Indigobloom

Not bad not bad!
More rosy this time, I think, and yet still chocolatey… not as smooth though.
Oh, and I tried it with milk. Nicer than I expected! It reminds me of what I imagine Earl Grey tastes like to the normal folk out there- the EG I so fervently wish I could partake in!
So…. I’ve made myself a compromise. Henceforward, in my mind, this is an “Indigobloom Early grey” :)

meh. In fact, double meh!
This was not good. Hot, I got very little flavour. As it cooled, I found some “oolong”, but it came along with that tell-tale bergamot nausea… (for those who don’t follow me, I have a negative sensitivity towards it) and then finally near the end of the cuppa, it got better. Not by any means good, but better.
There are very few things I could really say about the flavour, being so bland. I do recall some mild nuttiness, and a few bitter moments but nothing that made any sort of lasting impression.
If I try this again and get those same results… I’ll lower the score some more, but for now I shall lower it to a humble 77. I was so looking forward to an oolong this AM. If only it had been more like the first time I sampled this tea!!

This was just what I needed!! ahhhhhh. I have a Golden Monkey at the office, but somehow chocolate notes in my tea didn’t feel right so I trekked out to the shop. Going in, I had no idea what to order…
After two flavoured teas, I so badly wanted a plain, black tea with no frills, some maltiness, and yet light accents of natural sweetness. Assams at Teaopia hadn’t done me well recently, so this was naturally the default- I must remember to thank the girl for reminding me about this one!!!
Anyhow, long story short, I was so very sad and tea-lonely when my cup was empty.
Sidenote: On the way, I almost bought this really cute pair of boots/shoes. If they’re there when I hit the shop again on Thursday, I’ve decided that fate wants me to have them!! and it won’t be superfluous spending, Fall is coming and I do need some shoes :P

I accidentally oversteeped this! Egad!!
Not a good thing to do with this tea, that really does ruin the flavour when it sits for too long.
I didn’t get as much “whisky” flavour this time around. It was good, but I’ve had better steeps of this one. My bad *sighs
Oh, but I did do a second steep, and when it was still hot… I had a few sips of overwhelming peach!!! I’ve never seen that particular aspect present itself so strongly in this tea before. Who knew??
By the time it had cooled, the peach was well and gone of course. I wonder if I do more steeps next time, will I get an entire cup of peach? Hmmm. Usually, I don’t make it past two, maybe three… Me thinks I need to push atleast four!

Thanks Aisling of Tea!!! for sharing this with me :)
I had some of this after arriving at work. While it was tasty, it’s been awhile since I’ve had it, and I guess the “pu’erh” part has settled in more, and I can really taste it now. I’m undecided as to how I feel about that, given my stormy history with Pu’erhs.
I can certainly understand why some may find it offputting. Somehow though, in this tea, I don’t mind that part so much. I think the cinnamon cuts it just right.
However, I made this sans any sugar…. but with milk. Next time, I think some agave is in order. Not sure about the milk.
So… while this is still a great tea, I need to find it’s sweet spot. Also, the fact that it does better with some extra sugar brings it down a few notches, from 95 to 88. Still pretty fantastic in my books :)

backlog!!!
I’d entirely forgotten about this… I finally managed to try this iced!
And yes, it was indeed quite yummy. It tastes even more like gelato this way :)
Of course, I still prefer it hot.
Now, do I want to repurchase this? Kindof. I only purchased a sample size. It is not an essential for me, but then I really really like this one. Only… I promised myself that until I make a sizable dent in my already enormous supply, I shan’t purchase any more tea :(

I’m not sure if this is the same “Tao of Tea” as I noticed there were two in the library…
Either way, I only have a sample of this, and I think it will stay that way! The Lapsang I tried at Teaopia remains my favourite.
This one, it was good, for the most part. I think. I’d have to play around with it before declaring it unworthy, and only in comparison. I did quite enjoy the flavour, which is the main point of a tea in my books, thus giving this one it’s relatively high rating despite all my moaning about it.
But there is something missing. The other ones I’ve tried have a depth and smoother base.
Also, I used this as a marinade for my roast pork. Not being a fan of roast anything, it was just ok… (stringy meat? no thanks!) but my parents love it so that’s what we had in the house *sighs
Next time, I’ll make it into a gravy.

So I experimented with this somewhat. Brewing this at 84 degrees, it seems, is not the best way to go!
It’s still pretty darn good, but there is a certain plasticky taste that comes out at this temperature. Definitely better at a higher temp. I need to experiment some more…
(It doesn’t help that the cavity my dentist filled last month is throbbing with every sip! I need to ask him about that.)
Oh, and the lapsang I made yesterday is lending some smoky notes here as well. It’s certainly interesting! and resilient to, even after a good scrubbing I can still taste it.

Why oh why did I splurge on this? I certainly do not regret my purchase, it was ahhhhmazing!!!!! but really, my wallet sighs every time I enter that shop!
Maybe this tea was calling to me. It smells like a rose garden in heaven, intensely floral and sweet and mmmmmmmm.
I was a little worried that it’d turn me off the way bergamot does, so I’m very grateful that it didn’t!
Steeped, it’s still incredibly floral. The taste is less so. I do wish that there was more rose but I also over-steeped it, and thus it’s possible I drowned the rosey part.
Besides the rose, I’m getting a strong chocolate note. Given that this is a Chinese black tea, I understand why!
Next time I brew it, hopefully the chocolate will be less dominant but it seems to me that it’d have a stronger profile than something floral in most any tea (except maybe bergamot which I can’t indulge anyhow)
The second steep of this was even less floral, but smoother and milder in the chocolate sense as well.
It reminds me of the Golden Monkey I have from Tao of Tea, only less harsh. Also, I’m tempted to see how this would fare iced. I suspect the cocoa would do nicely there, and that’s coming from a tea-freak who generally dislikes iced drinks.
and the rating? I’m tempted to lower the score from the 95 I want to give it, because the rose isn’t all that strong in the flavour… but then, I need to give it a few steeps and play around with it first. Either way, I’m in love. Fitting isn’t it? Roses, and love… this should be my Valentines tea, if I have any left by then!

I don’t know why I splurged on this, I have a tiny bit of it left at home… but I wasn’t in the mood for much else. bah.
It was good, nice and thick. This is the only tea I enjoy that way, so it makes sense that I enjoy it more when they make it in the shop.
The cola is so uplifting. I just love smelling the cup as it cools!
and did the shop girl add agave?? it’s very sweet on it’s own without any adds. Anyhow, I was thinking about refilling my stock but now I think I need to hold off. After having a tea around for awhile, I tend to get tired of it and this was one of my first. The rating still holds of course!
Everything blends together so nicely, I’ll always have a soft spot for this one :)

well, this is interesting.
The cherry flavour is nice enough. I enjoy cherries… but the hibiscus does all sorts of nasty things here. I so wish that it wasn’t in this tea! Also, the “white” part is barely there. I would think it was some sort of a tisane if I hadn’t seen the label.
Otherwise, it’s decent. Naturally sweet on its own, and mild enough that it soothes my throat (a little hoarse today for some reason)
It may be better iced, fantasic even. Actually I think it was designed to be iced- but really, I am not an iced tea person…
So yeah, I am mucho glad I didn’t purchase any to take home!!

Soooo….. I bought this because I wanted a chamomile tea, but I also wanted a change from the Egyptian standard. It was between this and another tea, mixed with spearmint… but the other was heavy on the mint so I went with this one. Not that I dislike mint, I just wanted chamomile to calm the nerves when I feel jumpy.
Then of course, on the way back into the office I bought a coffee, and well, you can guess why I needed to de-jitterize!
Which I didn’t mind, because I was SO looking forward to trying this, it smells heavenly… I just love the scent of citrus in a tea.
Unfortunately, I am just now figuring out that in a tea, fruit + flowers + my odd preferences (besides chamomile that is) = not a good combo.
It was… not quite right. The chamomile tasted fuzzy, cloudy even. The floral part was muted, and the fruit was all awkward. Nothing meshed well!
ODD!! is the word I would use to choose to describe the blend. I miss the “mmmmm” factor I get from the Egyptian pure tea. None of that to be found here *sighs
Overall, it’s drinkable. It does the job I purchased it for, so I’ll drink it… but not too happily! If anyone wants to try this, let me know, I would love to see what your opinion is!
Disclaimer: there IS hibiscus in here, which could be partially to blame for the oddness!

How have I not logged this tea before?? I was sure I had… Hmmmmm
Anyhow, this was an odd one. Not very nutty, for an oolong, but more fruity and light. I can’t recall much from this morning (it was a long, loooong time ago in my world of shifting papers and battling slow internet connections) but I do recall that it had an oddly familiar, sweet-tart finish… yep, like the candy! I could almost imagine it carbonated, tasting just like an oolong soda, with that sour finish.
I’ve heard people talk about fruity oolongs before, but this is the first I’ve ever seen of it. Yes, I’ve had similar experiences with white tea, but not an oolong! A novelty, to be sure.
I’m not quite sure what to rate this. I certainly do not dislike it.

wow, so apparently steeping parameters make all the difference! (duh).
I cooled the water down after boiling (who knows to what temperature, I certainly hope it was around 90c) and watched the time, but went by the package instructions which say 3-5 min. I think I was around 4 minutes when I poured it outta my tea master.
The website says 2-4 minutes, so perhaps I will try 2.5 min next time. I have enough for maybe one more cup. This one was not exactly budget friendly.
Anyhow, as alluded to above, it is a much tastier brew this time around. Very smooth, slightly scratchy but perhaps that shorter infusion will fix that… It’s a rather calming tea that demands savouring.
The buttery/slippery honey texture, building on the lightness and super mild nutty base makes me wanna sit back and feel the summer breeze, the sun, and listen to the birds. Don’t try this one at work folks!
Now… Would I buy this again? Yes, I think so- but it’s not a must have at that price. I have a feeling though, that if I had more of this leaf, it’d grow on me.
Now, off for my second infusion :)

I tried this at the shop in Square one today, on my way to meet a friend for dinner, so I wanted something that would keep me hydrated, and would keep in case I didn’t finish it in time for our meal. Also, I’d been eying this one for awhile… but…
What I didn’t expect was to love this so much!!
Rooibos was a previous obsession of mine, but I kinda got over that when I discovered the world of tea I’d been missing out on. However, I had no idea that rooibos’s close cousin Honeybush was so charming ;P
Especially when mixed with strawberry and orange and other tasty-licious flowers! Wow. It’s incredibly sweet on its own with no adds at all, and very fruity. I can taste the strawberry, and something orange-like… topped with some definite floral notes. It’s smooth, not sour or abrasive whatsoever (take that rooibos!) and is a definite must-have for my cupboard. That said, I often have this reaction to tea, and then later regret my exuberance. Still, I waaaaaaant it! but I have so much tea already, can I justify another purchase?? but I don’t have an herbal tea to love quite like this one. (Yes, I am asking for permission here. I need to justify my future purchase! :s)
Oh and the guy who served me was so new… he was all fumbles and stutters. Kinda cute, and you could see he really wanted to do a good job! but setting the timer wrong so that it fails to start and then almost icing my hot tea… well, that just gave him away. Not that I mind, he was sweet.
Well, goodnight y’all!
Sidenote: I didn’t have time to drink it all, therefore the remainder is currently in the fridge awaiting my verdict on the iced version! so looking forward to that!!!
Also, bear in mind that his rating reflects my version of perfection in a non-caffeinated tea. Up against my coveted oolongs, whites, or blacks, honey-bush lands at the bottom. Just sayin!

This is a surprisingly toasty darjeeling! more of an assam meets darjeeling, I would say- based on my darjeeling experiences that is.
Very mild on the astringency, backed by that darjeeling “freshness” that can make me cringe if there is too much- but here, this is just the right balance.
Now, I did have to add a quarter teaspoon of sugar to bring up the flavour quotient mind you, and it’s pretty bland without the milk… so points taken off for that!! otherwise, I’m pleased, and certainly more impressed than I expected to be!
I think this one has earned it’s Duchess name :)

I’m starting to get tired of berry cider teas! Sure, they’re great but how are they not all the same??? Slight variations don’t make or break it for me…
My tess tea is perfect, tart and rich and sweet all at once. Sure there is probably hibiscus in there but it seems to work.
This one, well it was certainly sweet, and berry like. I’m not sure about it, but not really curious enough to give it a second chance.
meh.

awesome in a cup!!! this was SO tasty- like the first one I had at Teaopia only better. They must have a really bad batch, or maybe their tins are just getting stale.
It was toasty and bold, barely astringent… all the things I love in a morning tea. Heavy on the milk, no sugar, just the way I enjoy it most!
My only regret are that a) I couldn’t get to work fast enough to enjoy it at my desk, and b) I haven’t tried this one sooner!

I tried this at my other job today, and of course, since I have no Steepster access there, forgot to add the agave as I had planned in my previous review! agh!!
Oh well, I’ll have to try this again sometime soon :)
—oh and this was left out in the open by accident, so I fear that some of the flavour has wafted away. Silly me…

This is the flavour I always associated with “green tea”… and the reason I never really enjoyed it much. For awhile there I was thinking, hey green tea isn’t so bad, it must have been the jasmine that was throwing me off! but no, now I remember… it’s the plain sencha’s that threw me off. I’ll try the genmaicha later and see if that fares any better.
Overall, the quality is not terrible, but it certainly does not appeal to me in any way except for when it cools and there is a sweet, yet incredibly tart finish. The nuttiness that emerges just prior is nice as well, but needs to be stronger for any lasting impression to form.
Otherwise, it leaves me mildly nauseous and craving that added complexity I so love in other teas. I could see this one being served in a restaurant- bland enough to go with most any food.
So: Points for the acceptable quality leaf, and surprising finish (but only half because it’s absent when hot) and points for nutty flavour (but half because it lacks any punch) BUT negative points for nausea and a generally boring profile.
I will not be purchasing this again.

Delightful!!!
Not so much as the Harneys version (that the lovely QuiltGuppy sent me a sample of), but a very close second. I didn’t have time to pick out the notes, but there was a coconut and vanilla air to it, and something slightly spicy hiding in the background. Cinnamon perhaps?
The white blended in nicely with the whole package but it definitely sat in the back. I’d order it again- maybe even iced! :)

Ok so the tea I actually had is by tao of tea but my computer is messed up and I can’t load it proper so this will have to do!!! SO FRUSTRATED!
Anyhow, I’m not a big fan of fruity teas, so this will naturally get a lower rating from me. Just an fyi!
The first infusion was far too fruity for me, in a tart way. and too “green”. I suppose I should have washed the leaves first, but I usually don’t have the forethought to do so. Not to mention, I need to get some work done! ha.
Anyhow, the second and third infusion were MUCH better. There was a sweet strawberry note that came out overtop of the green which I really enjoyed. If it had been a deeper base, I may have actually considered repurchasing this one.
Not that far off from my Strawberry White from DTs, but nowhere near as tasty, for me. If you enjoy fruity green teas, this is definitely a must try!!

Again, on the way to work this morning, I realized that ooops!! I forgot my wallet at home. However, my tea friend at the shop was kind enough to make me a cuppa for no charge (I’ll pay later) so I was able to get my morning fix. Thank Zeus for that!
On to the tea: it was tasty. not as bold as I recall but still pretty good. Better than tims for sure, though I did feel the need to add some agave for that extra something to make it more attractive against my palate.
Overall, definitely not one I would bring home- though it’s good enough for the road!

ugh I need to buy me some tea tins!!! The thing is, I keep very few teas in large enough quantities to warrant a standard size, and small tins are difficult to find. Does anyone know of a place that sells tins which can hold 25-50g?
This tea, one of my oldest, is losing it’s flavour. I’ve kept it in the paper bag it comes with, for lack of any suitable alternative. Sad, but true. It’s pretty much just a simple rooibos now with some distant orange flavouring… even the swirls of agave I added gave it very little oomph. Oh well, all good things must end eventually! Now on to find a new rooibos to love. I was getting bored with this one anyhow. (It’ not goodbye just yet! I have atleast two more cups worth)