New Tasting Notes

I’ve had a very long week, hence the lack of updates. But I finally got my 1st draft of my big paper done for the semester. I’ve had a headache all week; so today is a rest day. I’m having a lovely cuppa this as my now mid-day wake up. It smells sooo nice! I think that out off the Adagio fan blend teas I’ve tried this is my favorite. This is such a great way of me to get something sweet without resorting to cake.

This was one of my samples from Design a Tea. It came in a small tea bag. I think there may not have been quite enough, because the flavor I got was quite weak. I definitely could taste a bit of the chocolate but I didn’t get much rose taste. I think this tea could be quite yummy, but I would like to give it a proper try before I buy a whole bag.

This is my first interaction with any Yerba Mate. Upon opening the pouch, I was greeted with a grassy smell, a bit on the “straw” side of grassy. I put the kettle on a low setting, just below what I use for green teas (which once measured 180ºF, but I’m not sure how accurate the old kettle is) and set the timer for 3 minutes. Smelling the resulting brew in the cup, I get a very mild scent. The smell is similar to my White Monkey brews.

I fear I brewed this on the weak side. The flavor is meek at best. As the smell reminded me of White Monkey, so does the taste, but without the sweet notes of the White Monkey. It’s weak enough for me to not get much more than that from it. Hopefully my next brew will have more strength to it and give me more flavors.

I received this from Rachel! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to try this!

First, I figured that I should try a sample today! As usual, I love surprises, so I usually don’t check other reviews before trying a tea. This tea smelled slightly fruity when it was dry. I thought the little green leaves were crushed mint leaves; although, it didn’t smell like mint. Again, as I usually do with black teas I am trying, I steeped it up and took a sip of it straight. I was expecting either mint or bitterness. NOT… AT… ALL… !! I was sooo surprised when I took that sip that it was sweet!!! I didn’t know why it was sweet. It tasted like sweet & low or equal or splenda… ick!

The steeped tea smells like burnt sugar or caramel… I can’t say I’m a huge fan of this, but I am glad I got to try stevia. This is my first time trying it. There is a fruitiness to it that I can’t seem to pinpoint… perhaps berries? Decent tea if you like sweet!

This tea has a aroma that really brings me to some wonderful morning memory, I just can’t seem to put my finger on what it’s reminding of, it’s almost like the smell of the hull of the toasted peanut. It has a great roasted rich burnt coffee aroma and taste, but the most unexpected sweetness that kind of tingles a little in your mouth and lingers long with the after taste. The first infusion was much more complex than the proceeding but it keeps it’s originality throughout.

WOOF!! WOOF!! Hello…….My name is Lotis. Six years ago today, I was adopted & brought home…….NO FOOLIN’! I was rescued & kept in a cage for long hours until I found this nice home (or it found me)! I didn’t trust such a strange place, and I even bit Scott a few times-I didn’t trust him either. I was so confused & scared, but he never hit me. :))

Woof!! Woof!! He let me bark, and played ball with me. I played with my squeaky ball, and I played with & ate icy cubes! We still like to do these things, and more! Sometimes we go for walkies, and I still like to chase outside kitties! Lately, I haven’t done that…….sometimes my leg hurts. :// I really like to eat my food with Scott, and sometimes he mixes treats with it. When I go potty outside he gives me even MORE TREATS! :))

Woof!! Woof!! After I eat, I lay under Scott’s feet and sometimes I get sleepy, and catch myself snoring. He pets me alot. I like when he rubs my head, puppy ears, my moustache, and sometimes I let him rub my belly! He always says I’m sssoooo soft, and a good puppy, good buddy, and a good boy. He tells me I have pretty eyes.

Woof!! Woof!! Sometimes, when he drinks tea, I lay by him. Sometimes he drinks tea for a llooong time. He must have had some good tea today, because “good” is a word I understand, and he kept saying it over and over. Sometimes, I look at him & think, “ARE YOU TALKING TO ME??” [Head tilt]

Woof!! Woof!! So, now I am very happy, and I know I make him happy too! We really are good buddies. I even have a soft, warm puppy bed next to Scott’s. I really like sleeping on it, but I haven’t been too often lately. I’m trying to tell him I need a new puppy bed!

Woof!! Woof!! So, we’ll keep doing what we do-eating, playing & chasing kitties (as much as I can), walking, sleeping, snoring, AND I like riding in the car, and so much more! Scott will keep drinking his good tea. I’ll do my best to be a good boy, and we will ALWAYS be good buddies! :)) WOOF!! WOOF!! :)) [wags tail] WOOF!! WOOF!!

Sunday, April 1, 2012.

What the ??…….I’ll have keep an eye on Lotis! I never knew he was so good with computers! :)) I agree with everything Lotis said. Now for a more in depth tea review.

I just heart Darjeeling teas, and this one is no exception. From the bag the aroma didn’t wow me, but while the tea was steeping that changed greatly. I was smelling artichoke characteristics in the steeping cup. In the wet leaves this is more apparent. The leaves are the greenest I’ve ever seen for a first flush Darjeeling, with only a sparse amount of brown leaves. I thought I also noticed a light nuttiness in the wet leaves.

The cup was a light orange color with a sweet aroma emanating from the cup. Darjeelings can sometimes be tough for me to describe. This one was fresh, with mint-like qualities, and fruity like a beautiful Spring day. There is something about this Goomtee though, and I wanted to pin it down-be more descriptive.

As I swirled this tea over my palate it really seemed to sparkle, and POP! Like a sparkling beverage (soda or cider). Sparkling, not like carbonation, but in relation to the way it reacted to my palate. The artichoke aspects were present, but there was (IS) more. Fresh minty qualities came through. Fruity…….but what fruit? The best or closest fruit I can come up with to accurately describe this is LIME, or lime zest. I’ve heard it described in FF Darjeelings before, but I’ve never came close to tasting it until now. :))

This Goomtee is very flavorful. On the palate there is good presence, without being heavy or overly astringent on the tongue. After swallowing, there is only mild astringency in my mouth! What I taste and remember most is sparkling, minty limes, like tropical heaven.

I could drink this 24/7, but I will pace myself and savor every sip-every moment! Like Lotis, this tea is a wonderful gift in my life! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Wow, this has changed a bit over the last 3 months. Still a bit astringent, it has integrated its flavors nicely and now has a nice floral note to go with its green flavors. It is beginning to develop some depth. Good stuff.

Striking aroma from the leaves after first brewed, so sweet! Its very true to its name, wonderful honey floral taste almost like a honeysuckle, just a little hint of oxidation, smooth with a good heaviness on the tongue due to the astringency. I got to sample this with BTVSgal and was very sad upon learning it’s no longer for sale.

This tea is a little of the flavored side for me, but I see it pairing very well with a smoked fish or any Asian protein dish with oyster sauce. An interesting tea for sure, but not my cuppa.

Wonderful tea, light the rich aroma it’s buttery and mellow but this tea has a little a stronger nutty taste over the floral. Also had a higher astringency to me which I enjoy but tend to drink more of ;)

Drank this from the sampler, it’s mellow and buttery with a wonderful floral after taste. Very light with a touch of astringency.

I always forget how much I love Alpine Punch until I drink it. It is so flavourful, it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I’m not much of a cinnamon person, but there is just enough to create this wonderful taste. I will keep this tea in my cupboard for as long as DAVIDs tea has it in stock. It is perfect for those Canadian winters or dreary rainfalls, like today.

I used 2 and 1/2 scoops of dry leaf for 473 ml.

Noticeably bitter, but the bitterness is balanced out with the chocolate flavour; it makes the tea have a dark-chocolate feel . The strawberry flavour peeks out a little bit and mixes well with the chocolate. This tea is not overly floral- the rose taste just barely makes its way through and blends nicely with the chocolate and strawberry taste

Black tea flavour definitely present. Peppermint flavour throughout which is well balanced with the black tea. A little bit thin on the start but blooms on the finish into a very full sweet taste. The feel of this tea reminds me of drinking a cup of of thick hot chocolate. The flavour reminds me of chocolate mint. The slightest bitterness is present on the finish but not so much to make this drink an unpleasant experience.

I drank this tea as a ‘Tea of the Day’ sample at David’s Tea. It was served iced.

The flavour that stood out the most was a peach-like flavour. This tea was very bitter.

Minty, savory green tea. I’ve steeped this pretty potently so the “brothy” notes are shining through. Not bitter at all and very refreshing. After a very late, fun night, I’m finding this very soothing to the tummy this morning!

This would definitely be delicious with sugar or honey!

Tea of the afternoon…….

..with a little change. I almost always drink my black teas with a little Splenda. I know it is not the greatest choice, but I do revisit healthier sweeteners from time to time (honey, stevia, etc.), and they all have a weird taste to me. I am also trying to shift my tastes away from sweet things and eat a more plant based, whole food diet. Fewer chemicals in the diet has to be a good thing. After drinking this tea yesterday, I remembered having it without additions for my first sampling. Today, I decided to try it plain again. I think this will work. I do still get the cocoa notes, but it is a little more malty without adding sweetener.

Usual teapot method. No additions.

a perfect machine. even if it’s a stretch, you won’t regret this purchase.

Heavenly. I tried it yesterday and enjoyed it, but this morning I increased the proportion of tea to water (at work, must make it a cup at a time) and steeped longer. Added a bit of turbinado sugar and a splash of fat-free half and half.

Where has this been all my life?