6105 Tasting Notes
Tea #2 from the Butiki TTB.
I know I like gui fei… and in particular, I know I like Butiki’s gui fei! (Especially with tamarind flavouring!) Anyhow, I just ran across this early on when poking through the box (so overwhelming), and thought it would be nice to have. It was not my intention to drink a ton of oolongs tonight, but that’s what seems to have happened (I have some Caramel Beurre Salé, or whatever it’s called, on deck too).
I am certainly enjoying this tea – roasty with that intense leaf-bitten sweetness – but it’s just a gui fei. Not underwhelmed or anything, just satisfied. It’s what I expected, so I can’t complain! I’m curious as to whether it would result in ice wine tea if steeped for 8 minutes… but I don’t think that’s really what I’m in the mood for right now, so more conventional infusion parameters suited this just fine (actually – it stood up to boiling water better than Butiki’s, I think. I forgot that this tea prefers 180F).
Preparation
Received the Butiki TTB today!! Technically probably Friday, but I only found out and actually opened it today :)
Anyhow, it’s crammed with stuff, and I’m going to do my best to get through as much that interests me as possible, before sending it back to Marzipan.
This is one of the first teas I chose to brew up. A green oolong; I felt like it was likely to be nice and creamy and oolongy. I believe I may have had one Shanlinxi oolong previously, but I don’t feel like scouring 300 pages of tasting notes to be sure. Anyhow, I made a great pick for what I was looking for – this is a wonderful creamy, sweet green oolong. Not floral (so not up your alley, keychange!), just a lovely smooth, creamy mouthfeel, a savoury sweetness (like… avocado?? I am wracking my brain to come up with something to liken this to, because it’s not really like any taste I can think of). Maybe a bit green beany – but like the uncooked fleshy pod of a green bean, not the usual green bean flavour. Anyways, it’s good. It’s delicious. There’s one more cup’s worth in here, and it is mine.
+1 for teaboxes, so far!
Preparation
5th(?) tea from my Book of Tea! I thought that since I had recently had some Milk Caramel from Sil, that I may as well try this teabag of it to compare.
There’s definitely more flavour here than I had experienced previously, and it’s good, but not as creamy or caramelly as I’d like. I’d probably be quite happy drinking this again, though, as it has a tasty, roasty base, and the flavouring isn’t bad by any means. Just vaguely sweetish.
It was verging on being a bit strong, though (basewise), so it’s possible I oversteeped, and perhaps it would taste better if I had not.
Preparation
Sipdown! This review is for the new 52teas 2015 reblend, courtesy of Indigobloom (thanks!!)
Was very excited to brew this up, especially after OMGsrsly’s review… and it does not disappoint. Sweet and mapley, wonderful oolong (excellent choice on the base). No cheesecake to speak of, but I do not particularly care. This is one step away from my perfect banana oolong. Just needs… banana… haha.
I think/hope/should check that I have some of this en route… if not, I need some. Now.
Preparation
Had the most disappointing mug of this yesterday; very little cinnamon, and obviously a bigger piece of hibiscus than usual, resulting in a less flavourful, more tart than usual, cup of tea. Extra disappointing because I only have about a serving’s worth left now, and then it will be gone forever :( :(
I bought a ton of teabags of this recently because they were on sale, but I’m starting to think that that wasn’t the best move – the tea tastes different to me, very artificial. Perhaps it’s in part caused by the actual plastic teabag?? I may try snipping some open to see if it tastes better that way. Here’s hoping…
Preparation
keychange was so nice to share some of her new teas with me! We opened this up at her place yesterday, and thought it smelled okay, lacking a bit on the banana, perhaps. That observation seems to have held true for the flavour as well. A nice enough flavoured black, but neither chocolatey nor banana-y enough to really achieve “Banana Split”. Just vaguely tasty.
Preparation
Sampled a bit of this from Indigobloom as well. Although it tasted ok (roasty, sweet lemon), I think I may have burnt my tongue a bit, which was sad. I believe I have some of this en route, so will get to have another chance at it (or a few) in the future.
This review is for the new 52teas 2015 reblend, courtesy of Indigobloom (thanks!!)
The five of us kind of split a mug of this shortly before OMGsrsly had to head to the airport, so we wouldn’t have quite so much tea to drink. Good plan, as we all then tasted the same thing. I was quite fond of this, and felt like it tasted quite like banana bread, with a distinct lack of runts flavour, and a lovely buttery/bready essence. Apparently I was in the minority, however, which was ok because that meant I got to finish the mug!
Anyways, I’d happily order some of this to have around. Tasty.
Preparation
Met up with some lovely Steepsterites today and had a wonderful time! Came away with too much tea, though, and sorely regret not hauling things out of my stash to bring and offload, too.
Anyhow, this tea came from the huge order that keychange made from East Indies recently, and is one she was not fond of, in part because it didn’t taste like cherries. Well, it didn’t taste like cherries to me either! However, it had the cakey sweetness of other teas like Pineapple Upside-Down Cake and Blueberry Crumble, and therefore I found it delicious. Also, sparkles. I didn’t really write down anything more about it, so should probably re-review later, but it was tasty.
Thanks for sharing, keychange!
Preparation
I’m very jealous of the meet up! We’ll have to figure something out for Christmas this year since I’m in Regina – but it’s a shame you all don’t live as close.