Heather Martin

Thanks first to Angel at Teavivre, who graciously sent me this tea as part of the spring harvest offerings.

I’ll start out by saying that I don’t really think I have a well defined palate for distinguishing subtleties in teas, especially greens. I do my best and try to gage what I taste, based on what others are tasting, and if I can connect the two somehow.

The leaves of this one are simply divine…rich green, broad and flat leaves. The scent coming from the newly opened packet was crisp and fresh, with some vegetal presence. I don’t think I could tell you which vegetables though. I used a bamboo tea spoon in my steeper, and used boiled water that had cooled for a few minutes (I lost track of time so I don’t know exactly how long). I also lack a thermometer so I am unsure of the exact temperature at the time of steeping. I did follow the 1 minute time for western style.

The brew, after a minute, was very very pale. I wondered whether I should have steeped longer. I get a mild tasting green tea, which has some presence and body, but not much. It’s still a bit too hot to get a good sip. I did add a small amount of sugar, less than I usually do. It does have that very savory flavour to it, in that brothy sort of way though, with or without sugar.

I am not an expert of green teas, especially Chinese green teas, and I can’t say as I’ve ever had a Dragon Well before. I feel like I have, a long time ago though. Also, I really have a hard time distinguishing varieties of the same tea. Maybe it is my allergies too. I’d like to have a tasting some time, with someone who knows what to look for in the teas to help me develop my palate sensitivity more.

What do I think of this tea then? I think it is a lovely looking tea, and the taste is smooth from what I can tell right now. I suspect more notes will come out stronger as the tea cools some, so I may come back here and add to this note. I can say that I do like what I have tasted thus far, but I can’t say I am in love. It is something that is a nice change of pace for me though.

This was my saviour after Pink Passionfruit on Tuesday.

Not a darn thing wrong with this tea, I’ll tell ya. It’s great hot, it tastes good cool or iced, it’s pink, and it just plain tastes awesome with the few basic ingredients it has.

I had this earlier today and was pleasantly surprised. It was quite juicy, but not in a hibiscus sort of way. It was quite fine hot, though I can see how this would be amazing iced. It smells and tastes so refreshing!

I had this a long time ago, and I think I fell in love with Swampwater after this so I haven’t had any in a while, but I opted to try this again because of the green rooibos, and having been told by a friend that I am dehydrated, and green rooibos supposing to be good for that sort of thing. When I opted for some caffeine-free options, I had wanted to make sure they would be just as good hot, as iced, as I do find many herbals are better suited for iced only. This one is definitely suited for both, and since it is still periodically chilly and rainy here, hot is good.

In terms of a rooibos, green is way better than red in my book. And the fruits in this one are super yummy. I used too much sugar though…this is one I can definitely cut back on, cuz it is pretty sweet to start with.

Although I did source more Swampwater locally, I might opt to keep this one in rotation for a bit.

It’s a no go hot. Too tart. I had hopes the hibby wouldn’t be too strong on this, but for me it is. I even used a bit more sugar than normal, but it is still too tart. I can taste the passionfruit in the distant background, saying “I’m here!” but getting hushed by the hibiscus. Maybe I’ll handle it better iced, when it’s hot out. I really want to like it, but this is the first tea I’ve not been able to finish n a long time. I probably could have finished it, as I dumped it at about 1/3 full, but I wanted something else, something I like, so I swapped it for Forever Nuts, instead, keeping with the pink theme.

Ok, so this is one of two black teas I got from Angel at Teavivre in this round of teas. I have liked most of the blacks I have received from her, so I picked either Golden Monkey or Super Fine Tan Yang Gong Fu to replace the Organic Superfine Keemun Fragrant Black Tea. I was worried about the fragrant part of the tea. So Angel ended up sending me both of the alternate teas, instead of picking one, so that was too kind of her.

I realized I have not properly reviewed the first black tea, the Tan Yang, aside from saying it is yummy, though I have had a few cups of it. And it is indeed yummy. The leaves on the Golden Monkey are much darker than those of the Tan Yang. The brew of the Golden Monkey turned dark red within a few minutes of the steep.

I did add milk and sugar, as always, to this tea, though I did try a sip without first. Anyhow, the first thing I noticed was the juicy mouthfeel—that saliva inducing feeling. I can’t recall if I noticed that with the Tan Yang. This brew also seems to have more body to it than the Tan Yang also, but that is neither good nor bad.

I get the same malty, bready, yammy taste with this as I do the Tan Yang. I am reminded of the carrot muffins I had recently. I don’t really notice much smokey tones at all in this tea, nor can I detect any cocoa, but I don’t really pride myself on having a refined palate when it comes to picking out the more subtle tones. Also, since I westernize the tea by my additions, I probably loose some of the more subtle tastes that are more present in a straight tea like this by itself.

I can say that, like the Super Fine Tan Yang Gong Fu black tea, this one is equally delicious. I am brewing my second steep right now. I will enjoy the rest of this sample. Many thanks go to Angel at Teavivre again, for including this one in my latest round of samples for review. Teavivre has some excellent straight black teas in their line-up.

Got this as a TTG after work, as I was on my way to a girl’s night “spa night” so I thought I would give this one a go. It was pretty good. Smelled pretty peachy, but it was pretty mild. While there was no hibiscus, there was rose hips which are still tart, but not as much. So I like this tea, for an herbal. It was fine hot and once it cooled, so it is a versatile one. I might get some for summer, but I dunno. I like it but i don’t love it. It would be a nice one for evenings at home though. So maybe…

Don’t like it hot very much. It is not bad but there’s something weird about it, but it has cooled now, and it is MUCH better. Interesting that the tea seems to be a mix of Vanilla Orchid and Coconut Oolong, only with a white base. Also, the coconut seems different in this blend than other teas like Checkmate, but it is like the coconut in Coconut Oolong. I don’t know if this is an ongoing trend or not.

This in an interesting blend for sure. It sort of tastes like a heartier version of Cocomint Cream. This is definitely something that works better cold, or iced, rather than hot, but it is ok lukewarm too.

It is juicy, minty, light, and refreshing. I think that I will enjoy the rest of my small sample, and I might restock this.

Giving this sample a go today, as I am out of milk right now. Thanks to Angel at Teavivre for sending me this one to try…she knows I like oolongs.

My first attempt, I think I let the water cool too much, and possibly under-leafed this as well. I got a much lighter and thinner liquor than I was expecting. I’m tasting something though, but I am unable to put my finger on it. It seems possibly fruity or buttery or brothy but maybe a little of it all?

Although I have a second steep coming, with hotter water and more leaf, so I can compare then if it was my steeping parameters or not. Water had cooled a few minutes (maybe 5?) and I did a 3 minute steep. this current steep I am using just boiled water and a 2 minute steep. We will see.

I am very intrigued by this tea though. The leaves are long, thin, and spindly…and the colour is a dark green with a slight purple tinge to them, I think. Someone said seaweed, and I think that is a good descriptor.

http://campl.us/gyF5P8XSsKq

What do you think?

EDIT FOR RE-STEEP:

So I used more leaf, hotter water, and less steeping time and I got a stronger brew. I’m not sure if that was for the better or not. I feel like I have gone in the opposite direction now and it is too strong a steep. I feel like I need something in between. I’m not getting sweet potato, but I am getting a saliva inducing feeling in my mouth. I am still tasting something fruity, but I am not sure. It doesn’t seem peachy to me, but someone mentioned grape, and I think maybe I am getting a raisin note, or plum or tart cherry, because I am getting a little bit of astringency with the juicy mouthfeel. There is a little smokiness too, I think, along with a mild floral note.

I think that I need to play around with the steeping parameters on this one still, to get the optimal balance of flavours I am looking for.

Yum! Full details later.

EDIT: So it is quite some time later. I feel like rather than backlog and try to get in the mindset I was in this morning when I had this tea, I better just have another cuppa in the morning and write my tasting then, so it is more accurately described. But I can say I really enjoyed this one today.

I’m gonna pull a shmiracles with this post, but first let me thank Angel at Teavivre for letting me try this tea.

First of all, as it has been said in other reviews, this tea comes in a vacuum sealed bag inside another vacuum sealed bag. Upon opening the inner bag, the tea immediately makes way into your senses. The smell is fresh, clean, buttery and floral, and the colour is an amazing vibrant green. Like all TGY teas, the leaves of this one are tightly rolled and they open up once they hit the hot water.

Is this not gorgeous?? Assuming it is visible outside the realms of Facebook.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/946045_10151409451372374_318358809_n.jpg

Drinking this tea, I thought of a song called “Shimmering, Warm, and Bright” by Bel Canto (a Norwegian band).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugnDTJXpSw0

I’m drinking this infusion plain, no sugar or anything. I do tend to drink my lighter oolongs plain, or with a very small amount of sweetener. I can pick up a smooth buttery feeling, slightly drying, and a light and somewhat sweet floral note. There is also a slight savoury taste, like roasted nuts or something. Whatever it is, it is all very good! I hope to get more steeps. Next time I think I may start with a shorter steep time, and build up as I re-steep.

Thanks again for letting me try this tea!

OMG NOM NOM NOM!!!

I only have one serving left of this tea, after today’s steeping, but….I have a whole ounce on order with our group order! w00t w00t!! Because the order is nearly in, I decided to have this one again, and oh, I am soooo happy! I even took a picture of the loos dry leaves on my bamboo spoon and posted to Facebook, because, guys, it seriously is one gorgeous tea.

I am having dinner on my own tonight, so that’s really an excuse to eat what I want, and since DH doesn’t like a lot of stuff I do (especially if it is healthy) so he’d never eat what I got. His loss really, as it is very good (yes, I’m still eating it). Anyway, I have some of this tea left over from when I made it before going to the store, so it has cooled off a bit, but it is perfect to go with my meal.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942904_10151403702307374_933811281_n.jpg

Three specialty salads from the deli (roasted yam with spinach, feta, and almonds and a dijon dressing; legume salad with lemon basil dressing; and santa fe couscous salad), seared fresh wild salmon, blackberries and a tangerine, plus a small cup of butternut squash soup. It makes me wish for more dinners on my own! It is yummy and healthy!

So yeah, the freshness of the cantaloupe and the lightness of the white base, really balance out this meal.

Decided to have this one today, since our weather has been very pleasant for the last week, and strawberry and lemon sounded nice. It was a toss up between this one and Long Island Strawberry from Steam, but in the end, I didn’t want to fuss with the temperament of a green today, and I also wanted a bit of a caffeine jolt to help my head feel better since I am still sick (but on the mend).

This one comes from OMGsrsly from our tea swap and meetup a few months ago now. I have been saving it for nice weather, so today was the day. It was slightly floral and fruity, and I definitely got a strong black base. I initially started it without milk, but with a spoon of sugar, but later added milk.

I can’t say it is my favourite since I picked up more of the black than the fruit, but it could be my weakened senses from being sick. I’m keen to try this blend again, when I am not sick, and maybe from another vendor too.

Having this one iced! I do feel it is better iced than hot, but it will probably not be replaced regularly. There are plenty of other teas, green or otherwise, that I prefer iced, but there’s always that chance I will have a hunkering for it one day, and it will be the perfect thing.

SIPDOWN…this is the last of the sample from OMGsrsly from the swap, and again, chose this one more for comfort and medicinal qualities. Normally, this is something I would reserve for fall or winter, but since I am awake, and unable to nap, I opted for this one to follow Hot Toboggan. Again, this one was chosen for it’s spices to help warm me up and help me feel better. It’s hard to tell, since I am so congested, but this one does taste sightly more pumpkin pie-like, rather than pumpkin pie spice-like, like Pumpkin Chai from the other DT. I’m not sure the subtle taste in them is enough to warrant me getting this one again, unless DAVIDs doesn’t return Pumpkin Chai this fall, or bring out something similar. Being sick makes me wish I had some Saigon Chai from DAVIDs though…

Chosen for medicinal purposes…I have the plague, and was trying to nap, so I didn’t want something too caffeine-y, but something with spice for my sinuses. Ear pressure got too bad though, and I had to get up. It’s good for this. I’m glad I have some. Thanks again to ShayneBear for this sample.

Tea to go today…wanted to see how this differs from Daydreamer, and I’m sad to say, not much, really. They are slightly different, but not different enough. I think I would have preferred this blend added to a white or light/green oolong base for something a little different.

Can I say which I like better? Nope. They are both sooooo similar. Will I stock either again? Maybe.

I’ve been waiting for the right time to give this sample from ShayneBear a try. Today seemed like the right day. Even though it is lovely outside, inside, I feel congestion and sinus pressure, and I am sneezing. I also woke up to a sore throat. So I figured the peppercorns and peppermint would be good for my congestion and sinus issues, the black tea would help me stay conscious so I can go out to do an errand or two downtown, and the chocolate and candy cane lips are purely for my emotional well being. :P

So I like this tea!! I don’t know why I waited so long to try it. Perhaps it is because of the mint, because I admit I am very picky about mint in my teas. I know this is one of the signature teas they have at DAVIDs, and it is included in just about every sample collection…ha!!

The mint and chocolate do balance very nicely, and I do feel a little tingle on my tongue that can only be from the peppercorns. Everything seems well balanced here, and I am enjoying this cuppa with milk and sugar, which is extra comforting to me. I’m grateful for the generous sample of this. YAY!

I’m probably gonna re-steep the leaves for a second batch for my Timolino or kids mug, get dressed, and head downtown for those few errands while it is nice out.

So, I have had a bit of a love affair with this tea again! I am loving it sooooo much! I have been having some hard and stressful days at work lately, and this tea is to me what Bear Trap is for ShayneBear. I think it is calming and light and nutty and sweet, and…just perfect. I had to get some to try at home again, after my to go cup recently, and I have been very diligent about setting a timer to not overstep it. I think that 4 minutes seems to be alright. I might play with longer or shorter steep times.

I would say that the only downside to this tea right now are that the tea is bulky because of the popcorn, so it is hard to gage how much 1 1/2 tsp is, and in the bag, it is hard to get a good mix of ingredients. For this last part, I might opt for a tin, even though I have no space for one. Would a larger bag help here, you think?

Anyway, yes….REFILLING! One of my new faves!

Mmmmmm, I am soooo glad I got more of this tea. It is actually my first tea from DAVIDs and I remember feeling a little disappointed that it tasted mostly like apple, and less like popcorn or green tea, but having had a number of teas from DAVIDs now, I see this tea in a whole new light, and I love it. So long as I don’t over steep it or have the water too hot for it to turn bitter. I do let it steep a little longer though, as I think that brings the popcorn and green tea flavours out more. I was also disappointed at the lack of leaf compared to apples and popcorn, but now I just don’t care. :P This makes it a perfect tea for later at night when you want a tea with less caffeine content, and I would say since there is less leaf, there has to be less caffeine too. I also think the starches from the popcorn aid in some way too. I have fallen in love with this tea! I can see it in my future for the next several months, as I think it is a great spring and summer tea, and it does work well iced too. Whether or not it will be hearty enough as my morning tea in the late fall and winter, I don’t know yet. I will be getting lots more of this, also, because it weighs so little, you can get a lot of it and not pay as much. I got 26g of this and paid $3 and change, whereas for the 24g of Gold Rush, it was over $5.

Perfectly light and sweet for a gorgeous day like today, however, I do think I did slightly under-steep it a little. I also ate all the yummy mulberries afterward. It’s a pricy tea to have lots of, but I might get a full bag and alternate it with other less pricy teas so I don’t burn through it too fast.

Not seduced. It was bitter. I did get a slightly floral juicy note, but that was it. Happy it was free with my Timolino for Earth Day yesterday.

This is still really good though my preparation is definitely lacking. I tried something else today, which kind of worked, but I accidentally added more water than I had wanted to, so it is still feeling a bit thin and weak after adding the milk to make it a latte. Still, I’m getting plenty of caramel taste and aroma from the matcha. I’m still having trouble with getting it to froth right, so I definitely want to pick up a proper matcha making kit from somewhere (taking suggestions, but so far leaning towards David’s) because even in my cereal bowl, using all of my whisks, I didn’t really get a sustaining froth. The only thing I got was sore arms. I do want to add matcha into my routine, but I need to get better at preparing it. I wonder if Jaga Silk does classes on making it at home? I know ShayneBear will help too.

This matcha, and I am sure the other RLT matchas, make me want to learn better. I know we plan on a group buy, so I want to get better before then.