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Had this again tonight and love it even more. I added brown sugar instead of regular white sugar and it really kicked up the fig flavor. Oddly enough, this may just be my favorite fig tea that I’ve tried. There was more orange flavor in this brew than the last one. Not sure how I feel about that.

But one slightly panicky question, why oh why is this blend not on the Davids site anymore? Please tell me it’s seasonal. Because I NEED this tea in my cupboard.

I am not typically a fan of chocolate orange blends. Usually artificial orange flavor tastes like perfume to me and, so, any orange blend just rings yuck to me. The perfume taste combined with Exlax tasting chocolate is just not good. But I figured that if anyone could give me a chocolate orange tea that would be delicious, it would be Stacy. So I bought it. And I really really like it.

The chocolate taste is magnificent. It reminds me of the chocolate in Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha. It’s that perfect. It’s the perfect dark chocolate. Not too bitter and not too milky. The orange taste is PERFECT. It’s refreshing and it’s just enough orange that you know it’s there but it’s not overpowering at all. It’s like someone zested an orange in ganache. I didn’t really get much marshmallow but I assume that the creaminess and slight vanilla taste is the marshmallow. The Zhen Qu base is the perfect platform for all these strong flavors because it lets them shine and shows up in the taste when it feels like it.

I really like this one a lot. Perhaps not enough to buy more than an ounce at a time but definitely enough that I’ll reorder…along with an ounce or 4 of that licorice blend.

I had a craving for Irish Breakfast tea today so I brewed it the way I usually do. Two bags, 5 minutes, no milk, raw sugar. It comes out looking like espresso. Very malty with a fruity raisin note. There is a bit of astringency. Perhaps more than most would like but I love it like that. I will always compare every Irish Breakfast tea I have to the lovely Irish Breakfast tea from Butiki but, in the absence of that, Twinings will do just fine. And I can brew this one just as crazypants as I want without feeling guilty.

I’ve been going on and on about Special Dark pu’er. It’s probably gotten quite annoying. I am happy to say that it lived up to every single one of my expectations. I like it better than the Phatty Cake and Bu Lang Gong Ting and they are my benchmark pu’ers.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Garret said it would taste like chocolate but, honestly, I was a little skeptical. Dry it smells a bit like cocoa powder. I am not kidding about that. Not even the Hershey kind but the expensive Valrhona powder. And the most amazing thing is that it tastes like cocoa when brewed too. I didn’t put any sugar in it at first so it tasted like unsweetened hot cocoa with a really rich cocoa. I added a touch of raw sugar and it really brought out the chocolate flavor.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Still very chocolaty with a creamy finish. Almost like a good chocolate mousse.

3rd Steep-1 minute
Milk chocolate. Some spice is coming through but not much yet. Is it sane to say a tea is completely blowing my mind?

4th Steep-2 minutes
Suddenly it’s back to dark, dark chocolate again and there is cinnamon on the finish. Mexican hot chocolate? Yes, please.

5th Steep-3 minutes
And just like that, the chocolate has left the building. It’s sort of butterscotchy. The chocolate isn’t gone really. It’s there in some sips but the butterscotch is really dominating.

6th Steep-5 minutes
Honey and maybe a bit of brown sugar. Still so smooth and tasty. So happy I have 4 oz of it.

7th Steep-Overnight
I know. Overnight sounds crazy and it is. I dropped the leaves in my tea thermos and left it to steep overnight. Can’t say that the result was bad. It tasted like whipped cream and caramel. Not bad at all.

This is the smoothest, tastiest, loveliest pu’er I have ever tried. Pu’ers are typically earthy but this has none of that. It’s starts out smooth and sweet and it finishes that way. Seriously, put a blindfold on and you think your drinking hot cocoa or, at least, chocolate flavored tea. It’s really one unique tea.

And this tea also proved that “tea drunk” does, in fact, exist.

I knew this tea reminded me of something. My mother makes a roast chicken with a lavender and mint rub. Well, not the chicken but the spices most definitely.

This probably won’t be my most detailed tea note ever. I’m in a particularly lazy mood. Not exactly a normal reaction when drinking guayusa but it tends to zen me out.

I am enjoying a cuppa The Killer’s Vanilla right now and it is just blowing my mind. It’s very unique. This is probably one of the best vanilla teas I’ve ever tried. It’s real vanilla not artificial at all. The spearmint and the lavender were genius additions to this tea. Pure brilliance. Each sip was a new experience in and of itself. There were so many different combinations of flavors that came out with each sip and none of them were bad.

In a way, I am still trying to figure out this tea. I love it. I know that at least. But I don’t quite know why.

Oh my. I have had Irish Breakfast tea before. Usually, I brew it to the extreme. You know, could easily work as pine tar in baseball. Not much on flavor but provides a good kick in the pants in the morning. This one is so much smoother with a chocolate-like flavor with a touch of malt. It’s perfect. Absolutely and positively perfect.

I steeped this one multiple times because that’s what I do.

1st steep-3.30 minutes
Nice dark brew but not astringent at all. Very smooth and chocolaty with a nice malty flavor. A bit of fruitiness on the finish.

2nd Steep-7 minutes
Raisin-like sweetness and a bit of maltiness. I was betting on their being some astringency but there was none. It was as smooth as can be.

3rd Steep-14 minutes
A bit fruity with honey notes. So nice. A bit mild on the last steep but still very tasty.

I think my search for a morning breakfast tea may be over. I am regretting removing the 4oz out of my shopping cart. Thanks to Stacy for the sample.

This is only my second genmaicha…and I still haven’t managed to have a completely green one. Ive had this one a while but haven’t tried it yet because, well, I kinda forgot I bought it.

1st Steep-3 minutes
I normally steep my black blended teas 5 minutes on the first steep but I am going to listen to David because I think he knows better than me. This steep was AMAZING. The roasty flavor from the Wuyi oolong and the rice. And the chocolate—-oh my good Lord, the chocolate. It was the most beautiful, natural chocolate flavor I have ever found in a tea. It is such a beautiful, smooth tea.

2nd Steep-6 minutes
It still has that toasted rice flavor but the chocolate is even more apparent. Not as strong a cup as the previous steep but still plenty flavorful.

3rd Steep-9 minutes
Honey, caramel and still a bit of that toasty rice flavor. Not so much chocolate but the flavors that were present were lovely.

I think this one will be the standard against which every other chocolate tea will be judged. It was perfect. It was smooth and toasty and very chocolaty. I am already holding myself back from ordering more.

I did something crazy today. I really like this pu’er but I felt like I was in the mood for something a bit loopy. I brewed it for the recommended 5 minutes—not my normal schtick with pu’er but I had PLANS for this brew. I then proceeded to add a heaping teaspoon of anisette sugar and a small pinch of espresso powder. It sounds insane but I love strong espresso with a splash (or more) of Sambuca and this reflected that yumminess perfectly.

I have been in the midst of a very stressful time. To calm myself I drank the samples that Garret sent me with my birthday order.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Garret obviously knows my tea tastes very well because I loved this tea at first steep. It was smoky but, again, not that heavy lapsang smoke but a sweeter more pleasant smoke.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Very mildly smoky. There’s also a nice leathery note. Sweet on the finish. It’s getting that pipe smoke taste.

3rd Steep-1 minute
The leathery note is still there with the sweet finish. There is also a bit of clove spice. Very nice.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
So very smooth with a vanilla note. Not exactly sweet but more of a nutty type of vanilla. My favorite steep so far.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Vanilla buttercream. That’s about as close as I can describe this one. It was sweet vanilla with a nice buttery note.

I had to give up on this one earlier than I wanted to. My teapot got shuffled into the sink while I was reserving my leaves. But I really liked this tea. Very much. I really loved the sweeter later steeps which is odd for me considering I tend to gravitate towards smoky teas. When I was planning my Mandala order, it came down to this one or a Yong de Organic cake and I picked the Yong de. I don’t necessarily regret it but I will be buying a cake of this one in the soontime.

I love strawberry and rhubarb. It’s one of the only pies I like. I was delighted when Sil included this tea in with the other samples she sent me. I have been searching for a good strawberry tea that did not taste like Crystal Lite or chapstick and I think I have found it.

This was the most pleasant and natural tasting strawberry tea I have ever had. It tasted like a really ripe and juicy strawberry. I was also really surprised how much I loved the hibiscus in this one. It wasn’t overpowering at all and added a nice bite to it like rhubarb. I am also getting a bit of spice maybe cinnamon or clove. It’s bringing out a pie crust feel.

I think this may be the first strawberry tea that worked for me. I’m pretty picky when it comes to fruity teas but this was just perfect. I would buy pounds of this tea fairly comfortably without any guilt or panic. I will definitely be ordering a bunch of teas from Butiki because this one was just delicious.

Thanks to Sil for this sample.

Thanks to Sil for sending me this lovely tea.

The past two days have been terrible in a bad way. I had a bit of a family emergency and I haven’t slept for over two days. The only thing that kept me sane during this stressful time is the process of brewing tea. And this tea was excellent.

1st Steep-15 seconds
Very grassy in a good. There are also nice citrus notes with a creamy finish. It’s also a bit floral but in a gentle way.

2nd Steep-18 seconds
Grassy with lime notes. There is a merengue note on the finish. That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

3rd Steep-20 seconds
Still grassy with a bit of a peppery note. Kind of like arugula. Not exactly a combination that you like to find in tea but it was so tasty.

4th Steep-40 seconds
Still sort of grassy but the pepper is gone. Much more vegetal. Admittedly not my favorite steep but pleasant.

5th Steep-1 minute
Tastes like the olive oil my family brings from Italy when they visit. My family calls it the good stuff. I could drink that stuff straight. Fruity with a olive tang. My favorite steep.

6th Steep-2 minutes
Still get the olive oil but with a bit of spice. Not pepper but rosemary. A bit piney.

7th Steep-3 minutes
Again I am going to sound insane but I am getting basil notes with a lemon tang. Lemon and basil is one of my favorite combinations.

This was definitely a pleasant tea that helped to keep me stress free during a very trying two days. I don’t think it’s going to be one I rush to buy but I do like it but I have Golden Fleece higher up on my priorities list for when I get my voucher.

Thank you to Sil for sending me this sample.

I drank this while preparing the menu for Easter this year. It’s my turn to bake and I am planning on baking my sanity away this week with the Easter pies, the Creme Brulee and the cupcakes. It calmed me and kept me from having a good bit of panic. Laoshan Black may just be a miracle drug for me.

1st Steep-1 minute
Holy Laoshan Black. Normally I’m one of those people who think I’ll hate what everyone else loves. Usually it’s true but with Laoshan Black, I couldn’t be wronger. Is wronger even a word? It’s beautiful. That’s all. It tastes like chocolate and cinnamon. There’s also a nice creamy note. I let my mother who hates tea sip this and she loved it. That is a special tea.

2nd Steep-2 minutes
The chocolate is even more intense with a nutty note. This tastes like Nutella. I hate Nutella for the simple reason that they try to pretend there is no chocolate in there—clearly a lie— but this tastes like it. And it is so so good.

3rd Steep-3 minutes
Still very chocolaty but it has transformed into a milk chocolate whereas the other steeps were a heavier dark chocolate. There is also a bread note which is bringing back the whole Nutella feel. Nutella on toast is my childhood in a box.

4th Steep-4 minutes
The cinnamon came out of nowhere and took over. It tasted like I had steeped a cinnamon stick. Not spicy but sweet and flavorful. The chocolate was still there but it was firmly in the background.

5th Steep-5 minutes
Caramel and cream. A bit of cinnamon. It’s not losing much of its flavor at all.

6th Steep-15 minutes
This is my extremely long, ill-advised final steep. It tasted kind of like graham crackers and marshmallow. Does that sound insane? And after steeping for 15 minutes, there was no astringency at all.

Laoshan Black is an experience. I was all prepared to be the odd duck in the room who didn’t like it but I loved it. I am tempted to hoard 4oz or so but I already hoard way too many teas and it’s starting to become a concern. Either way, this tea is a staple.

I spent 4 days with this tea. It was 4 days of pure tea bliss where each steep was something new and something brilliant.

I somewhat deliberately overleafed this time around. I think I used around 7g.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Somewhat smokey but it’s more of a camphor or mint type of feel. There was also a crisp fruitiness on the finish. Like a green apple.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Somewhat similar to the first steep with the camphor and smoke but much more apple and a bit sweeter. There is also a spicy note peaking through. A nice creamy finish.

3rd Steep-1 minute
Holy 3rd Steep! Apples, spices and a nice toasty note—-almost bread like. Is it possible to get a pie-crust note in tea? I’m also definitely getting cloves and nutmeg. Some cinnamon pops out every odd sip. There is also a citrus note in the background. Am I crazy to say this tastes like pie?

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
This is my second day with this tea and I still love it. Smells like honey and apples. Faint taste of heavy cream. Maybe some raw sugar. It’s also not mellowing out much.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Lots of honey and citrus. Apple is in the background. Creamy finish.

6th Steep-2.30 minutes
Sort of grassy. Apple crispness returned with a natural honey sweetness.

7th Steep-3 minutes
This is the 3rd day with this tea. It’s become like a friend of mine and there is very little fade so I am a bit convinced that I will be brewing this tea for the next week. This steep still had the apple but it was more starchy. Maybe a bit like jicama.

8th Steep-3.30 minutes
Honey and spices. The apple is gone but it’s still so tasty. I’ve been brewing this tea for 3 days and I am not ready to let it go yet.

9th Steep-4 minutes
Spicy note. Not so much the sweet sort of spice from the previous steeps but a spice I can feel. Like cinnamon. This steep is also a bit fruity.

10th Steep-4.30 minutes
The apple is back with a bit of lemon on the finish. I am shocked how well this tea stood up to 3 (almost 4) days of steeping.

11th Steep-15 minutes
I usually do one extremely long steep at the end to squeeze whatever flavor I can from the leaves. It worked well here. The apple pie taste is back but less aggressively. The bready note also re-appeared when the tea cooled down a bit.

This tea was amazing. Almost 4 days with it and not a single moment of boredom or wanting to try something else. The flavors jumped all over the place and each steep was a revelation in and of itself. I could have easily brewed this for another 10 steeps and not have minded at all. Such a beautiful sheng. I am so happy I bought a cake.

My favorite goalie just scored a goal so I figure I can get off my lazy behind and catch up on my tea notes.

Honey is one of my favorite things in the world. I have 5 or more varieties in my cupboard at all times. I also love caffeine. I depend on it for survival. And that, my friends, is why I bought Honey Bee. I bought it on a whim as most of my Davids purchases are. But I find that I really really like it a lot.

Dry this tea smelt so lovely. A bit grassy but with an intense honey scent. Brewed the honey was intense both in the flavor and scent. It was like being kicked in the face by one of those clover honey bears you see in supermarkets. It was almost floral and naturally sweet. I also got a nice lemony note from the zest and the lemon myrtle that worked well with the honey. The rooibos rounded out the flavor quite nicely as well with a bit of roasty woodiness.

This one was my first straight Assam and I think I may have fallen in love. Big time. I brewed this one according to instructions on the package. I would usually have brewed it in 1 minute increments but I did one brew of 3 minutes.

The result was a lovely malty yet sweet brew of heavenly black tea. I loved the malt of this tea. There was also a nice honey sweetness along with the malt. I was a bit surprised to find a fruity note in there. Peach or apricot…I can’t decide but it was good. There was also a slight bit of tang that’s not quite astringency but awakens the palate.

I will definitely be buying more of this. It could become my morning black tea. I had a cup this morning and did not even have a desire for my regular cup of coffee. Coffee is starting to smell like wet dog to me anyway.

Thanks to Teajo Teas for sending me a sample.

I am prone to migraine headaches. Very bad ones. My vision goes and I can barely move. I’ve been searching for a natural remedy for years because stuffing myself full of aspirin and sleeping it off just wasn’t working. A friend suggested trying peppermint tea. I don’t know why and she didn’t either. But it works. A couple of sips of this tea and my migraine was gone.

Even without the migraine eradicating properties—for which I am eternally grateful—-this was a lovely cup of tea. Flavorful and simple yet tasty. It was also quite strong with the mint which I really appreciated. I didn’t add any sweetener this time around but a pinch of rock sugar or honey would be lovely.

I did oversteep this by quite a bit because I needed it to be super strong but normally I’d steep it for 4 or 5 minutes.

I have been searching for a pu’er to take the place of my coffee in the morning. I have myself down to a couple of sips but I haven’t quite kicked the habit yet. I think this would come pretty close. It has everything I love about coffee without the jittery over-caffeinated feeling afterwards. So when Garret included this as a sample, I was joyful.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Very smoky and so very good. I am a Lapsang fan so the smokier the better. This would be probably a bit easier to take for people that don’t like smoky teas because the smoke is not as in your face as with a Lapsang

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Still smoky with an almost leathery note. I can see this replacing coffee for me…if I had more of them. Goals I have them.

3rd Steep-1 minute
I love how this tea maintains its smoky flavor while gaining complexity. It’s sweet now and smells so good. Kind of reminds me of pipe smoke. I love that smell and it brings back such pleasant memories.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
The smoke is still there but not as prevalent. Dark chocolate notes are coming through. Probably my favorite steep so far.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Oh Lordy, smells like honey. Not sweet clover honey but something darker. Like leatherwood honey—my favorite. It tastes like it too.

6th Steep-2.30 minutes
It’s lost most of its smoke but now the leatherwood honey has transformed into a clover honey smell and taste. Kind of floral as well. I don’t think I will get much more from this tea—although I am tempted to try—but it ends on a lovely note.

I am borderline in love with this tea. It will be a part of my next Mandala order. Thanks to Garret for the sample.

This is the first flavored tea that I’ve had for a long time. I became kind of obsessed with pu’ers but last night I felt like something different. I decided on this one because I was craving some spice. It was between Hot Lips and Chocolate Chili Spice. Hot Lips won.

The smell of the dry tea is overwhelmingly cinnamon. It smells remarkably like Big Red gum. It’s also quite pretty with the green tea, the pink peppercorns and cinnamon pieces. The taste was great. It was very strong on the cinnamon and not the sweet sort of cinnamon but the really spicy kind. I just wish the base tea was a bit more assertive. I was really looking for that green tea almost grassy taste but I couldn’t find it. I did three steeps and only on the 3rd steep did I find the balance and flavor that working for me.

All in all, the spice was pleasant but there was not enough flavor in the base to really please me.

P.S. My team finally won a game and F1 starts on the 17th. Yay!

I have to admit that I was a bit frightened of this tea. I’ve had them in my cart to buy every time I ordered with Mandala and I’ve gotten spooked each time. So I am very happy that Garret included a sample with my last order.

I did the recommended 3 rinses on this one.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Perhaps a bit too earthy for me on the first steep. I didn’t hate the taste though. It was very earthy but there was a nice sweetness to it. I’m interested to see how this mellows.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
I get what people mean when they say a tea smells “barnyard.” Because this one kind of does. I didn’t find it at all unpleasant though. It actually brought back lovely childhood memories. The taste was very smoky. Kind of like a sweeter Lapsang.

3rd Steep-1 minute
It still smells a bit musty but it’s fading to a nice leathery note. The taste, however, is fantastic. Naturally sweet with a brown sugar, raisin note. There is also a wine-like tang that I find very appealing even though I hate wine. I don’t know quite what to make of this tea but all the feelings I have are positive.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
It’s mellowing out in a very nice way. It’s a bit roasty and nutty like coffee with a nice chocolaty flavor. Kind of like Nutella on whole wheat toast.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Very light but still a bit roasty and nutty. It doesn’t seem to be weakening very much at all.

6th Steep-10 minutes
I always manage to forget about the last steep. This is very light with a very surprising floral note. After the roasty toasty of the previous steep, the floral note is very shocking and a great note to finish on.

This tea started out so bold and finished so gently. I liked it a lot. Perhaps not an everyday tea but when I need a good kick in the pants, I would definitely reach for this one first.

P.S. I don’t think I will ever see my team win again.

I have been drinking tea for a while but I never had a straight oolong tea and I have only had 1 or 2 flavored ones. Oolong could very well become another tea obsession because this was amazing. And by amazing, I mean that I want to hoard it like a crazy person.

1st Steep-15 seconds
A bit grassy but with a strong almost brown butter type of sweet nuttiness. Also a bit of coconut. So good.

2nd Steep-18 seconds
Oh my word is this tea amazing. Tasted like a toffee candy. Sweet and buttery. There is also a nice peachy note that I love.

3rd Steep-20 seconds
It tastes like peaches and cream. I am kind of flummoxed as to how this tea can get any better. And I’m not usually a fan of lighter teas.

4th Steep-40 seconds
It reminds me of vanilla buttercream. Pure sweet vanilla with a nice buttery bite. There is still that note of fruitiness but it’s faded. It’s almost lemony. Come to think about it, I always add lemon zest to my vanilla buttercream so it makes sense. The tea gods make sense.

5th Steep-1 minute
Starting to smell like jasmine tea which has never been one of my favorites but it works for me here. But the taste is like heavy cream with a bit of a floral finish.

6th Steep-1.20 minutes
The floral note is really taking over in the scent and taste. There is still a buttery note but it’s fading.

7th Steep-1.40 minutes
I couldn’t resist saving this tea for the morning because I loved it too much to throw away. I had this right after I drank my morning coffee. It was a lovely contrast to the bitter roast of the coffee. Reminded me of a jasmine green tea. Very floral. Very calming. Lovely.

I really was expecting to be all “meh” about this one because I am not a fan of lighter teas. I like my tea dark and roasty. But this was just lovely. It was creamy and fruity and I even liked the floral notes. So my first oolong was a success. I would be interested in trying a more roasty one.

P.S. Team is now on a 5 game losing streak.

Garret was nice enough to send me some of this shu with my last order. I saved for a day I know would be stressful—and it was. My team lost…again…I mean, scored against 8 seconds into the game…it was bad. Otherwise, I was just having terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I ended up drinking this tea for two days straight because I ended up falling asleep after my 2nd steep.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Very hayish with a sweet finish. Almost fruity. Reminded me of dates. Which I love almost as much as figs.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Still a bit hayish but its taking on more of a smoky type flavor. There are also some nice dark chocolate notes. The fruity note is still there making this steep taste kind of like a Fruit and Nut candy bar.

3rd Steep-1 minute
Takes on an interesting berry note with some vegetal undertones. Not grassy but more basil or mint. Definitely not what I was expecting based on previous steeps but very good. There is still a bit of the sort of smokey earthiness but it’s very much in the background.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
This steep is all berry with a creamy vanilla finish. Very sweet. I almost miss the herbaceous note.

5th Steep-2 minutes
Vanilla and brown sugar with a bit of the berry flavor. Not much though. The flavor is starting to lighten up but I really did like this steep.

6th Steep-10 minutes
I always manage to forget the last steep. It hasn’t burned me yet or destroyed good tea so I guess it’s okay. This final steep has taken on a very vegetal flavor much like green tea. A bit grassy and a bit sweet on the finish.

I really liked this one a lot. It might not become a staple—-or it may if I end up buying a cake. It did give me that shiny happy people feeling. I know it was the tea because I usually mope after my team loses and I was all cheerful this time. It was also pretty tasty.

I have tried many pu’ers but not many tuochas. This one was my first and they were great. I’m very glad I bought 4oz of these lovely little tuos.

1st Steep-30 seconds
Very hayish with a molasses finish. Starts out very bold and strong. Could replace coffee for me…I’ve been actively searching for a replacement for a while.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
Might lighter. Still earthy but more roasty. Like coffee but without the bitter finish. The tea still finishes on a sweet note.

3rd Steep-1 minute
This steep was very smooth and had the flavor of a nice chocolate bar…a good one. There is also a salty bite to it at the end.

4th Steep-1.30 minutes
This was my favorite steep out of all of them. Strange because usually it’s the 3rd. This one reminded me of butterscotch which I love.

5th Steep-2 minutes
This steep confused me a bit—-in a good way. It was a weird combination of all of the previous steeps. It was a bit roasty with a buttery note. There was also a slight chocolate finish.

6th Steep-7 minutes
I forgot I was steeping while I ran an errand. It didn’t seem to impact the flavor at all. Honey and vanilla. Getting much lighter even with the long steep.

7th Steep-20 minutes
I was watching a hockey game (not my team) and got distracted because that team was playing well while mine just doesn’t so I let this steep for the first period…bad me. But the tea was so light I really didn’t notice. It had a nice chamomile-like flavor with nice floral notes.

I really did like these tuochas a lot. I don’t think any pu’er will come close to my Mandala Phatty Cake but this comes close. These Not-So-Mini Tuochas would make a great morning cuppa. If I was courageous, which I’m not, I would replace my morning cup of coffee with this tea.

I came into this tea with very high expectations based on the other reviews here. I expected it to be an Experience. And it was. A great one. There were so many flavors in this tea that my mind is racing to process them all.

1st Steep-30 seconds
There is a little bit of the mushroomy smell but I find it pleasant here. The tea tasted nothing like what the smell would indicate at all. It tasted like an amaretti cookie or Amaretto without the alcohol bite. It was much lighter than I would expect from a first steep.

2nd Steep-45 seconds
The tea is still very nutty but there is almost a berry finish. I’m leaning towards strawberry. Quite lovely.

3rd Steep-1 minute
The 3rd steep is now one that I look forward to because it’s always the best and this one was no exception. This one tasted like Tahitian vanilla bean. Very sweet and a bit floral.

4th steep-1.30 minutes
A cross between cinnamon bark and honey. In a way this steep kind of reminded me of baklava—-my one true sweet weakness.

5th Steep-2 minutes
The berries have returned. They are still strawberries but they are so much stronger and bring with them an almost whipped cream sort of finish. A perfect finish to a perfect tea experience.

This one lived up to my every expectation and more. It also gave me that happy buzzy feeling that only happens when you have a really great tea. Not really tea drunk just happy and shiny thinking nice things about the world and the people in it.

And thanks to Garret for hockey theming my latest order and for the Year of the Dragon pu’er. I’m saving it for Thursday when my team plays…to cheer me up because they are slumping terribly.