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Much better than the Impra from this morning. Still an inexpensive bagged tea but the jasmine is very natural. The standard Chinese green base is nice and vegetal. A good bagged choice.

I am still on my Cheapster Steepster kick trying to thin the herd a bit. This is my first experience with Impra and a black based jasmine.

Ok, so that you don’t have to look it up – this was Brett’s review: Strong flowery perfumy Jasmine flavor, but it overpowered the taste of the Ceylon Black. Not bad if you like Jasmine.

I echo the review except for the last line. Having come to love jasmine recently, I can tell you in no uncertain terms, you can do a lot better. I don’t know if the jasmine is off or if it just doesn’t go well with a Ceylon base. It is not gross like a lot of cheap bagged jasmines but it isn’t satisfying either. I’d much rather have a Diet Mtn Dew.

It’s interesting, Brett tasted pineapple and banana in this. I tasted mango and passion fruit. The banana I kind of caught after the cup cooled but honestly, had I not seen the ingredient list I would have missed it. I didn’t taste pineapple at all which is fine by me.

Pickwick teas are pleasant teas where the flavors seem natural for the most part. With this one the flavors are natural tasting but subdued. It is not a big fake cup of candy. Not bad for a simple bagged tea.

I am not sure why this is called Forest Fruit. The ingredient list includes blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, blueberry. To my way of thinking that makes Field Fruit but what do I know. I have never seen this brand in the store. It is imported from Holland. If it is available in your area and cheap it is worthy of a try. A simple bagged tea with pretty natural tasting fruit flavors. I taste raspberry and strawberry. I can’t single out the tea base. A pleasant cup.

I started tasting this and quickly decided to read the Steepster reviews. This is NOT typical earl grey so don’t let the name confuse you. This is highly caramel and with the strong black base it comes off as kind of burnt caramel. Very nice. The fruity flavors stay way behind and add support to the cup. Like. Thanks Nicole.

Found this in my stash this evening. I came via Tea Equals Bliss a while back. My first honeybush and a very pleasant cup. Lightly lemon with orange coming in at mid sip. Smooth. Not rough like a rooibos. I like this.

I’m not sure I am listing this under the correct spot. I had the round bagged version. I was not impressed. There is not enough dust in the bag (1.6g). The tea is bitter at 2 1/2 minute steep. The bergamot is too light for my tastes. I think it tastes like it was stored in a plastic milk jug. A lot of people like this, I’m just not one of them.

Side note: My wife told me she had a cup of the Tazo chamomile she bought before I brought home some better quality stuff. She had become so accustomed to the good stuff that she was amazed at how flat the Tazo tasted. Progress!

O pizza, I hate myself for loving you so, with your piles of hot melty cheese. Your greasy pepperoni and sausage should make me run away, but I do just the opposite. I wake up feeling such shame ;)

As you might suspect yesterday’s food is killing me today. I need puerh to restore by digestive system. I have one of these little rose touchas left. The leather is very prominent and the rose, though I can’t taste it, smooths out the rough edges. I don’t know much about the differences between shus but I know this is my personal favorite. I can already feel it working its soothing magic.

As you can probably figure from my reviews, Ahmad is my favorite brand for bagged tea. Spearmint is my least favorite flavored tea. It’s like sipping tea with gum in your mouth. Except I NEVER chew spearmint gum. Ick. So what happens when my favorite bagged brand makes my least favorite flavored tea? Maybe I am giving them a pass because I trust them, but I don’t find this repulsive. It will never be a favorite but if someone offered me a cup I would definitely accept. The mint is not overwhelming and I can taste the green base. I did not find this astringent. I heated the water to heavy steam then turned off the kettle and waited until it grew quiet before pouring – no idea what the temp is but it works.

Last time I tried this it was like I was the 98lb weakling at the beach getting the sand kicked in his face by the muscle bound bully. Glad my girl wasn’t with me. Whew! Just because its St Patrick’s day I thought I would try this Irish Breakfast again. This time I first signed up for the Ju Jitsu lessons in the back of my Batman comic. Ooh-Wah! I am so ready!

Just for giggles I only steeped this about 30 seconds. It is still very dark but the taste is far more to my liking. It is NOT astringent in the least. The flavor is kind grape/wood. This is a nice cup but I think it would have been a little better at 45 seconds. A little stouter I would like. I am definitely not a 3-5 minute person with this strong tea.

Grabbed a sausage biscuit and a couple cups of this (after the Fig Newtons). This tea is so much smoother than any of the other orange pekoe teas I have had in a bag. I have no idea what type tea these fannings are supposed to be but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was a large proportion of china black in here. Not even a little bitter. I liked their Darjeeling better but I never tire of this one.

It’s quiet. Too quiet. Weird. Am I the only one up or is Steepster down again? I wanted tea to go with my Newtons. I was too unconscious for fancy steeping, so I grabbed this one. It comes in a bag inside a paper envelope. I love my loose white and green teas but you know what? My taster doesn’t seem to know the difference when it comes to Ceylon and Assams. I’m perfectly happy with this. It is medium bodied and tastes fruity. It is only slightly bitter. Would take milk well. Not a bad start to my day and it tasted good with Newtons.

This tea is new to me but this is really more a review of my trying a new steeping method. Bonnie pointed me in the direction of a video for using a teacup as a makeshift gaiwan. Today I dug deep into the cabinet and came up with two Corelle cups. They are bone white with herb designs around the outside. I poured water in them and found they held 8oz filled to the very top. Pretty and perfect for steeping just 4oz at a time. I also found a shallow pan to catch spillage.

I heated the cups and added 5-7g of nuggets to one of them. A scale is on my list for future obtainment for more accuracy. I covered the cup with the other and let the leaf absorb the small amount of moisture in the cup. The leaf smells minty. Minty? I read the ingredients – this is straight tieguanyin.

I heated and poured 4oz over the leaf and covered. I let it set for about 15 seconds. I really didn’t know how long to steep. Pouring into the second cup over the pan revealed a lovely golden liquor. The scent is minty and slightly roasted. The taste is light and vegetal.

The second cup has more heft but is still light. The scent is still roasted and minty but not in the sip. The more intense flavor makes me think nettle. I have no idea why as I can’t recall ever tasting nettle. It is sharp, prickly, and slightly bitter. It tastes way better than I make it sound. Maybe it’s my imagination but I think I am already feeling the caffeine. I know it has opened my airways.

The third cup is less prickly and more balanced. A little roasted in the aftertaste. Still not experiencing the typical latex aftertaste of green oolongs. What I am getting is just a nice cooling sensation.

This is unlike any TGY I have had before. Is it the leaf or the method? I won’t know until I try this again with my normal press method later. I am going to keep steeping and if I get major changes I’ll write an update.

Another I haven’t had in a long while. The dry leaf looks similar to bi luo chun. Technically a green this taste more like a white with melon notes but it also has a buttery taste. Feels thick. This appears to be the same tea as sold by Teas Etc. If you like greens and whites this is very good.

It appears to have been 4 months since I last sipped this one. I think it is the oldest non-puerh in my stash. I used more leaf just in case it is loosing strength. it still tastes awesome. My favorite inexpensive Earl Grey. It’s $1.50 an ounce purchased locally. It may be cheaper online. This starts with the hearty bite of Ceylon. Next the bergamot takes over growing in intensity, going right to the brink of making me flinch. Then as it fades the Ceylon aftertaste lingers. Me and this tea go way back and I still love it.

I saw ashmanra’s post of a hoji-cha and remembered I have this version. For the life of me I couldn’t recall what it tasted like. One sniff of the dry leaf and it all came back. To me its like genmaicha without the puffed rice. Toasted bancha leaf. Well really fannings as this is a very inexpensive bagged version. Still it was quite enjoyable this morning. Yamamotoyama does cheap well.

I looked back at my previous tasting note – it was the middle of the summer and I was all concerned because the mill was talking strike. Oh the simple days, when I had a job, and money. I do have tea and a wife that loves me. Who needs steak.

Started my tea day with this one again today. On the second cup the fruit flavors withdraw a bit allowing the white tea to stand out. Really digging this cup.

I saw Kittena’s review this morning and I have been planning to get to this one for the blog anyway, so…. The dry aroma almost scared me off. It is strong and prickly. Once brewed the taste is not nearly so intense. My first experience with guava. I like it. The ginger adds just a touch of peppery zing – always welcome. The strawberry comes in late and very lightly in the sip. I could not single out the white tea base but could sense it all around the other flavors adding support. I am not the biggest flavored tea fan but this was pretty nice.

I have been avoiding my premium stuff for several days. My taster is probably still on the fritz but I don’t care. I need good tea! I have a couple from The Persimmon Tree I really need to get reviewed but lets see how this goes first… I don’t think I have my full range back. I think I still taste orange from my morning tea and I brushed my teeth in between. Boogers! What I AM tasting of this cup is dark rich burnt cocoa. As first, really concentrating, I can picked out a woodsy taste. After catching it I don’t have to think so hard to taste it. From memory I know how wonderful this is but today it is a bit muted. Stupid allergies. I am really missing the subtle notes. Maybe I need to switch to Silver Needle until I can catch some cucumber and melon notes in it or just pick up a box of cheap orange bagged tea and ride it out. sigh.

My first thought was it isn’t exactly real orange but it isn’t candy either but at least it’s not Tang. Then I read Brett’s description of it tasting like Tang. So either way Tang came to both our minds. I also only caught the black tea in the aftertaste. The orange flavor is strong and sweet but I thought innocuous fun for an early morning, I don’t want to wake up too fast, tea. Thanks Brett where ever you went.

I think I figured out why my taster has been off. I thought it was because I burned my tongue on too hot of a cup. This morning I realized I recently re-started using generic Flonase for allergies. I don’t remember it dulling my senses before. Hope it passes soon. For now this was cold and easy. For bagged decaf it ain’t too shabby.

I got this from Brett who seems to have vanished. Like the PG Tips of yesterday (also from Brett), this is another I have heard about for years but never tried.

What did I think? Hmmm. (snippet from my blog review) I am not sure how to describe this tea. The sip starts nice and gentle, polite even. Just as I start to relax in its company, I am grabbed by the throat, terrified of what comes next. Then, just as suddenly, it releases me and walks away with a grin. My eyes are wide open. I am left unscathed with but a memory. Yeah, this tea is like that. It won’t hurt you. It just wants you to think it will.

Edit – Once the cup cools down the big scary late sip calms down to an enjoyable level.

I have been drinking tea for 40 years. This is the first time I have sipped PG Tips! How is that even possible? This is what English Breakfast tea is supposed to taste like in my mind. Instant eye opener. O.O Stout enough to kick the butt of even the manliest of teas in your collection. The inside of my cheeks are still tingling. I now understand why people add milk and sugar. I never add milk. I almost did this time. taste mellows a bit as the cup cooled. Love the intense aftertaste.

Angel told me this mixes well with green tea. So tonight I blended this with Huang Shan Mao Feng. I can definitely taste the Camellia which is actually the flower from the tea plant. It tastes a lot like white tea with a bit more of a woody taste. I mentioned this morning my taste buds are messed up today. I think I burned them yesterday. I know this taste different than straight Camellia but I can’t pick out the green tonight. It’s ok. I still really like it. I’ll try it again when I can taste. Thanks TeaVivre I have really enjoyed this one.

My wife made a pot of vanilla bean chamomile. It smells so good. I am thinking I might mix the two together at some point :)