Hesper June

I got my Whispering Pines Tea order in the mail today.
I have been wanting to try this tea since Brenden first introduced it.
So badly have I been wanting to try this, that even though I live 40 minutes away from where my mail arrives, and even though I still had a day of running around and doing errands to do, I actually drove all the way back home to prepare this tea and put it in a go mug.
( I would not admit this to many people, but, I know you dear fellow Steepsters understand this tea-driven bit of craziness )
Now, if I had not been listening to Sense and Sensibility on audio book in the car and if I had turned on the tv or radio once I got home, instead of dancing impatiently ’round the kettle I would have heard the major storm warnings, and the telling people to stay off the roads.
Instead, I left the house, noticed that it was a rather black looking sky (where we live every couple of days it looks as if our world may end, we get storms blowing through from Nevada, Utah, Montana and Wyoming…when to be scared is when those storms collide with one another, such as today)
Just as I was getting to the bit in the book where Marianne insists on taking a walk even though its stormy, and as the audio book lady said “suddenly the clouds united over their heads and a driving rain set full in their faces”,blinding sheets of rain and hail hit my car fast!
I could barely see, but thought I saw a turn out or a dirt road or something other than the main highway I was on, so I pulled off as far as I could and waited out the storm, which lasted 20 minutes.
Lightening struck all around me.
It was frightening, BUT I had hot tea.
To distract myself from probable electrocution I concentrated on the tasting of the tea.
I am not one for chocolate flavored teas.
Then why on earth did you want to try this tea so badly, I am sure you are asking, because it is as I hoped, not really exactly like chocolate.
Its more roasty and toasty, more like toasted nuts.
Has notes of oak and seaweed.
Its rich and dark and unexpected.
And yet, still not losing one bit of its oolong-ness.
Although a Mr. Willoughby did not come to my rescue, I had something better accompanying me during the storm.
I very much look forward to drinking more of this tea…from the safety of my arm chair at home.

Another sample courtesy of the lovely High Adventure
The dry leaf smelled like…candy?
Once brewed it comes off more fruity in smell.
Taste is bright and fruity.
It really reminds me of summertime!
I wonder how it would taste cold brewed?
But, right now, I am enjoying this hot on this bright June morn.

Another sample from the lovely High Adventure
I was a little surprised that the bergamot was the first thing I smelled, I was thinking the floral would be the most present.
But, the taste surprised me even more, a soft almost sweet floral taste with a finish that has a bit of spice.
Wow! What a tea!
Very glad that I got the chance to try this.
Thanks again, High Adventure:)

The last couple of weeks have been rather hellish.
Hubby banned me to the house for today though.
He has been up since 1 this morning baling hay, and normally I would go out at dawn to start water on our farm fields.
But, I injured my shoulder and back this week so far.
But what hurts the most is the blisters on my feet, how can something so small be so plaguing?
I got up early anyway to catch up on laundry and dishes.
Sat down for a moment with a cup of tea and put the heating pad on my shoulder, and promptly fell asleep.
Awoke to a cold cup of tea, chugged that while I heat the kettle for this.
This is a sample from the lovely High Adventure
She was kind enough to send me lots of samples, which I have not had a chance to try.
This dry leaf smells fruity and a little spicy.
When I hurt, I always seem to reach to the teas with a bit of spice in them, apparently they are comforting to me.
This is only the third Kusmi tea I have ever tried.
Tea smells like a spicy earl grey.
But, the taste is a bit milder.
A bit of orange and bergamot on the tongue.
Not strong, not offensive and is almost a smidgen too polite.
I would be okay with more of a spice kick to this tea.
But, it is tasty and seems to be be comforting the soul and body.
What on earth would we do without tea?
I am certain I do not know.
Thank you, High Adventure!

A bracing malty cuppa!
Another tea sample I purchased from Upton awhile ago.
Just getting around to trying it.
You can certainly smell the assam.
I made as recommended by Upton.
212 @ 3 minutes.
I did not think 3 minutes would be enough, but it is plenty strong.
It would hold up to milk or cream well.
A great breakfast tea to have on hand.

This morning, I am enjoying the last little crumb of this tea, that I received from Sil
One of these days I am going to just have to break down and order from Verdant.
This tea makes me want to bake something.
It smells a little like bread baking. (one of my favorite smells in the world)
There is a sweetness to the smell and taste that reminds me of brown sugar.
Then at the back of the throat I get a tinge of clove.
Very lovely tea for any time of the day.
I have throughly enjoyed it, Thank you Sil for sharing:)

Ahhh, this is just lovely.
I do believe this is the Rose I have been searching for.
When you open the tin, you are transformed into a English Rose Garden.
Not much more to say, except I like it.
If you are looking for a subtle rose tea, than this is not it.
But, if you don’t like timidity, and like your rose tall and proud, then grab up a wee bit of this.

For a anniversary gift, My mother gifted me with some lovely Moroccan Tea Glasses.
They are turquoise and gold and just plain gorgeous.
So, thought I, how can I possibly use these glasses for anything else without first using them as they were originally intended…for tea! (translation: Yah! an excuse to buy tea!)
So, I ordered this from Upton. A proper big tin of it too.
We are real glad I did too.
Because it is over in my gypsy wagon (a camper where we have been living and will be living most of this summer) and after a long morning in a hot field (yes, its hot here already, reaching above 90 degrees) this tea cold-brewed has absolutely hit the spot.
I have also enjoyed it hot.
Hubby even loves this tea, he will be out in the field, and stare up at the sun and say “can’t wait to get back to the camper and have a large, cold glass of that minty tea”
I might have to place another order of it soon, we are flying through the big tin much faster than I expected.
I miss you all! Since living over in a camper most of the time without wifi or anything, I can not write to you all.
But, I am thinking of you each time I have a cuppa.
I bought a little kettle and tea cups from a thrift store and I have a little tea chest over there in the camper.
My hubby makes fun of me.
He says that most people might bring some tea bags, but no, I have teapots and a tea chest of loose tea.
I tell him just because we are living in a camper does not give me the excuse for missing out on a proper cuppa.

I can not believe that it is almost May.
I feel like I have already lived through a year, with everything that has happened to me so far this year.
Especially, with my health.
More things have occurred, and I keep waiting for my brain to catch up.
I told my Hubby the other day, I guess this is the year of finding out whats wrong and finding solutions.
Part of me is relieved.
I have not felt well for awhile now, and to have someone tell me, that yes, there is something wrong with you.
Well, it meant I was not crazy after all.
Anyway,my days are filled with work, doctor’s appointments and other typical errands.
But, I still make time for tea.
This morning, I decided that I wanted to try this tea.
Chocolate and Earl Grey for a Monday. Sounds perfect.
I was surprised to see all the other items in the tea tin with the dry leaf.
Chocolate chunks and orange peel and flowers.
Smelled tasty though.
The tea is actually quite yummy.
I was afraid the chocolate would over power my beloved bergamot, but it does not, in fact it almost compliments the bergamot.
I am usually not a fan of messing with my earl, I like him strong and a little rough.
But, this Earl is quite nice, and I would not mind indulging in him now and than.
Happy Monday, Folks!

Good Morning, Steepster!
I am starting my day with this tea.
When the tea is brewing I get hints of chocolate and tobacco.
First taste is brisk then a spicy, earth tone comes out.
Notes of avocado, perhaps?
I seem to enjoy this tea on days that I am not rushing out the door.
Since, it gets the job done of waking you up, but not in quite a bracing manner as an Assam.
A great tea to sip while catching up with letter writing.
Have a beautiful Thursday, friends!

The last week has not been stress free by any means.
So, when I got up this morning, I remembered this tea from my Upton order.
I have tried a lavender earl in the past (by Revolution Tea) and liked it.
But, when I opened the little sample tin of this, I grew frightened.
I like lavender, don’t get me wrong, but that was all I could smell.
I cried out “Earl, honey? You even in there”
No response, so I poured over the hot water and waited…the lavender is not nearly as strong(thank goodness) as the dry leaf.
It mellowed out some and I can smell the bergamot.
Lavender does hit your tongue first.
The bergamot takes the back seat in this brew, but is still there.
You have to like lavender to like this tea.
Right now, it is hitting the spot for me though.
I can feel the tension leaving my temples.
This tea would be lovely for a afternoon tea break at work.
Come at me, world. I am ready.

Tomorrow I go to the doctor and get retested to see if the liquid restriction helped.
If it did not, then I have something else, perhaps something bigger going on with me.
If it did help, then I am going to have to keep my liquid levels down still.
(sigh) Between and rock and a hard spot for sure.
Anyway, I am trying this tea for the first time, and when I opened up the little sample tin, I said. “Ohhhhh”
It smelled like a orange cream dessert.
But, at the same time I was drooling over the scent, I was also frightened.
I mean, I am a bit of a Earl Grey devotee.
Once brewed, the sugary orangey custardy odor toned down some, and I could smell my good ol’ bergamot shining through.
Taste still reminds me of cake or custard.
This tea is good, very tasty indeed.
But, in some sense, I am having a hard time thinking it a Earl Grey at all.
It taste more like a good quality flavored dessert tea.
But, I do like it, and will happily finish the rest of the sample.
Have a great Tuesday, you all!

Mama said there would be days like this. There would be days like this, Mama Said.
Sleep eluded me last night.
So grumble, mumble, fumble for any tin of tea.
Open it and take a whiff, ah…its the Earl.
He will make the day better for sure.
Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQlImg2bm28
Because now I know you are humming it;)
Happy Saturday, all you awesome Steepster folks.

Awhile ago, the gracious Ashmanra gave me a lovely Twinings Rose blend tea.
I adored it.
So, I ordered this tea.
The first time I tried it I was both surprised and slightly disappointed.
I am assuming that the Twinings tea has some added flavoring.
This tea does not.
Which results in it not having that high rose perfume-y odor and taste.
(which tasted like drinking a rose garden on a summer afternoon)
This tea is different.
Its lightly floral with a hint of spice.
It is certainly good quality black tea, with a bit brightness.
For some reason this tea makes me think of the Dowager Countess.
I am not sure why, her name is Violet after all, not Rose.
But, the character of this tea really reminds me of her.
Always ladylike, bright, and a bit of spice and like the grand lady herself…I was not sure if I liked it at first, but it grew on me.
I think I would still like to find a more floral (perfume-y?) rose tea.
But, I will enjoy this while I have it.

Hello,All!
I hope you lovely folks are having a lovely Spring so far.
I am still on a liquid restriction, but this morning I wanted this tea.
Awhile ago (before the great dry period of 2013) I ordered from Upton.
I ordered a bunch of their sample packs, which most are sitting untouched.
But, Hubby and I have tried this tea and really enjoyed it, and today I awoke thinking of it, so I muttered “Screw you, Doctor Mark” and made myself a cup.
And not my tiny amount of tea, an actual mug of this tea.
Its malty, chocolately and some slight figgy fruityness
No milk or sugar in it for me, but I certainly think it would stand up well to some.
This is a tea that seems quite manly to me.(My hubby enjoys it)
It is robust, and full flavored but it also does not have tart tannins.
Just lots of eyelid opening flavor.
Perfect for a brisk spring morning:)

Drinking this today.
I went to the doctor this week and had a recheck…I am now on even more of a liquid restriction.
Which is truly frustrating to me.
So, this is why I have not been on here much, folks.
I am not drinking much tea (although, I am getting really good at brewing tiny amounts of tea…it looks I am having a tea party for fairies;)
And reading all your delightful reviews makes me feel pouty that I can not drink (which is something I just need to get over)
Still liking this tea. In fact its growing more and more on me.
Although, any tea I enjoy now a days feels almost naughty to be indulging in.
I am hoping that all these health issues clear up soon.
Missing you all and my lovely tea too:(

I had a bit of this tea left and I could not resist the ice cream recipe I found.
(Hubby gave me an awesome ice cream maker for our anniversary)
So, I made Caramel Matcha Ice Cream.
Oh, heavenly days, was it a dream.
I am ashamed to say that Hubby and I ate the whole batch minutes after the ice cream maker finished making it.
It was so creamy and dreamy and green!
I know this is not a tea drinking review, but if you have a chance to make some matcha ice cream, I say do it!
My recipe was custard based.

I have waited a really long time to try this tea.
A Big Thank You to SIL for giving me a sample so I can finally try this much loved (at least by Steepster folks) tea.
And I thought this would be a good tea to re-introduce myself back into the tea tasting world.
Yes, I do think I finally beat this horrid upper respiratory flu thing that had me down for nearly 3 weeks now.
I still get horrible coughing attacks that last about 10 minutes, but I believe my full taste and smell has returned.
I could not keep my nose out of the brew basket when I was making this tea.
It smelled SO good brewing!
I smelt chocolate and avocados, some earthiness and something sweet.
Wow! If this tea tastes half as good as it smells, I am really in for a treat.
Then the dreaded wait time till it cools enough that I can sip.
The color is stunning, such a rosy gold, it so lovely to look at sitting in my bodum cup.
Taste is more delicate than I thought it might be, however that does not mean it lacks flavor.
Chocolate and honey.
Avocado and wood.
Floral and creamy.
Baked goods and earth.
This tea has it all, gently unfolding in taste, like a journey where you are not sure what is around the corner.
This tea is a real treat and is well deserved of its Steepster love.
Thank you so much Sil, for giving me the chance to try such a delightful brew.

I am feeling better and stronger today and was thinking that this afternoon I would do some long overdue tea tastings.
But, alas when I drank some of this tea with my lunch and it tasted and smelled like hot water…I realized that my smell and taste still have not returned.
HUGE SIGH
But, I am glad I am finally healing and I am not coughing the entire night now.
Someday, I shall return to you all with taste buds and a nose…someday.
Read previous review for how this tea really tastes:)

Blah.Blah.Blah.
I thought I was better, but alas I was fooled.
I did too much too quickly and my nasty flu thing came back with a vengeance.
Not sure why when the throat aches and the nose runs, I reach for this tea.
It just soothes the spirit.
I can’t wait till I smell and taste and get back to reviewing all these delicious teas I have around, but for now, I have a mug of this, a new book and snuggly pets.
See previous notes for more on this tea.

Too much water.
That is what my doctor after numerous visits decided was why I am anemic and lacking iron and other minerals in my body.
And sadly, I have one of those smart doctor’s, who knew that I drank tea and knew that it is not a dehydrating as soda or coffee.
Plus, that I still drink a fair amount of water in a day.
So, he decided that all the minerals were getting flushed out of my body.
He told me to cut back to my total amount of water (tea included) to 3 quarts a day.
Drat.
Then this last weekend, I finally got that horrid flu thing that has been going around (probably because I have been in the doctor’s office so much)
Which, weirdly enough, the flu did not bother me as much as cutting back on my tea consumption.
I just can’t believe it, most Americans do not drink enough and are constantly dehydrated, but me…no.
Anyway, I really wanted a Chai tea this morning, since I am still drippy, coughy and achy.
Chai always hits the spot.
But, alas, I am totally out of Chai tea!
How did I let this happen!?
I remembered this tea that I received in food basket at Christmas.
I was so surprised when I pulled this out of the basket, especially since its loose leaf. Most gift teas are bags.
But, I was glad!
Anyway, on to the tea.
Orangey black tea is the first aroma, slightly robust smelling.
A real orange smell, not bergomonty.
Then, the spices emerge, cloves and cinnamon.
Taste is orange and spicy.
The black tea taste not as strong as it smelled
This is not a chai. Does not even resemble one, but it is hot and slightly spicy.
I do not consider it a waste of my alloted tea water for the day.
I tried to log on a couple times last week but each time, steepster must have been having some problems.
Glad to see you all are still here:)

This tea experience was provided by the gracious Ashmanra
All these teas that she sent me, make me hungry for some European pastry that I have never had.
Which I know makes no sense, but seriously they make me think of some delightful decadent morsel.
I read about this tea before I brewed up a cup, so I knew what it was supposed to smell/taste like, but was still surprised when I stuck my nose close and inhaled…Figgy goodness galore!
It brought an immediate memory to mind.
A few years ago, before I got married, I cared for a 90 year old blind woman named Mary.
She was originally a teacher from California, but after she went blind she moved to Idaho to be closer to her daughter.
Her son still lived in California, and he had a Fig Tree in his yard, and would send her fresh figs.
Opening that box for her was always a delight, the smell that hit your face was like sugar and sunshine.
This tea has that same delightful odor.
There is a definite floral note to this as well, but nothing overpowers the other.
It really feels like I am sitting in a Californian garden…although I can’t say for sure, since that is something I have never done.
This tea is fairly dark in color.
I just brewed it for 3 minutes, but it is a dark burgundy.
First taste is actually lavender, which was weird, because my nose kept smelling fig, but it was unmistakably lavender in taste.
After that first sip, I could taste the Yunnan tea and then floral notes, as well, as citrus mixed in with the sweet figgy-ness of it all.
What a beautiful tea, and for some reason I keep associating it with California.
Maybe they should have a State Tea?
Thank you again, Ashmanra for sharing with me!

I love when a tea renders me speechless, or at least at a loss of words.
When I smelled this tea I just kept saying “Oh!” and “Mmmm!” and a few “ahhhss” were thrown in for good measure.
And this was all before I even had tasted it yet.
There was something so delightful yet familiar about the odor of this tea, although, I had never had it before, in fact this is my very first Verdant Tea, A huge thank you to Sil for giving me this to try!
So, since I was savoring its odor and had to wait for it to cool some before sipping I decided to read some reviews.
I think I am getting the cacao nib smell, and the malted milk too.
I think that is why this tea seemed familiar, comforting in fact.
This is a tea that hugs you back.
I do get the hints of avocado and jasmine too, which are both things that I just adore.
On first sip, I thought “Oh! Avocado for sure”
But then the second sip, I tasted cacao nibs.
More sips brought out all sorts of flavors from malt to floral.
Wow! What a tea.
I see from past reviewers that more steeps bring out more flavors as well.
What a delicious and delightful tea.
And since others have said it better than me, I think I will just go and enjoy this wonderful brew.
But…I am going to leave you all with two things…buy this tea because its the bomb, and thank you again Sil for sharing!

I have been drinking a lot of this lately.
Which is why I have not been seen on here as much.
I like this tea, but I have to admit, I have been drinking it a bit more for the health and diet benefits.
I actually have been seeing some weight loss due to drinking this tea.(by this tea, I mean Pu-erh itself, just not this particular tea by S&V)
I have missed drinking other teas,but I am loving that the waist line on my jeans are lose!
Upping the rating because of this new development,plus the taste is growing on me more and more:)
See previous note for more.