Emily M

Made the last of this iced.

It was a little less chemically, but I was still picking up the strange flavor. The cucumber came through a bit more iced, which was actually nice. Overall, I think I liked this one better iced, but it still isn’t one I’d buy.

Drank this one with my Dad this morning. He liked it, so YAY!

So yum! I’m savoring every bit I have left. More honey notes this time around, but still deliciously bakey!

See previous notes for more detail.

SIPDOWN! This here sample is from Marcel Duchamp! Thanks, again!

This one smells so delicious! It’s bakey/buttery, almondy, sweet, and has just a tad of the black base present, especially when brewed. My nose is in heaven right now.

Taste: First thing I’m noticing right off the bat is how thick this one is on the tongue…it’s almost like I added cream. Very cool mouthfeel. I’m getting the black base in the front, with slight honey/butter notes mixed in (the cookie portion, I’m assuming) followed by a nice nutty almond taste. It isn’t as sweet as I was expecting, but it is yummy. I don’t know if I’d shout “Almond Cookie!” had this been a mystery tea, but I would say that it’s an almond flavored black with a slight bake-y aspect. The more this one cools down, the closer it seems to get to representing it’s name, but it doesn’t quite make it all the way.

Overall, I like this one quite a bit. Does it live up to it’s name? Not 100%, but it’s pretty darn close. I might buy it sometime.

NOTE TO FUTURE SELF: I’m enjoying this one a lot more at a “warm” temp than at a “hot” temp. It’s a lot more “cookie”-ish and the almond shines through a bit more.

This one comes from a swap with Marcel Duchamp! =)

Upon opening this one I was drooling. It smells so nutty (almonds and cashews?), sweet, and cinnamon-y! I wanted to eat all of the nuts, but then I wouldn’t have any tea, now would I?

Brewed it is much the same. It’s an amazing smell! I am getting a little bit of a tart apple smell, which I’m not too big on, but I’m hoping it isn’t a huge part of the taste.

Taste: Ok, so it all comes down to this: Is it as good as it smells? Ultimately…no. It’s not as good. That isn’t to say it isn’t good at all. I am picking up a nuttiness (although less pronounced than it was in the smell) combined with an almost buttery aspect. I am also getting really subtle spice notes. What I’m picking up that I am not a huge fan of is the apple. It’s tart and just not doing anything for me in this cuppa. I feel as though it throws off the nutty-buttery-spicy brew…although, I may be biased as I’m not a fan of apple teas. I really wish there was a bit more spice; this tea seems to be lacking that extra something. The buttery/nutty notes could also be a little stronger.

Overall, I am very happy to have tried this. I just wish it tasted more like it smelled. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t an absolute favorite. Would I take it if offered? Yes. Might I swap for it again in the future? Sure. Would I buy some for myself? Probably not.

Thanks again, Marcel! =)

SIPDOWN!

So, I made this one iced today (dumb idea, because it’s now snowing super hard outside and I want something warm…). I was right – it is really good iced!

The watermelon is still a bit in the background and seems more like a general “melon” taste rather than true watermelon, but it’s still good. The blackberry is nice and sweet (not so tart like it was when made hot), and the honeybush adds a sweet aspect as well as a ceder-y aspect.

I really like this iced! Good for a honeybush blend!

Now I need to go and make something warm!

Thanks, again Alphakitty!

Alysha was kind enough to send me some of this tea.

Dry, it smelled mostly of black tea, with hints of a mapley nature. Once brewed the maple notes stand out more, as does a buttery aspect.

Taste-wise, I pick up a stronger black tea aspect than the smell would point to, which is interesting. Luckily it isn’t bitter! That combined with the subtle buttery flavors as well as the light maple notes makes for a pretty good breakfast tea. I don’t think I’m getting a big pancake vibe, as the aspects are a little too subtle to combine that way, but it is tasty. It’s slightly sweet and surprisingly smooth.

Overall, I’m glad I got to try this one. I’m also glad I still have enough for two more cups! Might have some for “breakfast” tomorrow.

NOTE: I like this one better cooled off a bit – the buttery aspects come through a bit stronger that way. When it’s too hot, all I get is black tea.

Sample sipdown! Thanks again, teapot1!

This one was calling my name this afternoon, so I had to have some. The smokey taste is still present, but it isn’t as powerful as I remember it being before. Added a little cream to this, and it made the icing notes come out a bit more in the taste, which was nice. The cinnamon and honeybush taste were also a little more balanced, and were both the most pronounced in the cuppa. A good after-lunch dessert tea!

Now for a quick run to the post office!

See previous tasting notes for a bit more detail.

Swap from Lariel!

I think I steeped this one a little too long, not that it’s bad, but I am tasting mostly the slightly bitter black tea base. There is a slight tart/sweet aspect and the mouthfeel is slightly thick (creamy). Going to retry this one a little later. It smelled so good when it was dry, so I know it was my bad.
No rating for now.

Swap from Alphakitty!

This one, once brewed, smells kinda like a hazelnut coffee…totally not what I expected. But it smells absolutely delicious!

What I’m getting in the tea is different, though. I’m getting the black tea base, some buttery popcorn taste, and a light caramel/toffee (toffee is a bit more pronounced) mixture. It kinda does remind me of coffee, actually…just not as potent. It’s a subtly sweet tea, with a nice toffee corn aspect. Reminds me of those Christmas-time popcorn ball things…only with black tea. Pretty good.

I’ll have to have the rest of this one while watching “Blink” with my sister when she comes home on Friday, just for reasons…

Had some of this with the little sis today (11yrs old). She’s slowly being converted to tea fandom, and I think this one was a HUGE win! She loved the grape in this, and even picked up on the subtle floral notes. She’s a keeper, I think. ;)

Overview: Nice, natural purple grape taste, smooth mouthfeel, and subtle floral aspects. Had this one cold today because I left it on the counter and forgot about it. Still as good cold as it is hot! Floral aspects may be a bit more pronounced, though.

See previous note for more in depth taste notes.

Alright. So I opened the bag of this one is POW! Lots of sweet marshmallowy smells came jumping out at me. I thought this would mean it was going to be super marshmallow tasting (oh no!), but once I scooped out a tsp and put it in the pot, the smell was much more balanced. I guess all together it was just too much!

The smell of this one dry is more marshmallow than anything else. There are the roasty/toasty genmaicha notes that I love so much, but it is mostly marshmallow. The scent DOES remind me a Marshmallow Treats, which is awesome. I used to love those when I was a kid.
Once brewed, the marshmallow calms down further, and the toasty notes of the genmaicha stand out a bit more. Yay! It still reminds me of treats, but now there is a little more depth to the smell. It’s both sweet AND toasty. The toasted rice smells awesome.

Taste-wise, I’m picking up subtle/mild marshmallow notes, and these are especially notable at the back of the sip. I’m picking up the toasty, earthy genmaicha the most – not a bad thing. The marshmallow root does add a sweetness to the genmaicha that is completely different and interesting. The marshmallow treat taste is there, it’s just not as heavy as it was in the smell – again, I don’t think this is a bad thing. Yes, I quite like it. The mouthfeel is very “fluffy”. It’s got a lot working for it. It’s not overly sweet, it allows the genmaicha to shine, and it brings back childhood memories. =)

Overall, I’d say this one is a win.

NOTE: Once it cools down a bit, the marshmallow becomes more detectable. I like it best after it sits for a few minutes.

This wonderful sample came from TastyBrew!

Alright, so I could smell this one right through the ziplock, and boy what a smell! Cinnamon (sweet not spicy), sweet almond, buttery baked good notes…oh man, it’s all here. I’m trying to resist just eating it and all the almond bits in here. Why, Stacy? Why must you tempt me so?

Throwing it in the pot, pouring the boiling water, and now I’m just smelling it as it brews. The scent of this one is making me hungry.
This has much the same scent profile as it did dry, except that maybe the buttery baked notes are peeking in a bit more. The almond is sweet and strong (not too strong, though), and the cinnamon is also sweet and prominant. Drool.

Ok, now to the best (?) part of the tea experience – tasting it!!
Based on the smell, you’d think the almond and cinnamon would make for one cloyingly sweet tea. This is not at all the case. Though it is sweet, it’s a nice balanced sweetness. The nuttiness of the almond has emerged more in the brew, while the sweetness is a little more subtle. The cinnamon notes aren’t as strong as they were in the smell, but they are still around adding a sweet, warming aspect to the cup. The buttery cookie aspects seem to be mostly gone, but I do catch them here in there at the back of the sip. The black tea base has also decided to emerge after brewing, giving a off a mildly earthy/black tea element to the middle of the sip.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Almonds are probably my FAVORITE nut (almond M&M’s anybody?)and I love me some cinnamon in tea. I wish the buttery notes I had gotten in the smell had translated a bit more readily in the cuppa, but overall I was very pleased. I think for the next cups worth I have, I’m going to add just a smidge of sugar and see what happens. But as this one stands now, I could see myself ordering some.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I heard the mailman…

Thank you, TastyBrew for parting with a bit of this yummy blend!

Swap from Alphakitty! This one smells so good!

I’m slowly getting through all the swaps people have sent me. Now that I’m on break, I’d imagine I’ll have more time to really sit and enjoy some teas.

Smell: Dry this one smells heavily like blackberry with hints of pomegranate. It’s also got a bit of a buttery scent to it, which I found in the one unflavored Shou Mei I had. Yum. Nice and sweet/refreshing. Once brewed it smells even better! Slightly tart, deliciously sweet, and FRUITY! I’m getting the blackberry mostly, but that’s totally ok. The pom is very light. The buttery scent of the Shou Mei (also a slight “earthy” flavor) adds a bit of depth to the cup. I can’t wait to drink this one!

Taste: The tartness is a little more evident in the taste, but it’s nicely balanced with the sweet notes. The blackberry is spot on, not candy-like or artificial. The pomegranate notes are also fresh and delicious, even if they are less pronounced. The cup is smooth, and the mellow white tea base is perfect here! Mildly buttery, earthy, and sweet. I’m also getting this wonderful cooling effect at the back of the sip…don’t know where it’s coming from, but it makes for a very refreshing cuppa.

Overall, I’d say this tea is a big win. Love the flavors, the mouthfeel, and the crisp, refreshing nature of the brew!

I know feel like I need to buy this tea! I need MORE. haha

This one comes from TastyBrew! I figured I’d brew some of this up as a little celebration of being done with midterms!

This one smells heavenly! I love cheesecake and I love blueberries, and both of these aspects are present in the smell. The cheesecake aspect is dead on…I have no idea how they managed that, but it’s so good. There is also a buttery scent which is delightful! The blueberry is nice and sweet smelling, and the green base adds to this sweetness while providng a slight vegetal scent. I want to eat this tea!

Taste: The first steep was very sweet and creamy. Nice buttery notes, as well as cream cheese notes. Yum! The blueberry is very light here, but the notes I’m picking up are sweet and fresh! The vegetal aspect of the green tea is also subtle, and adds an interesting aspects to the flavor profile. Overall, I’d say this one is a win – it’s definately cheesecake-y!

The second steep is rather diluted, and definately more green tea based than the previous one. The blueberry seems absent here, but the cream cheese/cheesecake aspect is still present. This one is more savory than sweet.

Thanks again, TastyBrew for sending this nice blend my way! I’m really enjoying it!

Sample sipdown – FAIL!
Had a sample of this that smelled SOOO good. I thought it’d be a good one to drink now, as I’m highly stressed and milk oolongs always seem to comfort me (they’re just so creamy and delicious!).

Unfortunately I oversteeped it. =(
It smelled nice and creamy, with the vegetal notes poking through here or there. Taste-wise, though, I was just getting bitterness with slight hints of vegetal/earthy oolong.

This is on my list of teas to buy. I think this one would’ve been really awesome.

Leave it to me to mess up a sample serving… sigh

I’ll write a review of this one hot and cold later, but for now I’m just logging. Still studying/writing papers for midterms. =(

This one was quite good. I enjoyed the watermelon/blackberry combo, and I even didn’t mind the honeybush! It was sweet, slightly tart, and refreshing. I’m going to try the last of it iced. Be back with more later.
Thanks, Alphakitty for swapping some of this yummy tea!

UPDATE: Here are the notes I was able to scratch down on this one during what I will refer to as “Midterm Hell Week”. This is pretty much a copy and paste.

Smells like- Blackberry and honeybush. Smells very sweet and slightly tart. Also picking up what smells like hubba bubba bubble gum (just as I did in the Cotton Candy Black). I wonder where that smell comes from?

Taste: Similar to the cotton candy (which I liked) in taste, except with definite blackberry aspects and subtle watermelon in the front of the sip. The honeybush is present, but doesn’t overpower the other flavors (I think I prefer honeybush to rooibos). Sweet, slightly tart, and very refreshing. I think this would be the bomb iced.

I have a bit more of this left, so I hope to expand on some of this later. I also want to try it iced, so we’ll see if that changes any of the flavors.

Logging this for now. Tasting notes will follow when I have more time. Midterms, midterms, midterms right now. =/

For now I’ll leave you with a first impression: Like a mix of milk oolong, da yu ling, and a white tip formosa. Very nice!

UPDATE: Adding the tasting notes I managed to scribble down… may not be the most in depth tasting, but at least I’ll get the general profile out there.

As mentioned above, there are aspects of formosa oolong, milk oolong and da yu ling. Yum. Smell-wise, it’s both vegetal and creamy. There are spinach notes, butter notes, slight honey/sugar notes. Also getting subtle cinnamon notes…interesting! Very sweet smelling.
As it cools a bit its more honey-ish.

Taste: I’m getting vegetal/spinach, along with a nice milky, smooth taste. Some floral aspects are present, and the whole tea is slightly sweet. Honey notes are very light in this first brew, but come through a bit more as it cools.

Unfortunately I didn’t have time to do another steep, so I’ll be expanding on this the next time I brew the tea. Look out for another tasting note on this one soon. I’m leaving the rating blank for now, as I can’t recall what I would’ve given the tea.

Got this one as my first matcha. It’s basic grade, with distinct flavoring.
I have been flip flopping/experimenting with this one for a while now, but I think I’ve finally come to a conclusion:
I’m not a big fan. Kind of disappointed.

The watermelon isn’t what I was expecting. Instead of juicy, fruity, and realistic, I’m getting artificial, slightly chemical, and rather bland.
I’ve tried it iced, warm, hot, in a smoothie, in milkshakes, with sugar, using less matcha, using more, etc… I don’t know. I always get the artificial taste. Maybe my taste buds are off?

That being said, it isn’t what I’d call horrid. I’ve kinda gotten used to it. I can drink it (I prefer it with warm water) without feeling sick… but I don’t crave it, and I’m never really excited about it. It’s just more of a, “Hey, I have that matcha to get rid of, and I could use some caffeine…”.
I was hoping for a lot more out of this one… hopefully I like the Blueberry/Strawberry custom mix I have waiting to be opened. Once I finish this one off, I’ll dig into that.

Alright, so I was going to wait a few days to try this one western style, but then I got really curious to see how it compared to gongfu brewing…so here we are!

Smell: I’m already picking up slight differences in the smell of this one. It smells much richer, and more like freshly baked brownies than it had in any of the gongfu steepings. The caramel, vanilla/cream, and cinnamon notes are really nice here, too. All of them are coming out and melding together. The smell is actually reminding me of these caramel turtle brownies my mom makes from time to time…YUM. The roasted smell I got before is still present, and it’s quite nice with the cocoa notes.

Taste: Wow. This a bit of a different taste then I’d gotten previously. The chocolate notes are very prominant, with those light cream aspects (almost like a whipped cream) creating an almost milky aspect. I’m only picking up very light cinnamon and caramel notes here; the cinnamon is somewhere near the end of the sip and the caramel is mild throughout, but most noticible in the center. I’m still picking up the grain-esque flavor I had before… wheat? I’m not sure how to describe it. The toasty aspect is also present throughout the entire sip. It’s smooth, slightly creamy, and very chocolatey. I’d say the cocoa notes this time around were somewhere between dark and milk chocolate.

Overall, I think I prefer this brewed western style (Thanks again, Bonnie). However, I still don’t know if it’s a cupboard staple. It is good, no doubt about that. It is also complex and unique, which I love. I just don’t know if I love this one as a whole. I may increase the steeping time a bit next time around – also, when I have more time, I’d love to try resteeping. Maybe I’ll add some cream to it as well.

Increasing the rating slightly to reflect this steeping.

Regardless, I’m glad I tried this one.

NOTE: I liked the flavor a little more once it cooled.

First Verdant order, first Verdant tea. We’ll see if it’s as good as everyone’s been saying.

Dry Leaf: Smells very much like cocoa, or like dark chocolate. I’m also getting some floral aspects, maybe rose? I’m not too good at pinpointing floral smells, unless it’s lilac. Anyway…back to the tea. I’m also picking up a slight roasted smell, along with a slight creaminess.

Now onto the steeps:

Rinse (3sec): Smells roasty, or slightly smoky, with strong cocoa aspects. The floral aspect is not detected.
Taste – (Took a few sips)Very smooth, with dark chocolate aspects and an underlying toasty/roasty flavor. Fairly light, though, overall.

Steep 1 (3 sec): The scent is very much like the rinse. Roasty, dark chocolaty, this time a slight sweetness emerging. I’m also picking up some very subtle cinnamon aspects, as well as nutty aspects.
Taste- Slightly bitter dark chocolate aspects, with some cinnamon aspects popping through here and there (lingering in the aftertaste as well), and a very subtle caramel aspect. There is also a grain-like taste here that I can’t really describe. Slightly sweet, smooth, still toasty, with just a hint of spice. The aftertaste is not only cinnamon, but a slight honey note. Interesting.

Steep 2 (6sec) – Smells much like the previous steep, only a little sweeter and heavier (if anyone gets that).
Taste – This one is almost creamy. Slightly sweet, I’m getting caramel-like notes in the front of the sip along with chocolate and the roasted aspect. The cinnamon is also more pronounced in the front of the sip, and still lingers at the end as well. The honey note seems to have dissipated, but the grain/wheat taste is still around. Interesting steep.

Steep 3 (9sec) – Smells like dark chocolate, caramel, with an added hint of vanilla. Still picking up the roasty scent.
Taste: Light (in texture, not taste) cream notes (cool whip?), slightly muted dark chocolate aspects, some cinnamon, and significantly toned down roast-y aspect. Interesting. The caramel seems absent in this steep, but the honey taste is back and lingers at the end of the sip.

Steep 4 (12sec): This steep smells the most like a pan of homemade brownie mix. I’m still thinking mostly dark chocolate (or bakers chocolate), but there is a sweetness here. I’m once again detecting the caramel notes. Yay! Very slight cinnamon in this one. The cream/vanilla scent is also still present, possibly even more this time around.
Taste: It tastes just as it smells. Like a pan of brownie mix! The creamy notes are to die for in this steep; I’m really digging them. They are sweet and smooth, and they mesh well with the chocolate flavor and the caramel flavor I’m getting. The cinnamon is also playing a bigger role in this steep, present very much in the beginning of the sip. The roasty flavor is still around, but it’s toned down a bit. It actually reminds me of when you go to eat a freshly made brownie, but it’s wayyy to hot. I don’t know if this has happened to anyone else, but I always get a light smoky flavor from brownies that are too hot. Or when you microwave a brownie so it’s hot, but you leave it in there a little too long, so it burns just a smidge. It’s not a bad flavor, though. It’s just different. (Ok. Hopefully that explanation didn’t lose anyone… I was trying to be clear, but my mind’s kinda frazzled).

Steep 5 (15sec) – I’m now picking up a thick cream scent. YUM! I’m also getting stronger caramel notes. This one smells the sweetest out of them all. The bitter dark chocolate smell has pretty much disappeared in this steep, leaving more of a creamy chocolate smell in its wake. Still roasty, too, which I am actually quite appreciating in this tea.
Taste: Sweet and toasty at the same time! The toasty taste is up front, while the sweetness takes up the back of the sip. In the center they merge in a delightful way. Caramel, cream, chocolate, and subtle honey notes are all present. I’m also still picking up a slight cinnamon aspect. Yum. This was a really good steep.

I have a feeling this tea could keep going for quite a few more sessions, but I think I need a break from this one for now. Plus, I’ve got a bunch of work to get done, and I have to get over to the neighbors to watch the dogs.

Overall, I liked this tea. I didn’t think it was as out-of-this-world as most reviewers here seem to have, but I found it complex and tasty. I also like that it’s holding up very well to multiple steeps. I’m glad I bought an ounce to try.

UPDATE: Bonnie has mentioned that this tea might be best brewed Western style, so I’ll be giving that a go next time around. I will update the rating and such accordingly. Until then, I will reserve my verdict concerning whether this is a permanent cupboard dweller or not. Thanks again, Bonnie!

Just what I needed before bed tonight. Nice juicy watermelon, relaxing subtle floral notes, and smooth white tea. See previous notes for more detail. I love this tea!

Backlogging and sample sipdown! Going to keep this one brief…

This one smells a lot like maple, with hints of vanilla/cream and the black tea base.

Taste wise, this one was nice. It wasn’t WOW!, but it was smooth and tastey (which is sometimes all I’m looking for). The maple was probably the strongest flavor, followed by the black tea base, with just a hint of vanilla/cream throughout the sip. There is also a slight floral aspect to the cup. I think this would be a nice fall tea. Sweet, smooth, and warming. I’d try it again, but it’s not a cupboard staple. Maybe some cinnamon would make this a little more interesting?

NOTE: This one gets bitter very easily. The recommended steep time of 4 minutes is a bit high for my tastes.

Backlogging as I was over at the neighbors with no internet access. Got this in a swap with Alphakitty. I have enough for another cup, so I will be trying it again. Here are the first impressions.

Dry: Smells strongly of honeybush with kiwi and cucumber aspects. For some reason, though, all of these together are smelling quite…chemical? Kinda like nail polish remover. Huh. I mean, I can smell all the different aspects of the tea, but when I try to take it all in as a whole I’m ending up with this odd scent.

Brewed: Once brewed the kiwi is strongest, followed closely by the honeybush, and the cucumber trailing behind. The chemical-ish smell is still hitting me… I’m thinking it’s the combination of the honeybush and the kiwi that’s giving off this scent. I’m hoping it doesn’t carry over into the taste.

Taste: Strong honeybush taste once brewed, especially in the front of the sip. The kiwi is strongest in the middle, and the cucumber finishes of the sip. I am getting the strange smell in taste form. I guess I just don’t dig the honeybush with these flavors. I’m thinking a white tea, like silver needles or shou mei, would’ve worked better for me. It’s not undrinkable. I do like the individual aspects of the tea…I think the kiwi is nice, and I find the cucumber accent at the back of the sip very crisp and refreshing. It’s just the chemical taste that the honeybush is creating with these flavors that I can’t get 100% past.

Next brew I think is going to be cold. We’ll see how that turns out. For now, I think I’ll leave this one un-rated.

Thanks again, Alphakitty, for passing some of this my way.

Another sample from Alphakitty!
Going to brew the rest of this one soon and write up proper notes. As of now I’d just be going off of memory (I was busy and didn’t write down any notes). For now, I will just say that I really enjoyed this one. May be my favorite 52teas so far. Sweet (just a tad of that raspberry tartness), creamy, and nicely balanced. The raspberry really stood out (and in a non artificial way, too!), which I was hoping for!