Janni

This is tea as performance art, and is best brewed in clear glass so you can watch it as it brews. The act of watching is nearly as meditative as drinking. To drink is to touch instant clarity.

This was maybe the first instance of my thinking chocolate in a tea context could be delicious. Mind you, I’ve baked chocolate cakes with Earl Grey before. Tea in a chocolate context can work wonderfully, but I wasn’t drinking that cake, you know? ;)

This, though…the balance is superb. I think I trust Lupicia’s blending prowess more than just about anyone.

To date, possibly the most perfect jasmine tea I’ve ever had. I need to get more in my cupboard, as sadly it’s empty right now. Proof that “floral” absolutely does not have to be cloying.

Not overly fruity, quite strong and good in the morning. Sometimes fruit-flavoured teas can be overwhelming, or seem like the fruit flavouring is masking the quality of the tea leaves. Not so this one; it’s quite nice, especially with a little milk and sugar like Earl Grey.

A well-balanced Earl Grey, not too bergamot-y, and not too flat. Quite rounded and nice on the tongue. Also very reasonably priced for how good it is, at least, in my area. One of the few really reliable teas I can easily obtain in shops within mere minutes of my house. :)

This tea lives up to its company description. If you get the loose variety, it’s easier to examine the various components visually—-one of which is pink peppercorns. However, if you get the bagged version, it comes in delightful, silky, pyramid-shaped teabags that almost feel like the nicest sort of lingerie. The aromas pre-brewing are intoxicating, and post-brewing, the flavors fairly explode in your mouth.

(Yes, I did just say that, and no, I didn’t write any of the English subtitles for Ryori no Tetsujin. ;) )

If you like fruity tisanes, this smells like heaven. If you don’t, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Light and dancy on the tongue, very playful. Delightful. :9

Good, and ridiculously smooth (even smoother than normal Yorkshire Tea, which is a strange thing to consider!). Not sure if I like it more or less than YT—-think maybe they’re just two teas for two different moods.

However, you absolutely HAVE to make sure you don’t leave this tea to steep unattended! I tend to drink tea in large quantities; usually I’ll pour a travel-sized mug even when I’m at home, just because I like to take my tea and drink it while I write (I write for a living). Therefore, in some instances, I’ll steep tea a little longer than I otherwise might because I like my tea strong.

With YT Gold, to do that is to invite extreme bitterness. This tea is NOT forgiving if you overbrew it. As long as you brew it for a short amount of time, you’ll have a remarkably smooth experience. Very caffeinated, as others have mentioned.

Good after-dinner tea, as others have noted…because I drink a lot of tea over the course of a day, I like to drink something decaf if I’m going to have tea in the evening. (TBH, sometimes I skip it at night and just go straight for hot chocolate instead.)

The flavor is good, but there’s something that catches in the back of your throat if you drink a lot of it at once. Small sips don’t result in the tickling sensation about which I’m talking, but downing a whole lot at once does—-almost like your throat’s being attacked by a curious ostrich. I’ll finish the box, but I’ll drink it s-l-o-w-l-y.

Can’t properly start a morning without it.