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While sipping the third cup I thought the second deserved a comment of its own. My wife made a spinach and strawberry salad with orange poppy seed dressing and a honey chicken Parmesan cheese thing she made up. This tea held up really well against it. The combination brought out some spicey notes that weren’t present before. Yum.

I know I am supposed to hate this. I don’t. It’s family.

Speaking of which – last night I was telling my dad about a particular iced tea I enjoyed at a restaurant. He had it once as well. He said it was too weak for him. Then proceeded to tell me of a local eatery that made the best iced tea ever. Yeah, they brew this. It is cloudy. The water is slightly soured. And they use a plastic glass. Mmmm now that’s tea. :)

My rating is high by most of your standards. By my rating system if fits square in the average range. That is what it is blended to be – beige. On Steepster all teas start at 77 as the middle of the road and our ratings adjust it from there. I figure 77 is for an average loose leaf and around 60-65 is my average for bagged. Included just so you know.

I am generally a pretty easy going guy. Today trying to get everything organized to make a cup of tea proved to be almost too big of a task. I didn’t completely loose my cool to the point of embarrassing myself, but it was close. Didn’t break anything but there are a number of tea puddles that I am attempting to clean up.

This tea. This is my third Huang Shan Mao Feng. It is the first nonpareil. I looked at my reviews of the other versions after I tasted this one. This wins hands down. I used the entire sample, a Finum basket and a mug. It started as like clean mineral water that quickly changes to a smooth creaminess. The flavor begins, to my tastes, as grain (oats) accompanied by more vegetal notes. What I call oats, other reviews refer to as chestnut. Next, a wonderful green astringent bite kicks in. TeaVivre calls it brisk, and it is, but not like the bite I associate with Assam based tea. The aftertaste is fresh and hangs around like it is begging me to take another sip. So of course I must oblige. There is a fair amount of cooling sensation present as well.

As you can tell I really liked this one.

I am only six cups into this so far. I will post a better review after I take this several cups further. My notes are so closely paralleling Awkward Soul’s wonderful review on her website, that it amazed me. I do not have a clay pot. I did decide to make-shift gaiwan steep it using a tiny Corelle cup, and a Finum basket with lid. Each steep is between 3-4 ounces.

Young sheng takes some getting used to. I happen to like sheng and found this to be really nice even as young as it is. If I had the self control to age pu’er, I believe this would be a good one.

Awkward Souls’s rating is correct for what this is now. I raised it a bit for potential.
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Edit

I took this on through 10 cups. The leaf still has more to give but I have run out of day. As the flavor starts to diminish and the astringency increases around the 8th cup, adding a tiny amount of sweetener brings this to life in a very good way.

I enjoyed my day with this one. Thanks Misty Peak Teas for the sample.

Apparently this is what they serve when you order iced tea at Cheddars. Dopplergaydar was the first to report this is the tea served. It was confirmed by our waitress today. By the lack of information on the S&D website this shouldn’t be any better than Lipton or any other generic tea. It shouldn’t be, but I love this tea. It is very earthy and refreshing. This is my favorite restaurant tea by far. Just don’t order the hot tea there because it IS ^Lipton :P

I learned something new with this tea. I love it when that happens. I thought gyokuro was a higher grade of sencha. It can be made of sencha but doesn’t have to be. What makes it gyokuro is that the tea bushes are covered for a few days prior to picking. This does some kind of mojo to the taste.

This is my first of this type tea. I have no idea if it is a good representation of gyokuro. I do know I really liked it. I used a cooler white tea type water temperature. Prepared this way it was not bitter. It was smooth, silky, not grassy, and I was happy to see Nina’s mentions in their description that there is a touch of the sea in the flavor. I picked that up before I read it. I love it when that happens.

I went to the clinic Saturday due to an earache that won’t go away that has kept me so dizzy I haven’t wanted to brew tea. Drugs haven’t helped much yet but this morning I needed a good cup.

I previously reviewed what I recall was the 2011 version. Ain’t gonna lie to you. I freak’n love this tea. It is hard to pick a favorite from TeaVivre but this one is definitely very near the top. The leaf still reminds me of old time upholstery stuffing and the sip still tastes like Cheerios. There is a floral element similar to green oolong hiding in the middle of the sip. This turns creamy late sip. Good aftertaste. Resteeps well. My favorite part is when I sip it the world around me dissapears for a moment. Who couldn’t use a little of that now and then?

Thanks Angel for the sample.

I love peach tea. This is an oolong peach. I think I could stop there and it would be enough, but you know I am seldom brief. The wet leaf scent is peach and roasted oolong. The sip begins lightly peach and then the oolong comes in mid sip and is much lighter on the roastiness than expected. If you dislike roasted oolongs, never fear, this is light and more nutty in flavor. Late in the sip it changes back to peach with some citrus notes. The cup is naturally sweet but will take additional sweetener if you are so inclined. The aftertaste lingers nicely.

The cooler the cup gets the stronger the flavors become – especially the peach. Lala said this was delicious cold brewed. Based on a room temperature cup, I totally believe her. This is a very refreshing tea.

Warning! Warning! Danger, Will Robinson, Danger!

After shopping today it was 80 and we were hot and thirsty. My son bought me and him one of these. He likes it. First, ingredient water, second is sugar, then natural flavors, and wait for it… Instant Tea. O Yum, this tastes as scrumptious as it sounds. Yes, sarcasm.

It is sweet enough to make your kidneys hurt. The taste is just odd. It is either a little soured tasting or they added a tiny bit of lemon flavor (natural of course).

I don’t know what my son paid, but it was too much. I appreciate his generosity so I accepted graciously. Again, he likes it – BUT – I am warning you good folks. Do not attempt this at home!

I just realized I am a little more Sheldon than I care to admit. Saturday is Mother Parker OP tea. This is Thursday so it must be green tea Frap from Starbucks day. Different is not good. They say it is, but it’s not. So anyway, Had this skinny, no whipped cream, and an everything bagel smeared with cream cheese. Over priced yes, but breakfast of champions. What an excellent combination.

Actually feeling like me today. No headache. No earache. Yeah! Sipping this one again today. Still tasty.

I picked up a bass guitar a few days ago. I can’t play bass – yet, but I have one. Today is the first day I have had a chance to thump on it. Used headphones so I wouldn’t annoy others or embarrass myself. A good time was had by all. Started with Paranoid. The bass line drives that song. Since I am not likely to work it in to a song at church, I guess I’ll finish my cup and go work on something more appropriate. Although we do have a punk inspired version of This Is The Day. Most fun you can have with three chords.

I have had such a headache for two days. It was making me nearly sick to my stomach. I barely ate or drank all day. This evening my brother gave me a bag of morels he and his wife found growing in their yard. They are huge. One made a sandwich. Snapped me out of my pain.

In celebration I fixed this tonight. I don’t know about the rest of you but I cannot bring myself to use as much leaf as called for on the instructions. 8g/8oz would make this $3/‘teapot’ (1 cup). I know it is a free sample, I just can’t. I used abt 3.5g (half the sample) and it is plenty hearty enough for me. I could sit and breath in the wet leaf all night, except then I wouldn’t get to drink it. This is excellent even fixed my way and it steeps 3 times.

Just got back from town. It’s cool (my wife says cold). It’s dreary and lightly raining. This was the perfect tea for this moment. It is warm. The taste is fresh and green with enough bite toward the end of the sip, to make you take notice without crossing the line in to bitterness. Really hitting the spot.

Today we went shopping for our very first ever NEW mattress. My wife and I have slept on hand-me-downs our entire lives. We did own a new water bed years ago but that kind of doesn’t count. It will not be delivered for a week or so because we special ordered the foundation. But it is going to be awesome.

In the last month we have paid off the house, the truck, the tractor, and the credit card. The mattress is a small victory celebration. There is still a mountain of medical bills that we hope to conquer next. All this has occurred after I was permanently laid off. It does not add up on paper. All I know is we have been blessed beyond measure.

Three cups of this one to start my day. The first one, I was overcome by a spirit of stupid or something. I added cream and honey. OMGosh that’s just gross. I emptied the cup in a hurry so I could drink it dark and strong. So much beter. A good basic bagged black. Sometimes that’s what it takes to get the day moving.

Rummaging through my box of samples and found this one. Looks like I last logged this 9 months ago. The leaf is long for black tea and dark. The dry aroma is of grain. The brew scent is light smoke and malt. It is fairly sweet and lightly smoked. It reminded me of Bailin Gongfu when I last had it. Today I would say it doesn’t have the chocolate notes. What ever. This is a really nicely smooth satisfying cup. Two thumbs up.

Yeah! I finally get to drink some tea! Check out the picture of this one. It looks alien. It smells delicious. I sipped this hot, but the taste reminds me of a grown up shaved ice drink. I imagine this would be awesome iced with a little sugar. There are several different berry and citrus ingredients in this. I personally could only separate out the blueberry. It all blends so perfectly, maybe too perfectly? Nice lingering aftertaste. I sipped this slowly and enjoyed every sip.

Since I am not working, I have been going with my wife on Thursdays paying bills and buying groceries. I now understand why my wife thinks I am trapped in at least a 20 year old time loop. Wow, the world has gotten expensive. Should have been a 35 year old time loop – the music was better.

The weather was gorgeous this morning. Perfect for sipping on a sweet icy tea drink. I get this skinny without the whipped cream. Today it was too heavy on the syrup and too light on the matcha powder but refreshing none the less.

Now I am off to a meeting to learn to federalize my resume. I believe it is mostly pointless. I know how to write a resume. The problem is I need some skills updating. I can’t get that until fall. Why am I going? My Voc Rehab counselor says it will be good for me. When did she become my mother? My meeting is an hour away, so I guess I am not going to get real tea again today. sigh.

Reading back, I sound a little gripe-y but I really am not. I just want good tea.

This is my third dragon well furnished by Teavivre. Nonpareil according to Wikipedia means ‘without equal’. This is a pre-ming tea. That means this is a rare high quality tea and a treat for me to get to try it.

The leaf is straight, flat, and emerald as it is supposed to be. Once the water hits it the aroma is an amazing steamed spinach. Love the scent. The first thing I noticed about the sip is it is very smooth and mellow. It is slightly sweet and has a milky like feel across the tongue.

I have also had the Superfine and the Premium versions of this tea. Each has the basic Long Jing flavor, yet each is different. This is the most mellow of the three. The Premium had the most bite. Teavivre says this has a chestnut like taste. I am not familiar with the taste of chestnuts, so I can’t verify the similarity. To me it is non-bitter Chinese grassy green tea with a woody/nutty kind flavor. The aftertaste lingers nicely.

It has been 4 days since I have had a good cup of tea. I have been too busy fighting a virus to even care about good tea (today I declare victory over you stupid virus). It was so tempting to just grab a low quality glass out of the fridge. So glad I took the time for this one today. A very nice cup.

My interview went ok Friday but I won’t get the job. I do not have 3D drafting experience. The earliest I can take a class for this is August. I was afraid I was going to not feel well during the interview but I felt great, maybe adrenaline kicked in or something. Anyway after playing at church this morning I came home and hit the couch. After a 5 minute power nap I woke up and the crud hit me hard. I feel like %^&*#! Chased Advil with multiple Mtn Dews. Had to run to the funeral home for a church friend. Came home and plopped on the couch again, where I intend to stay. Now I am in need of iced tea. This was made. It is cold. Decaf is probably a good thing at this point. Hope tomorrow brings dry warmer weather and the end of crud.

This is the Spring 2013 production of this tea. The dry scent in the sample bag is slightly sour and reminds me of fresh baled hay. The aroma of the wet leaf makes me think stew beef and buttery beans. The liquor is light yellow green and very clear and bright.

The sip is crisp and fresh with a slight bitter edge with a mineral finish that I find produces a very refreshing mug. There is a milkiness to the feel. The taste is vegetal and what I guess is best described as nutty. I find it more savory than sweet. The aftertaste lingers nicely.

Going strictly from memory (usually not a good idea) of the premium grade I tried long ago I believe this version is brighter with less of a roasty feel about it.

I would not normally think to ice this, but as I was typing my notes the mug reached room temperature and I must say I really liked this cold.

I went looking for some Irish Breakfast but I am too asleep to remember where I put any of it. Note to self: Really shouldn’t hide your wake me up tea.

This one was setting out. I have had it open for almost a year. It still seems fresh as can be. A really good everyday malty black.

Went to bed last night at 10:30. Woke up at 12:30 thinking it was morning. Tossed and turned until 6:30 when I gave up. Definite need of a hefty mug of ambition.

Went to bed at 11 got up at 3. I’ve done that for a couple days now. I haven’t felt well but not bad enough I knew what was wrong. Well, Tuesday I did have to break out the nebulizer to feel like I had any air in my lungs, but other than that I just felt – blah. I haven’t even felt like drinking tea or much of anything else. This morning I woke up with a stomach virus. I have a job interview Friday. I have to feel better (even if I don’t – you know). I don’t have all the training they are looking for, so really my only hope is neither do any of the other candidates. The earliest Ivy Tech is offering any courses I need to update my skills is fall. Classes had already started this spring when I was let go.

I’m rambling, sorry. I have a bunch of new teas to review and I just don’t feel up to it yet. Having this one to start my day. It is a wonderful cup of malt and cocoa and fruit. Smelled very earthy as I was brewing it. I have got to get some fluids in me and this is pretty easy on the stomach which I apparently need this morning.

I’m through whining now ;)

Woke up at 4:00 AM. Tried to go back to sleep but couldn’t. Now it is almost daylight and I have to stay awake. This fit the bill. As long as I hold the steep time down this is wonderfully fruity and delish. Now that I have learned how to prepare it I am upping the rating. Sip down.

I am running (not literally) all day today, so this may be my only cup. At least it was a good one.

7:00 PM and this is my first cup of the day! I have been outside enjoying the sun all afternoon. It was around 70 and gorgeous, even built a fire in the pit and roasted hot dogs.

Kind of stuck on this tea lately. Moving on will be a little easier since a new box of Teavivre samples just arrived today. It only took 9 days to get here from China! Amazing.