may let this one cool down a bit more, but as of right now I’m getting a creamy mouthfeel, stronger floral notes, and some light vegetal notes at both the front and back of the sip. The sweetness is still there, but not as evident as it was in the smell – not bad, just a fact. There is also something cooling about this tea, almost like spearmint. It’s very slight, and most of the time unnoticeable… but the cooling effect is present with each sip. It’s interesting, in a good way!

As it cools more, I’m also getting a bit of an earthy, rock-ish (I don’t know if that makes sense to anyone, but its the only way I can describe it) taste – it blends nicely with the other flavors. The sweet taste has emerged a little more at this cooler temp, which is what I was hoping for. The floral taste is still the strongest, which is fine. It isn’t a perfumy floral taste, but a natural one; makes it easier to tolerate, and in fact it may even be enjoyable. =)
It is also less creamy. The thickness of the mouthfeel has diminished some. Interesting, as usually I find it the opposite.

Crisp, fresh, floral, and smooth. That’s how I would describe this one. Very tasty. Can’t wait to compare this to my Butiki Huang Shan Mao Feng… a few more samples down and I might be able to swing opening the package!
Green Tea WIN!

Backlogging -

Hmmm.Not sure how much I like this one. I think I’m going to have to try it again before I review it.

It smells very orangey, citrusy, cinnamony (like candy cinnamon, though). The taste is pretty much the same, except I’m getting a strange cleaning product note – it’s like orange dusting spray, or something. Gonna try brewing for less time, and maybe leave this one out for a bit to even out the flavors. Rating and real judgement reserved for later tasting.

UPDATE: I’ve left this one out for about a day, so I’m hoping to try this again and do a proper review.

Ok, so I’ve been pretty absent on Steepster of late – had a doozy of a cold and wasn’t drinking much tea because of it. Then after the cold I got super busy. Things seem to have finally calmed down a bit, so I’m going to backlog a couple of teas (or at least I want to try… I have tasting notes written down in several different notebooks. Now to find them all!) and should be back to sipping this wonderful beverage.

ALRIGHT – now on to the tea! This was a sample that Stacy so generously added to my last order. Thanks, Stacy!
The dry leaf smelled super interesting. Blueberry? Yes. But there were also some slight buttery notes, slight floral notes, as well as an earthy scent. Overall, I’m getting a sweet factor. Smells really nice!
Once brewed – YUM! Very blueberry! As it was brewing I could hardly keep the lid to my pot on… it smells so nice. Sweet and tart blueberry notes are present, with that thick creamy/buttery note again (can something smell thick?). The earthy scent is still present and meshes well with the blueberry. It’s like getting the whole plant together in the pot – that’s what it seems to smell like.

Now for the true test – TASTE
Smooth mouthfeel overall, with a slight, slight, astringency and spice. The blueberry is definitely there – nice and natural tasting. I’m also getting those nice, smooth earthy notes in the taste. Sweet and yet earthy at the time… cool. Like I said with the smell, it’s like getting the whole blueberry bush.
The only remains of the buttery/creamy smell would be the smooth, slightly thick aspect of the brew. But that’s ok, it isn’t really missed. I think I may have to add this one to the list of purchases. It’s got a fairly light taste, but it’s enough for me to enjoy. I like how natural the blueberry is. Not candy sweet, but naturally so.

Glad I had this one tonight!

Finishing up this sample from Alphakitty. Yay for sipdowns!

The raspberry is nice and sweet/slightly tart (not artificial tasting – yay!), and the mouthfeel is creamy! The black base shines through in a subtle, smooth way and is slightly earthy. A nice dessert tea after lunch (cinnamon pancakes…my sister was nice and made some for me).

Enjoyed this – thanks again for sending this my way, Alphakitty!

This sample comes from Alysha. I was in the mood for a Milk Oolong today, as I always seem to when I’m sick, so I figured it was a good time to try this one out. It smells delicious!

Brewed it smells nice and milky, creamy, and buttery with sweet notes and roasted notes. Yum.

Taste-wise, this is one of the more awesome Milk Oolongs I’ve tried. Very creamy mouthfeel and taste – nice and milky, too. There are also slight buttery notes in here, especially at the end of the sip. I’m also getting hints of roasted oolong flavor – not sure why, but it’s tastey and pairs nicely with the creamy flavors. This is one smooth cuppa. Glad I decided to try this one today. Seems it was just what I needed.

Thanks again, Alysha! Very happy to have tried this one – might just find its way into my permanent stash!

Getting really sick again, but I wanted to have this again. I did a really quick two steep session: 30sec for the first and a minute for the second.

Yummy honey notes mixed with subtle delicious vegetal-ish notes. I also got some slight hay notes, as well. Held up wonderfully for the two steeps I did, and could have easily gone to six or so.

I would’ve liked to be able to do a complete session in my gaiwan for this one, but I’m drugged up to the gills with cold medicine right now and probably would’ve fallen asleep. It’s hard enough trying to concentrate writing this quick note!

See previous tasting notes for a more detailed (and coherent) taste profile.

Sample sipdown! I think this one came from teapot1…

This one is cinnamony, warming and sweet/sugary. A nice after dinner treat. Very simple, but sometimes that’s what just what I want.
Not much of the black base is present, but that’s ok. It’s a nice, tastey, simple flavored black. =)

Glad I got to try it!

Tasting Note #100! Woot!

Could this tea possibly fill the Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black sized hole in my tea heart?
YES! Well, at least until it’s available again. This one is really good, and shares some similar aspects with the Wild Mountain Black.

Smell: This one has those warm honey notes that I just love, along with some nice sweet peachy notes. This smells like dessert in a cup – for real.

Taste: Absolutely no bitterness – yay! The honey and peach notes stand out the most in this cuppa. So good! There are some light citrus-y notes in the background, along with a lychee sweetness (surprise!). I’m also getting a bit of spice, which is also a nice surprise. Warm, lightly sweet, and smooth. I’m so excited about this one!

Three resteeps in and it’s still retaining flavor!

Lychee! Lychee! Sample sipdown from my last order.

So, I had a mystery tea at my neighbor’s house the other week (just a black tea in a glass jar – no label. Did find the bag it came in using my nose, but there was no English on the bag, so I was still in the dark) that was different from anything I’d ever had. Fruity, sweet, and so delicious! I have a mandarin lychee green tea that had a similar aspect, so I figured the mystery tea was a lychee tea. Just to see if I was right, I decided to get a sample of this oolong and compare (because like a good neighbor, I took some of the mystery tea back home with me).

Just from the smell, it’s obvious I was correct in calling that mystery tea a lychee tea! Yum! So sweet and tropical! It also has some nice floral notes.

Taste-wise this one is really nice. The floral and lychee aspects mesh together in a fantastic way! I’ve never actually had a lychee fruit in real life, but if it’s anything like this tea – YUM! Very refreshing…reminds me of summer.

My first whole pu’er cake! Woot woot!

This cake is gorgeous! Dark reddish brown in color, nice and tightly pressed. There is a nice, not overly powerful dirt/woodsy smell coming from the cake. Yum.
Carefully broke off a bit of the leaves with my pick; this one flakes apart pretty easily and is nice and dry. The sound the pick makes as it goes into the cake is so relaxing (maybe that’s an odd thing to say, but I couldn’t help thinking it). Love that sound.

Once I brewed this one up, it produced a dark red-brown liqour. It smells sweet, cedar-y, and woodsy with hints of a rich soil. I think I’m really going to love this one (good thing, too, since I have a whole cake!).

Yum. This one is sweet (not fruit sweet, but the kind of sweet you get from chewing on a popsicle stick – if that makes sense to anyone), with wood notes (again, I want to say cedar) and a nice mellow “dirt” taste. This has a thicker mouthfeel than some other pu’er I’ve had recently – it’s nice and smooth. There’s a bit of a zing at the end of the sip, slightly spicy on the back of the tongue. Don’t know how to describe it, but it’s a nice effect.

Glad I took the plunge and bought a cake of this one. I’m really enjoying it! Can’t wait to share with my twin sister when she comes home. She’s really into pu’er…it seems to be the only tea I can get her excited for! She’ll totally love this one. Thanks for providing this cake Mandala Teas!

I want to try this one in the gaiwan next time around.

Off to resteep. I’ll update in a few.

UPDATE: Second steep at about 6 min. A little thinner (not by much, though) than the first steep. Still has a wonderfully woody/sweet flavor with the added bonus of a slightly leathery flavor! The zing at the end of the sip is dialed down a bit, but still present. I’m loving this pu’er!