Indigobloom

Thanks to Ninavampi for the sample!!
This was… interesting. Hot, it didn’t taste like much so I kept the bag in a little too long, hoping to eke some flavour out. It got a tad bitter, but not overly so. Apparently it’s a Genmaicha? something faintly ricey going on. Hmmm. Now that I think about it, the bag did have bits of white in it. Must have been the kernels!
Anyhow, I had another tea on the go as well, so this was cooler than I normally like by the time I go to my cuppa.
However, it changed profiles as it chilled! Somehow, it became more floral than any Genmaicha I’ve ever had. Not bad!!
Of course, this now means I inadvertently had two Gens in one day. shrugs

On a side note, I am off to organize my cupboard! yay! this is gonna take awhile.

This is an awesome rooibos. Slightly floral with a zing, and a barely noticeable bitter edge (moreso as it cools).
The fruity part plays nicely with the floral, creating a candy like taste. Not quite cotton candy, but definitely something fluffy and soft!
When I run out of rooibos blends to try, this will be on my repurchase list.
and yes, I can hear you all chuckling. AS IF there will ever be a shortage of teas to sample. Ha!

Another tea I KNOW I’ve written notes for and yet I can’t find them.
I’ve noticed that if you click on the heart/likes link, it will take you to the review and show you others from that person but that is not the case here. That’s frustrating, because I would really like to compare this to my previous notes. There are a dozen pages of notes on this one. I’d really rather not go through every one just to find my own. Le sighs.
Bah!!! Sorry for the rant. I’m not in a terrible mood I swear!
So on to the tea.
It’s not bad, a little fake tasting, but decent enough. Another one that lists artificial ingredients now where it didn’t when I bought it (a serious pet peeve of mine! grrrrr)
It’s mint and chocolate all rolled together, though I’m not sure how much spice the peppercorns add.
For me, this must be had with milk and a dash of sugar, and really hits the spot when I’m craving it.
Overall, a great starter tea for anyone just getting into looseleaf :)

Muchos gracias to Azzrian for this delightful Genmaicha!
I don’t often make it at home because I often end up having some when I go out for sushi, but then when I do, I always remember how much better it is when made with fresh loose leaves and rice!
This is so warm and comforting and just like a big hug or chicken soup. The roasty toasty rice aspect really reaches down to that happy tea place, and then I am hit with a sweet finish that takes me by surprise every time.
I’m on my second steep now and I think it’s better than the first. Really enjoying this cuppa. Is it sweeter somehow? I think it is! Now I am wondering if I added sugar and forgot, but I really don’t think I did. If this is naturally sweet, it is darn good!
Anyhow, thanks again Azzrian for the “hug”!

Oh noes!!! they discontinued this one?! agh, one of the few teas I was actually considering another order of. (something I haven’t done for almost a year now)
Because some days, there is nothing more satisfying than a nice big cuppa gingery oolong yumminess. No sugar required, goes for many many steeps. Seriously, what more do I need?
I think I crave this when my body needs the extra nutrients. I might have to send RL an email…

Ok I know I’ve logged this before. How is it that I can’t find my review? Sad, I was hoping to refresh my thoughts, build on my previous notes. Hmph.
Anyhow, this is a great tea, thanks so much to Amy Oh for the sample!!
It’s like drinking cinnamon hearts. Very tasty.
In my mind, I feel as if I should be drawing comparisons between this and the DT version. Here goes! :)
This one is smoother, and truer to the candy heart, with a Ceylon astringency to follow. There is also a pleasing cinnamon/refreshing aftertaste. The DT version, as far as I can remember, is a bit rougher, earthier, and has more depth.
If I had to choose between the two, I suspect the Arbor version would win though I’d have to do a side by side comparison to be sure. Then again, the DT version has Pu-erh in it, which makes it healthier, technically. Wait a sec, I just double checked the website and it now has artificial flavouring!? Uncool!! now, does this mean it always had fake chemicals in it, and they’ve now updated the ingredients, or has the formula been revamped? Bah. I think I have some of this lying around somewhere, but it’s really old.
Either way, with my milk and sugar, in true dessert tea form, I am really enjoying this cuppa. Thanks again Amy!!

Thanks CHAroma for the sample!!
Now this was a mint black tea experience I’ve never had before. Rather sweet on it’s own and very potent! I can taste the spear and pepper separately, and I think I prefer them on their own, atleast when mixed with a black base?
Almost overpowering of the base. But… it’s mint, so I don’t mind.
I heart mint!

Mucho thanks to whomever sent my the sample bag of this tea!! it was really interesting.
A dark, roasty oolong with a smokey shadow hanging over it, and a refreshing finish.
I haven’t decided how I feel about smoke in my oolongs yet though. Would have to try more to figure it out :)

Big thanks to CHAroma for this sample! wow, it is amaaaazing.
Ok, well more like the third and fourth cups were that good. First one was just ok, second I had with milk and sugar which made it super tasty…
Third was really salty so I added some sugar to balance it out. Almost a salty paste. Imagine a really salty hummus, but without the hummus. I know that makes no sense but there you have it.
There was a leathery note as well that I loved in later steepings, along with another note that I am having trouble defining.
It was very smooth, velvet even. It was as if someone took very soft leather and translated that into a flavour, but deeper.
And was that a hint of rose in the third infusion? just barely, but yes, it was there!
Ahhhh, to be tea-high once again. It’s a glorious feeling :D
Thanks again CHAroma!!

Have you ever had a tea you surprised by a tea, and couldn’t decide if you adored or hated it?
When really hot, (as hot as white tea can get anyhow) that is where this cuppa was for me.
The tea itself is beautiful though. Safflower and Marigold petals, and some sort of red petal as well. and maybe fennel? I’d have to take a closer look. The liquor was a pale neon green/yellow.
Sadly, as it cooled, it turned into the soapiest, fake lemon kitchen cleaner concoction I have EVER had.
Wow. It even had that biting zing that soap imparts.
On a positive note, I managed to finish the cup and now have a bit of a tea high. Too much caffeine? ha! go figure. Too bad the gods themselves couldn’t convince me to steep this oddity again.

That said… After my glowing review, would anyone like to try the rest of my sample? it’s not for me, but there must be those out there who would enjoy it :)

BIG thank you to Azzrian for this sample!
Best served lukewarm!
This is the second time I made this, the first time drunk hot and oversteeped (3-4 min). It was terrible!
But… then I cut the steep time down and it got a little better. Added 1/4 tsp sugar and the burnt taste seemed to mellow out.
And then! as the cup cooled, it got really good!! ohmygoodness, the creamy custard really came out. Only a hint of strawberry but hey I don’t mind. This is fantastic!
SO glad I discovered the proper way to enjoy this delightful creation. I usually prefer my tea hot, so this is a surprise for me! walking upstairs with my tea, I was preparing to give this a ho hum rating. Lucky I checked my email first or I’d have alot of editing to do :)

BTW… for weeks the site has been bugged up, and I’ve been unable to view my notices. I’d click on them and nothing happened! then today, they are all gone. All 1600 of them… so if I’ve missed any comments, please forgive me! Ignorance is not bliss I tell ya :)

I couldn’t make a note under the other entry for this tea so I made a new one.
No way was this gem from the Traveling tea box going un-noted!
I think I oversteeped it a tad as it was a hair bitter, but some sugar spruced it right up.
The base is nice and strong, but not in a bold way, more like a sturdy sortof “notice me!” way that really holds up against the citrus. The orange peel adds a depth I didn’t expect, and the aroma is especially pleasant.
I rather enjoyed the cup, it was comforting and refreshing, and wouldn’t mind having it in my cupboard, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy some.

OK so I’ve been trying to add a note for another tea I had this morning for ages and it refuses to load! Hmm.
Anyhow, had this mixed with Butterscotch. Yummm. but I couldn’t taste much of the matcha. Oh well. It gave me energy!

Really hit the spot this morning! a little plastic-ish, since it’s getting old already.

Ohhh man this is just what I needed. Yup, really enjoying my cuppa. It’s going down fast. Already time to make a second cup :)
Edit: After two resteeps… Oh yes this will be a repurchase. Could almost be a standard tea, I will never tire of! Raising the rating a few points

Sipdowwwwn Sunday! With Dad’s help, I managed to get three down and made progress on some others. They were mostly samples though. And I suppose saying “three” is kinda cheating since one of them is a Darjeeling I am planning to ice in the fridge for tomorrow. Nonethelss, prepare to be tea spammed :)
As for the tea, it was good. Malty but not as much as I’d like. Not surprising since this is over a year old.
Funny, I’m not sad to see this one go, despite the fond memories.

Bold. Black. Malty.
Not bad, but certainly not my fave. Loads better than Tims, which is my ultimate test as to whether I’d ever purchase it again.
I love malty teas, but not so much when they are bold. Ugh, I know that isn’t the right word to describe what I mean, but somehow I can’t place the flavour.
I guess it just feels more manly somehow, the way it closes a sip, right before swallowing.
There was a time when I equated malty and bold, but now I think they are different. Definitely not the same! One I like, the other… ehhhh not at all.
Of course, I added milk and sugar as always with an Assam. Which made it easier to gulp it down before hockey practice. Pretty sure that was the only reason I made it through 2.5hrs of drills and the game after.
Will have to remember this place next time I go. Right outside the subway station with a small selection of looseleaf!

There’s a new tea shop in town! in MY town. Oh yes, now I can go for tea whenever I want :)
Well, kindof. They don’t have much seating, but there is free wifi.
I happened upon the place on their opening day so they were in a rather jovial mood. The girl who served me was very sweet and gave me a bunch of free samples to try at home. This was one of them!
I’ll have to stop by one day soon and thank her. errr, everyone!(and then chat for an hour heh heh) There were about a dozen people there, celebrating their accomplishment. Champagne, cake, snacks. They went all out!.
Anyhow, this tea, well it’s great! the strawberry comes through in the first steep with a tart zing, refreshingly so, and isn’t overwhelming like the Teavana version. Oh and it really is much more natural. I really like it.
The base is smooth and a little chocolatey, not bready like most I find. Reminds me of King Pu-erh, which makes sense since they sell the straight version as well.
No sugar required either, though I added 1/4 tsp just to see what happened. It enhanced the strawberry, however wasn’t necessary so would be great either way.
Thank you Tea Factory for this tasty sample!!

2.5tsp caramel, 1.5tsp cheescake, plus some almond milk and 1/2tsp of sugar.
I had to make it a strong one so that it would fill up my large mug, and so it could overpower the almond! and it worked. Well mostly.
There was a little more almond than I would have liked but then the matcha was edging on bitterness. Hrm. How to fix that… think think think! (I heart Winnie)
I gave some to my aunt and you should have seen her eyes. They bugged out, it was too funny! but she had to reluctantly give the mug back because it was too late in the day for more caffeine. (she had coffee and I made a cuppa Curiosity brew) So, I’m making her one for breakfast :P
Anyhow, I have a job interview this morning and was full of nerves last night so couldn’t sleep! not good right before bedtime!
Really hoping I get it. It’s an HR/Marketing/Admin role so right up my alley. Oh man I want this…
(Somehow I forgot to post this? written last night so if you see any past/present tense confusion that’s why!)

Thanks for sharing CHAroma, this is a really tasty tea!!
I’m just not quite sure how to regard it. The marshmallow and lemon really goes well together, and I quite enjoy the taste… but to me, the aroma is that of bergamot, and well, we allll know about my little hate affair with the big Berg. In fact, when it was freshly hot, I could barely stand taking a sip. For that reason, it’s much better as it cools.
Taste wise, it reminds me a bit of Graveyard Mist, which could be due to their shared base tea, or is there some other ingredient that creates the same foggy effect?
Anyhow, the lemon and marshmallow round each other out perfectly. So much in fact that I’m not quite sure what to think. Does it remind me of lemon candy? or marshmallows? agh I can’t quite put my finger on it!!
Thanks again CHAroma!
Edit: on the second steep now and some of the smoothness is missing. Lowering the rating a hair. Of course, it’s still great tea!

I made this for myself and my coworker today. She’s been letting me foist tea on her all week, AND I get to choose! so I haven’t been logging notes much, since these are all teas I’ve a) already tried, b) I am choosing them for H, not me, and c) I’ve been a little harried!
Bah. So H, well, she loooved it. The peach notes really came through this time and I gotta say, it was GOOD. Dang good.
Anyhow, it was my last day at work so I was all over the place, saying my goodbyes, thinking of last minute training items etc. When it was all over, I needed a distraction, which was readily available in the form of a tea event! (you were missed Sil!)
http://ancienttearoads.eventbrite.com/?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=event_reminder&utm_term=event_title
It was amazing, I quite enjoyed it. So the event is free, but they wanted people to sign up for the “tea of the month” club, each of them a pu-erh. $15 for a 100g cake, including shipping. Not bad really. This will be one of the first things I do when I find a job.
The talk from Jeff was inspiring as well. He spoke about the people of Yunnan and about how the first tea of the month, he had trouble acquiring it, since the village people make only enough to sustain the village and send as occasional gifts.
There were pictures of said villagers available for purchase as well. Masterful, soul peering pictures that made me want to take them all home.
Anyhow, I am off to bed after a day that was longer than the Nile. Night all!

I wish I’d gotten more of this. Not much left in my packet, maybe two more cups. Something about the ginger and fruit just makes me swoon. Today I added a touch of honey and it really brought out some zing. Wow.

Had this with a friend after an amazing dinner at Joe’s.
As for this cuppa… Still good, but a little sour. Lowering the rating a bit as I think this was tried the first time before the Tsaa Sweet Temptation discovery.
Anyhow, I am waiting for my contract at work to finish. It keeps getting extended in little bits. I’m grateful for that, but… is it wrong that I’m getting antsy because I expected to have some time for organizing/cataloging my teas and now won’t have a chance/space for maybe two more weeks?? Seriously, I just want a week off with my teas! :D

Thank you so much to CHAroma for sharing!!
I had the Marshmallow Genmaicha earlier this week, and realized afterwards that well, I should have saved it to compare with this one. but alas I did not and here I am drinking this one all by it’s lonesome.
Anyhow, I’m surprised to like the Cherry version more than the Marshmallow.
I don’t get any rice flavour, but definitely something fruity, and faintly cherry. Cheesecake? I’m not so sure. Would need to try another few cups to suss that out.
Overall, I like this. Not love though. and… am I the only one who got a minty/cooling sensation from the Marshmallow version?!
In any case, I only have a few minutes. Sorry for the hasty note!