Indigobloom

Well, no jellybeans for me! in the bag I bought anyhow.
Oh well. I dunno if it’d have made the tea any better. It was so generic. You’re basic fruity rooibos. I liked it, but I did not love it.
How sad is it that the above statement is the most complimentary thing I can say about anything in the spring collection? :(
Oh and there were little bits of rooibos floating around in the mug. I used my tea egg and that usually doesn’t happen with my rooibos’. In fact, tea bits is the reason why I use it with that type! (http://www.spiceandtea.com/images/Infuser%20Stainless%20Steel%20&%20Red%20Tovolo.jpg)

This was yummy. Toasty and smooth. A little nutty to. I bought it for making Morrocan Mint, but wanted to try it solo first. So glad I did!!! :)
Unfortunately it did make me a little nauseous. Hopefully the mint will cut that!

Pucker up!! this has some serious citrus. I could definitely taste the blood orange. and see it to… the tea was a deep brown/pink!
After adding some agave, I could taste less sourness and more orange… and very little pu’erh. Well that’s not true there was some deep-rooted fishiness going on as well.
I don’t know why, but the flavours really didn’t gel for me here. There was no tea goodness! I was sad. and it tasted somewhat chemical like as well, in that fake orange sortof way. So overall, it was ok. Second steep was better. Not something I would reach for often…

Big thanks to Ninavampi for sharing this with me!! It’s lovely!!! but I’m not sure what kind of tea it is? I’m guessing it’s mate, or plain black but I couldn’t find it online anywhere so let me know if I am off base :)
Anyhow, the tea itself is a little earthy, which is why I think it’s a mate. The flavouring is rather mild, compared… brought out some by the agave I added. I wish there was more of a strawberry punch, though it does emerge more as the cup cools. As for the cherry, I felt as if there was some cherry when super hot, but then it faded and the jammy berriness took over.
Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the cup. MMmmmm my mug still smells like berry goodness! :)

Not bad not bad!! Like Jessie mentioned, a decent alternative for the STE version. Only less intense. and kinda Jasmin-like after the third steep… which I wasn’t thrilled about.
I’m not sure if I’d restock though, I think I’ve overdone it with the coco oolongs lately. We need a break… I’m sure CO and I will get back together again soon :P

Okay so whatever I did differently with this one worked wonders!! It’s so very yummy!
I still don’t get much lime, but the spice note is subdued and there is some definite fizzzzzz going on.
I think there might have been less “spice” in the brewed leaves, but I can’t be sure. Either way, I’m bumping the rating wayyyyy up. In fact I may consider stocking this one :)

So…. yeah this one is not for me.
There are aspects of the cup that I enjoyed, but for the most part, I would really rather go without.
When hot, the cup is super dark, sweet and malty- almost like Keemum but richer. As it cools slightly, a sharp bitterness comes out, in the second half of a sip and in the aftertaste… reminding me of that harshness I find in brussel sprouts only loads more intense. I could not get past that aspect no matter how much I sipped and sipped.
The second steep was alot less bitter, but for some reason I couldn’t finish more than a third of the cup. I felt as if each sip was sitting like a lump of tea in my throat. It tasted okay (ish), but it simply would not go down the hatch!
Oh well, you win some you lose some.

yup, I finally got around to this one!
After reading all the reviews already posted I was not looking forward to it so much. However, it’s better than I expected. Berries dominate the cup, but I also get a sort of creamy texture in it.
The second steep was harder to get down. I added agave and milk just to see… and it was nice that way to.
Overall though, it was pleasant enough for me to drink up… but certainly nothing that stands out in the tea crowd. I think there is just too much going on with it!
Also, I am oh so very very tired. Too tired to write the other ten reviews I have backlogged. Oi!!

Ahhhhh what a weekend!! Turning 30 is exhausting…
But this was just what I needed to pick me up. Creamy and vegetal, slightly floral oh yes.
I prefer my MOs a bit darker, but this was so light that I really didn’t mind the green-ness.
Overall, not my fave, but one that I would like to try again in my brand new travel Gawain :)
and there are so many more teas on my backlog list… I just know that many of them will end up forgotten in the hustle of a very looong week!

I got three steeps out of this today. The first one was perfection… fruitiness coming out in all the right places. The second was ok, not great but ok. And the third, well it was weak and had an odd taste that made me dive for some water. Another one steep wonder, it seems. Kindof expensive for that, with the heavy fruit chunks and all… boo!

So… I think I need to take a break from Steepster for a few days. Too much going on for me right now… I’ve had a bunch of emotional upsets and there is an illness in the family causing all sorts of drama.
Not to mention that I’m dealing with the trauma of a big milestone tomorrow, and Friday. One that I’d really rather not face but am getting dragged through anyhow. So yeah. I need to make some space in my head, clear out the cobwebs and tears.
Could really use a hug right now.

Could this one be a repurchase for me?
I am in serious love!! Yummmm. I just finished my mug and so badly want another… said the girl sleepwalking to the kitchen…
raising the rating now.

I think I’m falling out of love with coconut. I love coconut teas!! or rather I did… arh, I must! I won’t give them up I won’t! Yes I am having a tea tantrum. A tea-trum!
This cup… it was ok. Not terrible, but then there was no tea love either. Coconut can taste somewhat fake to me, and this definitely has that sort of tinge to it. I feel as if they added artificial coconut, even though I can clearly see the flakes in the mix!!
The pu’erh part was nice, but not strong enough for my liking. Oh well, can’t win’em all!
I should try this as a latte…

I think this is the one I tried… the packet was red, but I know it was black tea so who knows. Either way, it was a great experience. Big thank you to Ninavampi for sharing this tea with me!!
I’m having trouble placing it… I think I need to try it again, and with a shorter steep time before rating.
It’s a rather deep tea, and reminds me somewhat of a Darjeeling in that muscatel wine like sortof way, but also more earthy at the same time. I wonder if there is some mate mixed in here, even though it says Black tea on the package. It’s possible, this is a blend after all, I believe!
Curious, I also mixed the second half of my cup with some milk… and it oddly didn’t change the profile much at all. It was almost the same flavour!
Not in a bad way mind you. I quite enjoyed it, and yep, it gave me a nice buzz to!
Next time I’ll see what adding some agave or honey does. Oh yes that would go nicely I think!!

Before I get into my tasting note… my notices have gone AWOL :*(
That annoying error page shows up whenever I try to check them, so my apologies if I end up bypassing any comments on my reviews, atleast until I get my notices back

Anyhow, this tea is lovely!
Though I had trouble sussing any flavour out, it seemed incredibly weak at two minutes so I put the steeping basket back in the pot for another minute. That seemed to help, but I was getting very little peach out of the tea. A hint of peach came out, like I would have expected on the fifth or sixth steep!
Maybe next time I need to try more leaf? Also, I suspect it could be my water… since I made a cup of red rose for mum and it came out murky, so she tossed it and I made her something else. (Tess Orange tea- her fave)
Okayyyy yes!! It must have been the water! because my second steep, though weak-ish, is loads better, more so when it cools. Much stronger peach notes coming out. Sortof a juicy peach that blends really nicely with the natural sweetness of the oolong. It’s really captured the essence of fresh picked peaches, just ripe enough to eat and dribble nectar down your chin. Do you remember those days from childhood?? _{little sighs}
Iced, I suspect, this would be incredible.
Thank you so much Ninavampi! This is very tasty :)
Now if only I can figure out what the heck got into my kettle…

I think this is the one I had in store today, I can’t quite remember what I ordered. I know it was one of the more expensive teas and this one was pricier on their website I just looked up so I’ll go with it!
Anyhow, I enjoyed it… but it was definitely milder than the one I tried from Staufs the other day. It didn’t have the same depth or complexity somehow.
Now, I have no idea if the staff are trained enough to rinse the leaves (likely not, they had no idea what sheng or shou meant. Not that I judge, I’m just saying I need to try this under more controlled conditions is all)
Overall, it was surprisingly bland until the finish of a sip when the hint of sweetness came out. Perhaps that would have changed as the cup cooled, but I was in no mood to wait so added a bit of sugar, which helped significantly. Normally I see no need to add sugar to a pu-erh so that was a bit disappointing.
Nonetheless, I did enjoy it very much. Over time, the mild nature of the cup grew on me. It was almost like a fruity liqueur in it’s light yet potent nature and reminded me of coffee somehow, that I can’t quite put my finger on.
I’m having trouble deciding how much I like it… as I feel somewhat under-educated to make a true decision. Well, I suppose that’s what I’m here for… learning experiences like this are awesome :)
Oh and I did get a bit of that same high. Not nearly as intense, and I only had one cup… but it was satisfying and I don’t think I would have wanted another while out’n’about. Hmmm.

Sorry for all the backlogs folks! my computer decided to take a vacay without me the other day…
So this cuppa was interesting. I had no trouble drinking it, which got a little woot! from me, but the caramel was just too much. It completely overrides the white tea!
I love burnt sugar as much as the next tea lover but I love my tea more… so don’t hide it on me k?! Play nice and share the spotlight…
Oh and I got just two good steeps. The third was really iffy. I drank it only because I was thirsty.
David’s… please come out with something that revives my faith in you soon! your blends lately have been so meh for me lately. It makes me sad! :(

Odd, the honey note came out more in my second steep here. Hmmm.
So I’ve decided… this is a lovely Assam, but not my fave for the moment. I’ll drink down what I have, easily, but will be glad to move on when the time comes!

My tea of the morning.
It was pleasant. Not as strong as I’d like… but the honey note was definitely there, underneath the black, and in the aftertaste.
Very little astringency, compared to what I expected… and slightly malty.
Overall, a surprisingly delicate tea considering it’s of the most oxidized variety. It’s good quality, very smooth and refined.
I won’t be buying any for the house though, it just doesn’t have that “oomph” factor I so enjoy in my blacks.

This was just what I needed yesterday to get me through a day of work-hell. Ugh.
The spices were nice and very balanced. Not as hard hitting as the Guarana Chai from DT but still satisfying. I couldn’t put my finger on any particular spice except cinnamon, which is just how I like it.
I’ll have to try the Guarana again before deciding which one I like better

Yum!
This tisane… tastes like PINK!!! Which is odd because there’s very little colour in the brew. Maybe a hint of pastel.
At first when I sipped, it was pretty bland and sour… but then I added a teeny bit of agave and voila! berry cotton candy in a cup.
This is one I’d seriously consider buying more of, if only I didn’t have so many in my cupboard already. I’d reach for it often though, so I may end up caving next time I wander by the shop.
Oh and the best part? eating the fruit afterwards. I had nothing to wash out of my strainer!

This tea is a drug. I kid you not… I had serious tea chi going on allll day long. It’s like… Peyote! yes, it really is that intense _{(okay I really have no idea what the big P is like but this is how I imagine it anyhow)}
The leaves are pitch black, which isn’t unusual… but normally when you brew a tea like that the leaves lighten up a bit. Not these ones. Dark as the night.
The tea reflects that trait as well. It’s murky and mysterious. The first few sips are so rich and encompassing that one almost gets lost in it’s depth. I swear, I could feel it reaching into my very soul.
You think I kid? I swear, it’s the truth! and you know me, when I find something new, I throw myself headfirst into the leaves… so after four steeps (or was it five? I can’t recall now) I felt as if I’d been engaged in chakkra opening exercises all day long.
Now this is a tea for meditation…
My only concern is that there was a hint of fishiness every now and then, but not enough to bother my senses or put me off, at all.
Whew. I guess now that I’ve actually attended a yoga class today, my chi is all confused. Ha! :P
This isn’t a tea I’d want every day. To be saved for special occasions!
Thank you Kashyap for this sample. This was quite a trip!! Can’t wait to try this one in a Gawain.

First steep of this, I was not impressed. It was WAY to gingery for me and lacking in the fizz. but… the second steep, was pretty darn great!!! Just the right amount of ginger, not too much agave, and a little pop for the fizziness. Wow. If I can get the first steep like that, I might actually buy more of this one. Which surprises me given that I generally dislike ginger. and greens.
Next time, I must remember to give this a little wash before the real infusion and see if that helps. and iced, I need to do this baby iced!!
So… I’m grading this based on my second cup here. It feels a little wasteful but then I have so much tea I can’t really judge!!

Thank you to Kashyap for sharing this with me, you certainly know good tea!
Looking at the packaging, I saw that this is a Ceylon-eque tea and wondered how “black” it would turn out (am I the only one that thinks of Cylon’s from BSG here? Makes me giggle every time!)
Well, it is very much a black tea! surprisingly so. I know it’s processed like an Oolong, but it really does not taste like one. Which I do not mind, I just find it fascinating. I love hybrid teas!!
My second steep, I tried with milk and it was an entirely different flavour. Almost like a Darjeeling. I suppose that was the influence of the Oolong and Ceylon coming together. Still, I could not stop thinking “Darjeeling” with every sip. So that makes three distinctly different teas within one cup! cool :P
I see that you (Kashyap) recommend this iced, so perhaps I’ll try it that way next!! thanks again for the neato experience! x

This is good!!
But startlingly similar to my Almond Rooibos. Not so much on the “marzipan”, unless it typically has degrees of almond in it? I really don’t know, but the stuff I’ve had was more cakey than pure almond candy. Anyhow, piping hot, I do get some of the orange but then I just burnt my tongue a little- not really worth the oh so fast burst of citrus… (though my mind immediately went to: nice! this is Kalahari meets marzipan! if only that had lasted!!! It was a brief moment of heaven) and besides, this is one of those flavours I’ve had trouble grasping lately. Even with orange lifesaver candies, all I get is sugary goodness.
Oh well.
Between this and my other almond tea I’m not sure which one is better. I’d have to try a side by side! I will say this though, the Orange Marzipan smells incredible steeped. Mmmmm.
Oh oh wait!! now that it’s cooled a little more now, I do believe there is a hint of orange in the aftertaste. I don’t normally get backhints with my rooibos, but I swear, sumthin is there :P
Note to self: next time, try this with a dash of milk!