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1113 Tasting Notes

Organic Silver Needle White Tea (Bai Hao Yin Zhen) from Teavivre

I am so cold. Shivering even though my heat is set to 70. Time to bust out the fluffy comforter once again!

But until I wrap myself up to sleep, this tea is keeping me warm. And it tastes like early summer, which is interesting because the leaves look like frosted pine needles. It’s grassy and sweet, and really nice. There’s like a touch of fruit, and a touch of flowers in here too.

I have really enjoyed these white teas from Teavivre because they have helped me realize how white tea should be: subtle, yet flavorful. I will definitely keep drinking them.

Lemon-Lime Cheesecake Honeybush from 52teas
90

Man I’m really starting to find out how much the men who live in my apartment complex suck. This month alone I’ve nearly had one hit my car while I was clearly halfway out of a space, and today this guy decided to fly past me once I finally got my gate clicker to work. Needless to say I pushed my way in. Do not mess with a girl in an owl hat.

This is really good. Most honeybush teas I’ve had thus far have not involved much fruit, and in any case nothing citrusy. This is a nice change. It’s extra tangy thanks to the cheesecake factor. I get more lemon in the scent of the tea, and more lime when I taste it.

And it is sooooo creamy, this has to be the creamiest tasting of the cheesecake teas I have had so far. I can’t wait to try it cold steeped when it’s not cold outside…which is apparently Wednesday, so that’s soon enough.

When I saw this was added to the inventory last week I got the last/only one…I had to. Sorry to anyone who saw Frank’s update somewhere and was greeted with SOLD OUT!
M I N E. As above: do not mess with a girl in an owl hat.

Tie Guan Yin “Iron Goddess” Oolong Tea (Ti Kuan Yin) from Teavivre
89

It’s too cold outside. Of course I won tickets to an outdoor event taking place today so I have to spend the hours leading up to it drinking this tea.

I’ve never had a Tie Guan Yin before, and I don’t know why it’s taken this long for me to have one. I like it! It has a really full flavor, creamy and floral at the same time. It’s like a green tea with a really good punch.

I’m not at my own apartment right now and I hate that I’m having to use a T-sac instead to steep, but it’s kind of hard to carry a teapot with you when you’ve got to take a bulky winter jacket and boots to prepare for the next day. I’ve got plenty more so I can watch as the leaves unfurl as soon as I am back home!

I will still probably steep this again if I have time before having to go freeze. It’s reeeeeally good!

Hot Toboggan (organic) from DAVIDsTEA
51

This is the last sample from my order that I hadn’t tried. I don’t know why it took me so long!

It hardly tastes like green tea, it’s hard to even find green tea in here. It’s almost more like an herbal cinnamon apple tea. It’s good, but I’m not sure if I like it that much. Glad to have gotten to try it though, and I have enough for another cup!

Tippy Earl Grey from Golden Moon Tea
70

Oof. Adagio needs a social media makeover….whoever’s on their Facebook page thought it’d be great to call Teavana the “Enron of tea” and this is so beyond tacky it amazes me someone tried to defend the comparison. Swindling billions out of your employees via fraud is so like people choosing to work in a high pressure sales position, right.

Anyway. This tea relates to neither companies obviously but that is seriously bothering me right now.

Typically I am not a big fan of Earl Grey because I think it smells like cleaning solutions, but this smelled a bit different from the lavender, so I figured I might like it.

Without milk, no, it’s too much bergamot for my liking. With some coconut milk added, it’s much, much better. (And seriously I love using this stuff, no coconut flavor detected!) I do like the floral note added by the lavender, it makes it a bit different, but I still don’t care too much for Earl Grey.

Belgian Chocolate Rooibos from ZenTea
84

Since I had $10 off at ZenTea I decided to pick up 4 teas…and with one of those, return to the tea that got me hooked.

It feels like it’s been forever since I had this tea, I have missed it. I realize now why I never really could taste a medicinal type flavor with rooibos because I always thought of this one. It smells like it, but it doesn’t taste like it. It tastes like a savory hot chocolate almost. It’s not super chocolatey but it’s enough to be a good tea.

I have too much tea now. Way back I was so excited that I had purchased TWO!

Pouchong (Bao Zhong) from ZenTea
76

So after my immediate love of Golden Moon’s Coconut Pouchong, I really wanted an unflavored one. I always thought it was more like a green-oolong hybrid but ZenTea’s site says black-oolong…hm.
The leaves look really oxidized, like a black, so I was confused because I’ve always seen pouchong being the least oxidized oolong. But they turned pretty green upon use, and the tea infuses to a nice peachy color.
So I made this tea a photo album because it was that confusing for me, the comparison picture is it next to the Coconut Pouchong: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thethrillstheyyield/sets/72157629252803537/with/6849744731/

I did 4 or 5 infusions in my gaiwan and I still have no idea how to describe this. (Yeah you’d think I counted but I am on the verge of freaking out in joy at all moments right now so counting didn’t happen.)

It was interesting. There was almost a sort of tangy flavor to it on the first two. Like beyond that I really have no idea how to even describe what I just tasted because it was like combining oolong, black, and green teas all in one.

But I liked it so that’s what matters.

Prosperous Peach Oolong from Teavana
71

I love love love this tea cold brewed. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was cold brewing last night until after I put this one in the fridge, so I saved it for later (now) so that it would get to steep more than 10 hours. I figured since the four seasons oolong was so good cold, and the more oxidized orange blossom one was good, this would be perfect.

And it is, it’s a bit like combining a light oolong with just a bit of juicy peach. I usually don’t guzzle down even iced tea but I couldn’t help it with this.

Also I may have bought 8 oz of tea today because I had a 50% off coupon expiring at a local shop…oops. Well it was only $10.30 so it’s okay right?

Tarocco Ruby Orange from Teavana
76

It would figure that when I come to love this, it gets discontinued. I have like 12 ounces of it in a tin now so I’m not too worried.

I have no idea why I love this because generally I hate hibiscus.

This is really like a hibiscus tea with citrus. And yet I love it. Probably because hibiscus just seems to be well complimented by blood orange, and I love blood orange. I’ve had other blood orange herbals and there’s something about this that just isn’t overly tart, although you’d think it would be (other reviewers mention it). It’s tart and sweet, but it’s not overwhelmingly tart for me.

It just makes me laugh because there are Teavana teas I hate for the hibiscus, and yet in one where it’s so dominant, I love it.

Green Coconut from TeaGschwendner
78
Pancake Breakfast Black Tea from 52teas

Ahhh pancake breakfast….we have been apart far too long.

I have 3 exams in the next 2 days, one of which for a class I have been ignoring…I mean it covers landforms and I can see the slides from home. When one slide says rocks are solid I know I am not making a huge error in staying home.

So, while re-reading everything about rocks and volcanos and the earth’s layers and watching hockey, I decided I’d return to dear beloved Pancake Breakfast, especially given its recent permanent status. My mom got me a bag for Christmas so I was pretty well stocked, but now there are no worries!

Still delicious as ever, and as always, making me want pancakes to eat too. This tea is maple, buttery, cakey goodness.

Mango Papaya Bai Mu Dan from 52teas
79

Cold steeped this, it’s really refreshing. There are nice big fruit bits, but they don’t take up the majority of the package. I bet this would be good hot too.

Milk & Cookies from 52teas
78

So I’ve FINALLY gotten around to trying this again with milk. Actually I am thinking milk is the reason my stomach hates me so much, so it’s some unsweetened coconut milk for me.

The coolest part of this coconut milk is that since it’s meant as a milk substitute, it isn’t strongly coconut flavored, and so a bit in this tea doesn’t affect the flavor. It also does its job, effectively cutting that bitter flavor this tea has, making it far more enjoyable.

I added barely any sugar…like I would hesitate to say I even added 1/8 a teaspoon. Honestly, it tastes fine with just a splash of milk. I don’t think you need to sweeten it unless you want it to really pop. But it still tastes like a cookie that might be slightly good for you instead.

Blackberry Mojito/Sevenberry Sangria Blend from Teavana
75

This is so much better cold brewed. That pesky Sevenberry Sangria just keeps improving with every new thing I try. I will have to try not to drink it all so that I have some when it’s really hot outside, because this would be so refreshing after spending 5 minutes outside in July.

Pomegranatea (Bottled) from Argo Tea
63

I had been wanting another one of these bottles for storing cold brewed tea, so I grabbed this one at Fresh Market…I hadn’t seen it before so even better.

I haven’t liked rooibos when I cold brew it, but I like this…probably because it’s sweetened. It’s got a good amount of pomegranate juice in it, because it looks more like juice than tea. It’s a nice refreshing flavor.

I think they are kind of overpriced to buy regularly at $2.39 but now I can keep 2 bottles at home and 1 at my boyfriend’s place and have cold brewed tea ready all the time. It’s also not bad if you really want tea and you’re out somewhere without any…like me.

Cherry Cheesecake Genmaicha from 52teas
Premium Dragon Well Green Tea (Long Jing) from Teavivre

I am extremely annoyed and each sip takes away the annoyances. Too bad it’s not permanently.

This is still a nice, subtle and sweet green tea. When I stop banning myself from more tea purchases, I think Teavivre is first to break the ban.

Cinnamon Lemon Bai Mu Dan from 52teas
80

When I first saw the name of this, I was kind of like mehhhh I don’t know. But my stomach has been really mad at me. Like, if my stomach was a cat it’s one that doesn’t know when to just stop meowing. I don’t know why I am using a cat metaphor here.

So I remembered I had this tea and thought it would probably be really comforting. Just the smell of the leaves made me feel better.

The lemon flavor is stronger than the cinnamon, and I still taste the floral flavors of the base. It’s really light and refreshing, despite having these flavors. I can’t believe how fast I am drinking it.

So really, don’t let the name mislead you. This is a nice blend of flavors, sweet and citrusy, with just a little tasty kick of cinnamon.

Cran-Blackberry Rooibos from 52teas
60
Cherry Cheesecake Genmaicha from 52teas

As soon as I saw the post about this I was excited to get it. I really was not expecting my month of teas to come today but since I slipped twice while walking to get the mail I will so take it!

Even before I even let this just let the flavors meld in the package for a couple of weeks, it is SO good. I don’t think it tops the marshmallow treat genmaicha but it’s up there. The cherry flavor tastes like cherries, and I get just the right cheesecake tang. It’s like a cheesecake with a toasty crust, topped with tons of cherries. This will make an excellent dessert tea….or an afternoon tea because you’re too excited to wait.

Final thought: Whoa. What if you infused butter with this tea and made a cheesecake crust? I did get a springform pan for Christmas!

Prosperous Peach Oolong from Teavana
71
Orange Blossom Oolong from TeaGschwendner
74

I am possibly losing my mind or something but I have decided to start cold steeping things that might be horribly bad cold. But really the idea of cold steeped oolong was fascinating so I did this one and I’m letting this other one steep a whole day first.

So this one steeped about 14 hours and I actually like it a lot better cold than hot. Weird. It was just orange to me before. I get the oolong now, and a nice woodsy taste, even the leather mentioned in the description.

Thanks for working so well like this, Orange Blossom Oolong, you have now opened up a whole new world of crazy ideas to spill next….muahahahaha.

Gunpowder Black from Mahamosa Gourmet Teas, Spices & Herbs
48

I really don’t know why I got this, I guess I was just fascinated by it. But I think I will stick with green gunpowder tea.

It’s pretty bold, which I don’t mind, but the smoky flavor is just really off putting. It’s not like full on smoky but at the same time it’s not just subtle. Those would be okay. But right in the middle just ugh. I might see about steeping it a shorter time and see if that helps.

Vanilla Mint from Golden Moon Tea
75

This is okay, I think I would like it stronger. But I’m not really a fan of black/green mixes. The mint and vanilla are both really good, I just wish there was more to the tea flavor.

On the plus side I got my boyfriend to drink some of this :O PROGRESS. It probably wasn’t the best of things though getting to this point started with some tea at a Chinese restaurant last night.

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