JoonSusanna

YUM.

It’s been a while since I’ve had this, and it’s been even longer since I’ve had this without additives, but I wanted it plain tonight. And it is fabulous – tangy and coconutty. The boyfriend thought it smelled vanilla-y and since vanilla and coconut are similar scents I’ll give it to him. He still won’t try it though – he thinks the more desserty sounding teas are “too weird”. Ah, well, more for me!

This was the free sample that came with the Lupicia magazine this month.

The dry leaf smells super peachy with a touch of vanilla. I didn’t smell much of the green tea when it was dry, but it still was amazing. Almost to the point of overwhelming – but from experience with Lupicia’s tea, the strong scent of dry leaf turns into the perfect amount of flavoring when it is steeped.

And this was no exception – once steeped the buttery green tea came out more in the scent. The taste was perfectly balanced – green tea then a candy-like peach, with hints of vanilla in the background. The vanilla adds that extra complexity that really takes it over the top. It doesn’t need anything added to it – the sweetness of the peach and vanilla are perfect.

As good as this is hot, I think it really would have been amazing iced – I will likely have to get some for that purpose. Peach candy green tea will be a wonderful complement to this coming summer, I expect.

Another free sample generously provided to me by TeaVivre!

Dry leaf: Small and dark green leaves that smelled of spinach. They were whole, but the leaves were so small that they resembled a BOP grade, almost. I understand the reasoning behind the short steep time when looking at the leaves.

Steeped leaf: Once steeped, the liquor is a light brown – the fact it is so dark is surprising given I’ve steeped some greens for 2 minutes and only gotten a pale green. The smell is quite brothy and savory, and as it cools, almost…floral, strangely enough.

The taste is…strong. And very different. It’s drying like a white wine on the tongue, but not thin or watery. It seems kind of bitter, but that plum aftertaste was there – it seemed a bit metallic, though. It is definitely memorable and different than any other green tea I’ve tried. As it cools most of the dryness and the sharpness in the aftertaste fades away. It leaves more of a sour nuttiness in its stead.

Overall: I’m glad I got to try it but I don’t know that it’s a tea I want to keep on hand. It could be the fact that it shares so many qualities with wine or sake – I don’t drink alcohol because I can’t stand the taste and so this is has unpleasant associations to me. Maybe later steeps will be more to my liking?

And that’s the last of this tea.

I am having it plain today and it tastes thin (despite the 3 tsp. of leaf) and watery, with a strong vanilla note on the swallow/aftertaste. It smells primarily of a vanilla black tea. The bergamot peeks through a bit in the middle of the sip and the scent but it really isn’t as big of a player as the vanilla.

Oh well, off to bigger and better Earl Grey Creams, I guess. Any recommendations?

This was another free sample generously provided to me by TeaVivre. Thank you so much!

Steeping notes: 3 tsp. leaf to 500 ml water at the below parameters. No additives.

Dry leaf: Small, dark, and compact. There was a slight smoky smell but really it smelled more cocoa-y and slightly musty than actual smoke.

Steeped leaf: A dark reddish brown color. The smell was quite similar to that of the dry leaf – a touch more musty once it was wet, though. The taste was not smoky at all, which was a really good thing for me – I was nervous about that aspect of the flavor but it is not present (maybe because I lowered the steep time?), so yay!

Frankly, the strongest taste I’m getting is dark chocolate on the swallow. It’s bitter like dark chocolate, but not bitter like an astringent tea would be, if that makes any sense. The texture is verging on thin, but that’s more down to my chickening out on steep time than anything else. As it cools the musty scent is transferring into the taste, but it’s still not smoky, so I’ll take it.

Overall: I think this must be a milder Keemun, and even though I wouldn’t venture much further as a matter of personal taste, I think it would be a good gateway tea for those who do want to explore smokier teas. As it cools I’m finding it somewhat abrasive on the back of my throat so I could definitely decrease the steep time when I have it again and see if that improves. Not bad at all!

This was a free sample provided for me by TeaVivre – thank you so much for your generosity!

Preparation notes: Around 3 tsp. of tea leaves in 500 ml. water at the below parameters, with no additives.

Dry Leaf: Dark green and very thin, like pine needles. There were leaves and bud pairs interspersed throughout and it smelled very clean and floral.

Steeped Leaf: The floral characteristics were still evident after steeping, but with a nutty overtone – and there’s a brownish tint to the pale green liquor that reminds me even more of nuts. It’s not a roasted nutty note like with genmaicha, however – maybe more of raw walnuts or pecans?

The texture is buttery and smooth, and there is no bitterness at all in the taste. This makes me think that it could probably be quite forgiving if the tea were oversteeped. There is some grassy flavor in the tea itself, but it is a sweet grassy flavor, not overpoweringly vegetal.

Overall: This and the Dragonwell are probably my favorite greens from TeaVivre so far – and this would be the one I recommend to anyone who prefers a green tea on the less vegetal side, or someone who is just starting out with greens and needs a wide margin of error as far as preparation goes, and a gentler introduction to the flavor profile. It is definitely going on my shopping list!

Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ve said everything that can be said about this tea. But I love it bunches, and it continues to be one of my favorite weekend morning teas. Perfect, as always.

3 tsp. leaf to 500 ml. water in the Breville at below parameters. Added half and half and sugar.

This is a very coffee-esque tea to me, and I think it’s mostly because French Vanilla is a popular flavoring in coffee moreso than tea. And because when I used to drink coffee I drank it with milk and sugar, so it really looks and smells the part once it’s been prepped the way I like it.

Fortunately its not coffee – and as strong as the vanilla is at the front of the sip, the Assam comes in just as strong to finish and remind me that it is tea, and a very well balanced one at that. Perfect for a breakfast wake up!

Finished off my sample of this today – it will be missed!

Today I get glimpses of the “orange” flavor that JacquelineM mentioned. I wasn’t as specific with the color, but it did seem bright to me – bright and warm. With a lovely starchy mouthfeel. As it cools I think that some astringence is trying to fight its way through – but for the most part this is a very smooth tea that I am putting on the reorder list – along with the full leaf Yunnan that Teavivre offers – I do so love black teas!

3 tsp. tea to 500 ml water, prepped with half and half and sugar.

The smell of the steeped tea as I poured it was AMAZING this morning. Maybe because it’s been a while since I’ve had it? But it was mouthwateringly good-buttery and syrupy. I know that as good as it smells that it needs additives, though, so I made it my usual way before sipping.

Butter and syrup are the strongest tastes as well, finishing up with a bready note. This is really hitting the spot today. I was kind of up on the fence about reordering this, but after this cup, I will most definitely be. Yay for a great addition to Frank’s permanent collection!

Backlog from this morning -

This tea woke me up fast and helped me fit in a last hour of studying before my test. Whether that hour made a difference or not remains to be seen….but it tasted sweet and spicy, like always- and that’s never a bad thing.

26 degrees this morning. Bleh. I know there are others who have it worse, and to those who are even colder, my deepest sympathies. Winter is no fun when you have things to go and do.

But at least its cold enough to really want to drink a good hot tea. And this, with some oatmeal, was that tea. Lovely as always, even though I went a little overboard on the sweetener today. Now its off to study for a big test tomorrow!

Lately I’ve had the biggest sweet tooth, especially at night. I usually want something desserty but we don’t have sweet stuff on hand because, well, I normally prefer salt. But luckily I have plenty of dessert teas that can fill that void!

This one was prepped with brown sugar and milk at my usual parameters.

What I love about this particular blend is that each cup is a surprise in terms of what note sticks out the most. Sometimes it’s the banana, sometimes the bread/walnut, sometimes the butter. Today I get butter and then banana, but I pretty much enjoy it any way it comes. It isn’t one of the 52teas main blends, though, which makes me sad, as I only have a few cups left. :( Pretty sure I’ll have to suck it up and by a pound of it when that happens.

Did a quick rinse of the leaves, and cold brewed 6 grams of this tea in 750 ml. water for around 12 hours.

I think next time I will go for around 9 or 10 hours instead of 12 – I was worried this wasn’t long enough (it’s a very pale liquor) but it is way stronger than I anticipated! It was overwhelming on my tongue, but in a good way – the peach and nutty flavors rushed at me simultaneously and finished with a surprisingly smoky astringence (another reason why I think I might have gone too long in the brewing process). The aftertaste is very peachy and it lingers for quite awhile after the sip is finished – it is fantastic! Quite refreshing as an iced tea – which is good because I love having iced tea.

So glad I got this at such a huge discount – it makes me feel like I can justify cold brewing such a special tea!

You know, I’ve really come to enjoy this latte style paired with school work in the afternoon. It keeps me from stressing out overly much and that helps me think more clearly and get it all done faster.

It is the best chai I’ve ever had, but I think when I buy more I will opt for their coconut chai – adding some dried of my own really was amazing the one time I had it on hand…

2 heaping tsp. tea to 500 ml. water at the below parameters in my Breville.

This is one of those teas that I tend to forget about, even though I really like it while I’m drinking it. It has just enough sweetness from the marshmallow to not need any other additives. It really is reminiscent of a rice krispy treat – albeit a slightly vegetal one.

I really do need to remember to have this one more often – it is a great option for a dessert tea!

My Sunday standard – biscuits and this tea with some milk and sugar. Almond milk gives it an even nuttier caramel flavor which is, if possible, even better than when using cow’s milk. And since I’ve had this more times than I can count, I’ll go ahead and raise the rating to 100. It’s the perfect lazy morning tea for my tastebuds.

A weekend for relaxing – finally! I can’t really remember the last time I had one of those!

Today I chose a bagged Earl Grey for breakfast – I am truly taking lazy to the extreme! But it is a Lupicia bagged tea, and those tend to have leaves of really good quality. This is no exception.

I prepped it this morning with almond milk and sugar, but I don’t think that the almond milk favors the bergamot in the tea. It is definitely still drinkable, though. I’ll just remember for next time to use regular milk or none at all.

Life has been stressy lately.

And unfortunately for me, stress is inversely proportional to tea consumption. But I made a point to stop and have some tonight, anyway.

It was a wise decision – and the almond milk I added (instead of regular milk) really takes this up a notch. It becomes almost caramel like in flavor. A perfect balm for my nerves.

This has to be one of my favorites from Teavivre. It is so very vegetal, light and clean.

When I scrape together the money for an order, this one will definitely be included!

I flaked and added half as much leaf as I usually do, which means it’s not as strong as it usually is. :(

Oh well, it’s still a nice drink to have on a cold, January morning.

I don’t know why I consider this a breakfast tea, but I do. Especially on the weekends. But then, around Thanksgiving I do tend to eat the leftover pie for breakfast, so maybe it’s not terribly out of character for me.

Steeped and prepared my usual way, served with homemade waffles because it’s Saturday and I can. :)

I am going to have to put this on my reorder list sooner rather than later – I’m going through the pouch quite fast (for me)!

When I looked through my box of Teavivre samples tonight I was between this one and the Yunnan Dian Hong. This one won because it’s smell was a tinge darker and more earthy compared to the slightly brighter (maybe fruity?) scent of the Yunnan.

But I remembered that this tea had a note of smoke when I made it previously, so I decreased the steep time by about 30 seconds to avoid it. It worked pretty well, I think – the cocoa notes I got before are stronger than the smoke essence. It still retained its thick texture, and seemed very bready to me again tonight.

It is still perfect without additives, and I think because of the reduction in smoke I will raise it up a few points. A wonderfully satisfying black tea.

I made the strawberry pie honeybush last night and saw this one sitting next to it, and made a mental note to make this today. Ah, memories….this was my very first foray into 52teas and the start of my addiction. :)

Prepped my usual way – 8 minute steep of 1 tbsp. leaves in 500 ml. water.

I have been going through my supply of Coconut Cream Pie black since the last time I’ve tried this, so I wondered how the two would compare. This one has the tang of cheesecake at the front, followed by the coconut, while with the black tea I feel like the coconut is more front and center, with buttery, flaky pie crust following close behind.

I like (nay, LOVE) both of them – the only deciding factor between which one I drink is the caffeine content, and really, it makes me so happy that I have a coconut tea I can have whenever I want one.

One of my must-haves (luckily it’s part of the permanent collection!)