1759 Tasting Notes

79
drank Osmanthus Green by Ten Ren Tea
1759 tasting notes

My last few cups of this have been finicky. It seems too cold/hot water and over/understeeping make a big difference so I really need to watch for that sweet spot. That kinda sucks, considering I initially bought this as a convenience tea! Today, I finally got it right again. Not sure if its a sipdown or not, I may have one more bag kickin around. Either way, I’ll miss it! Need to find me another supply of osmanthus green. The oolong version I have at work isn’t very strong on the osmanthus

Fjellrev

Stupid convenience tea isn’t being so convenient now, is it?

Indigobloom

Nope!! That’s what I get for having high expectations of a green heh

Fjellrev

Haha I feel like I’m in the same boat, and that’s why I think I got tired of them and stopped buying them because it can be difficult to consistently steep them to my liking.

Indigobloom

Right?! except in my office we have the hot water heater that doesn’t go up to boiling. Which leaves me with rather few options. I’m kinda enjoying the challenge of finding teas that fit (and yet still frustrated, I guess it depends on mood lol)

Fjellrev

Ah yeah, that is quite the challenge. We have a Keurig at work that only dispenses hot water at a fixed temperature too so it can really limit a person.

Indigobloom

Oooh. Boiling? and does it taste ok. Hot water can atleast cool down a bit, which is what I do now (bring to boil and wait a minute or two for greens)

Fjellrev

I don’t even know for sure, but I wouldn’t say boiling. Maybe like 95°C? But either way, I do what you do anyway, just wait for a certain amount of time, even at home, and guess when to infuse certain teas.

Indigobloom

Yep. I have a temp control but it’s too big for my kitchen now and my family doesn’t care for it, so I’m saving it. No sense in wearing out the machine til I need it :P

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86

I cold brewed this the other day. SO GOOD! A ratings bump is in order. I wish I’d known this over the summer. Even though it means forgoing multiple infusions, I say its worthwhile, for me. It all comes out at once. Syrupy molasses, with a lemon edge, but more intense than usual.
The only thing I dislike about cold brews is that the chill really sets in to the liquid. I’ve never been a fan of super cold drinks, even in summer. Yeah, a cold beverage is refreshing and nice, but I don’t want my throat frozen either. It isn’t a pleasant sensation. A lot of people I know feel differently, so to each their own!
Oh. and rating bump! just a tad

Fjellrev

Maybe try to let it sit for a while before drinking it so it won’t be too cold?

Indigobloom

I’ve done that, but I usually miss the sweet spot where its just perfect. And it takes a long time, longer than I expected it to. An hour should be enough, right? I wish it was haha

Fjellrev

Aww, that sucks. You’d think an hour would be enough! I wonder what microwaving would do to it?

Fjellrev

It makes me think of a former roommate of mine who disliked ice cream straight out of the freezer because it was too cold and solid, so she’d microwave it for like twenty seconds to soften it up a bit.

Indigobloom

I’m hesitant to microwave, as it has a few food smells (we’ve done everything to clean it… baking soda, vinegar etc and there are still residual smells).
I’ve been thinking maybe a mug warmer might work. I might ask for that as a bday gift or something, as it isn’t something I really “need” haha.
Or I could wrap a warm towel around it? Hmmm.

Fjellrev

A mug warmer/sleeve/towel may be the answer!

Indigobloom

Food (or tea?) for thought!! I need to experiment :)

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I had a mug of this last night. It had gotten cold by the time I had any, so I wonder if that has anything to do with it not inducing dreams. Ah, to be fair I know I dreamt, I just can’t remember them. That said, even though I’m quite sore/tired from physio workouts, I feel like I really slept last night. It’s a deepseated feeling that I have difficulty describing… I just know I want more sleep like that heh.
The tea itself was quite pleasant to sip. Vegetal with an herbal twist. If it wasn’t dreamy tea I’d consider having some midday at times. (wasted opportunity, I enjoy dreaming!)

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78

I still have trouble eeking a lot of pumpkin milkiness out of this tea. It was nice and roasty, and spicy! I tried a bit with some milk and that was nice… but not much different. I should really try as a latte. The question is, dairy, or almond? Hmmm

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90

Sipdown!!
A swirl of honey covered up the staleness. It was an extra strong cup as well. I just couldn’t bear to toss this in the trash. Every drop was savoured.
Goodbye old friend!

Fjellrev

Aww, so sad when you’re willing to still drink that last stale cup because it was once so good.

Indigobloom

@Fjellrev I know right? Old Darj reminds me of slightly worn cotton socks. Hence the honey. Still worth it!

Fjellrev

Very unique association! Glad it was worth it haha.

Indigobloom

lol thanks :P

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drank Dawn by Turmeric Teas
1759 tasting notes

I made an extra large cup of this for me, and one for a friend at work. Holy teamus half the package is gone! It felt like there was a normal amount but I need to see what the package says because it occurred to me after I’d put it away and we were off to host an event.
The tea was good though. A bit oddly sweet, it took some getting used to, but once I did? oh yes I was craving more. Not for the taste…but the euphoric ride! eesh. I was in a happy place. To be honest, I was in a work zone, since I had a bunch to do and not much time. So yeah. A better review next time.
Also. My coworker, who was fighting a cold finished it in maybe 15 min. He says it was good!!

Evol Ving Ness

Sorry that I missed that counter at the tea festival. It was always crowded. But euphoric ride! Sounds heavenly.

Indigobloom

They seemed to do really well! I couldn’t get in at all on Saturday. Only because I was around all day both days was I able to find a quiet moment to slip in! I’ll save some for you to try :)

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I adore this tea. Not only for the name, and its origin of Africa, but the taste as well. Honestly? I’ve never had anything like it before. I need to review this again, or rather sit down with it and take careful notes. There was a lot going on.
And I assume it was a green, but I left my postcard at work so need to verify. I could be wrong, it may be oolong. The profile was too sweet for oolong, IMO, and it had a roasted element like hojicha, along with a similar sweetness to hojicha, which leads me to think green. Still, I could be mistaken.
Anyhow, there was also a drying sensation much like I’ve seen in Darjeeling or green puerh. If you ever got clay in your mouth as a kid, you know what I mean. It is a taste I remember even after many years.
I’ve never seen this combo of sweet roastiness vs clay before. It was fascinating and seriously scratched my “good tea” itch!
Oh and very smooth, even though I accidentally let the second infusion steep for ten minutes. And then had no problem getting two more infusions after that!! Barely a hint of astringency.
In the fourth infusion, I noticed a slight menthol sensation, but it slipped my mind to note down more about that as I was distracted by my meeting.

And now I need sleep.

ScottTeaMan

Another scrumptious tea no doubt. :D

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82

An interesting one this is! I wish I knew what the base tea was. Maybe Tj gave me a card with it? I need to sort my bag.
Anyhow. A bit too astringent/sourish yet very easy to drink. The maple is more of an impression than a flavour note. I think that may be where the sourness comes from. It was ok, I didn’t mind that.
I couldn’t stop myself from going back for more infusions. I made it through four, each one better than the last. Fifth infusion is sitting in my fridge now. Noms!
Second infusion was good. I experimented and added a quarter teaspoon of smoked honey. it paired quite nicely, adding further depth and a touch of sweetness that enhanced the maple.
My fave so far is the last infusion, with the astringency giving way to a freshwater note that pairs really well with the faded smokiness. Overall a winner.

Evol Ving Ness

This is the one we bought together, right?

Indigobloom

It is! :)

Evol Ving Ness

Good to know. I haven’t even opened that bag of things that wandered home with me. If I wait a few more days, it’ll be like Christmas. :)

Indigobloom

hehe. You have more selfcontrol than I!

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66
drank Chai Noir by T by Daniel
1759 tasting notes

I loved the scent of this one. Brewed? not so much. Something in there is cloying and a bit artificial. There are a few “candied” items. Nuts and such. So it could be any of those. And perhaps the fennel? I can’t be sure.
My mug was satisfying to a point, but missing a certain depth that I’ve come to expect in chai. Milk was necessary, but no sugar was added since it was already a bit too sweet on its own.

Tea festival this weekend was great. So much fun catching up with all the teaps! I was on a serious high until last night when I heard about the Quebec shooting. That just brought me back to reality. Then today I heard about a shooting right around the corner from my work. Literally. I mean, its the nearest intersection to the building. I cross there all the time. Lucky I was at home on my day off. So yeah. Sadness :(

mrmopar

Seems to be happening a lot lately. Makes you wonder what the world is coming to.

Indigobloom

@mrmopar, it really does. Violence is never the answer, even my boyfriend who was a judo sensei for 20 years could tell you that. I just don’t get it

Indigobloom

@Evol yup. I second your :(

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One little sample cup!! maybe two sips. Hours before I went to bed.
And I dreamt a funny dream. I was dating Patrick Jane, but we had to keep it secret because I resided in reality and he lived inside a tv show. Oh and I could only meet up with him during a “new” episode, not in reruns. Now that I’m awake it makes no sense.
Oh and to get into his little hideaway cabin room we slid down a giant snow covered hill that launched us in the air (like a ski jump), across a little valley and down onto another hill where he showed me the secret entrance, before giving me a tour. Freaked me out, as he’d given no warning so there was a moment of wondering what broken legs might feel like. And then I wanted to go again. I’m not surprised my brain fixated on PJ. I’ve kinda had a crush on the character for ages, even moreso after I realized he was a tea nut :P
When I do recall my dreams, there is generally an element of stress built in, so I can’t blame that part on the tea. but it doesn’t happen very often. So it could be a coincidence. Still, I’m gonna reserve having an entire cup before bed until the weekend where I’m not working the next day.
The taste was nice and pleasant. Grassy and a bit sweet. Refreshing. I’m sure it would be different brewed at home.
I need a nap now…

Fjellrev

Ha! I love ridiculous dreams like that. It makes you wonder how our minds can come up with some of the crazy things that they do.

Indigobloom

Seriously! I’m impressed with my insanity haha. Though I have been thinking about PJ a lot lately. I sent out the press release for the Tea Festival, and Simon Baker’s publicist was one of those I “spammed” in hopes that we might get a tweet or something.

Fjellrev

It’s just so funny how our minds will take things/people we’ve been thinking about throughout the day and turn it into a totally twisted circus.

Indigobloom

Yup. Entertaining for sure! I hope I have a fun day on Friday, before I try a full mug of this tea :P

Dustin

Yeah, that doesn’t make much sense. It would be more practical to visit him during commercial breaks instead of new vs. old episodes if you were trying to keep it on the DL.

Indigobloom

@Dustin nope it really doesn’t make sense. I’m ok with that, as I rarely ever do :P

Indigobloom

Also, commercial breaks… that is clever!! I’ll try and think about that next time I have this tea before bed heh

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Bio

Let’s see… I’m a tea and workout fanatic, I work in HR, and most of my friends consider me to be an egg. White on the outside, Asian on the inside :)
-from philosophy to food, I love it all
Otherwise, what you see is what you get! I can be very straightforward and yet shy.

Also, I’ve started taking tea sommelier classes and it is an absolute blast! Well, so far I’ve only finished the first out of eight courses, but I am really looking forward to the next one.

Anyhow, if your curious as to how I rate things, this is how I work…

0-25
Like eating dirt, or some other unsanitary indelicacy that mentioning in my profile here would likely get me banned.
I don’t think I’ve found cause to banish a tea to the wasteland yet though so who knows what it’d inspire ;P

25-50
You know that expression “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”? I imagine drinking that water would be terrible enough to warrant this rating!
I’d never make my enemy drink this, but perhaps I’d throw it at them. Good thing I don’t have any enemies!

50-70
This is “tea”?? I tried finishing the cup… but my body rejected it. There may be others who enjoy this tea, but it’s beyond me!

70-80
I tried liking it, and I can almost get there! I certainly don’t hate it, but something is holding me back. Allergies? Men in white suits? who knows… certainly not me!

80-90
Lovely tea! Not my all time fave but close. I likely wouldn’t repurchase, but may decide to based on many factors: price, accessibility, whether it fills a “tea gap”, medicinal applications, and how often I crave it.
Every once in awhile I find the sweet spot that bumps these up to 90+. Those are the days I need to buy a lotto ticket!

90-95
Sweet Camellia! this is realllly good tea! Don’t talk to me until I’ve finished my cup…

95-100
Tea of the gods. I would do anything to get my hands on more of this liquid gold!

Location

Toronto (Mississauga, but I work in TO)

Website

http://hrslinger.wordpress.com/

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