New Tasting Notes

78

I figured this one out! I was reading about chai recipes, and one suggested putting the spices in water on low for 15-20 minutes till the water heated up. So I did that with this tisane and 50/50 almond milk and water.

1 tsp tea in 16 oz liquid, steeped slowly on the stove for almost 20 minutes.

I added 1 tsp sugar to my mug, and it’s so good. Oh, and a piece of cinnamon stick. Because I can.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C

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98

I’m a really bad hostess. Well, not really. Just not very detail oriented or focused on the time. Today is Sunday, which means bus routes don’t run the same as they normally do: something I should have been paying attention to since Robyn took the bus here and was going to need to take it home to the University. Except I wasn’t paying attention, and we only realized what the time was about 15 minutes before the last bus was leaving for the night. We rushed to get to it on time, but still managed to miss it.

It’s freezing out tonight, so walking home really wasn’t a reasonable option for her (plus it’s like a 40 min. walk) – so she’s staying the night. That’s fine with both Tre, Robyn, and I but I still feel really bad about it.

Since it was freezing and we’d waited an extra long time outside in the cold just in case the bus was late, I decided to make everyone tea once we were back inside. Robyn and Tre both picked Della Terra’s Perfect Pear and loved it, and I chose this one since I wanted something consistent and familiar because I knew I’d be a bit more preoccupied on making their tea and being a more attentive host.

Consistent and familiar it was indeed; and in the best way. No soapy taste that I sometimes (although rarely) get from this tea and it was sweet and strong. Tre actually commented on how he’d almost picked this since it smelled really strong and powerful, but he also hates black teas. Which is a total contradiction, because he ended up drinking a black tea tonight (and loved it) and his two favourite teas I own (Red Velvet and Saskatoon Berry) are also black teas…

Ugh. Oh well – I think I’ve mostly learned to put up with his idiocy.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 15 sec

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82
drank Magicienne by Nina's Paris
1146 tasting notes

Sipdown!

I’m trying to drink teas without knowing what’s in them and see if I can pick out the flavors. This one seemed very floral and a touch creamy without overwhelming the base tea. Of course once I looked up the description and saw pineapple and coconut, it totally tasted like that instead. So yeah, that’s bias for ya. Either way, this is quite tasty. I don’t even like coconut teas, but the flavor is very subtle here. And there’s a nice tanginess too. Thanks to Laurent at Nina’s Teas for the sample.

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90

Another sipdown… I am all out of this but I really like it so it will probably be back in stock someday. :)

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87
drank Tamarind Pop by Butiki Teas
761 tasting notes

This was my tea this morning for my David’s kid’s tumbler and Timolino. I got this sample from CrowKettle a few days ago, and she warned me that it was a subtle taste. I have to agree with her that it is a very subtle tea.

The packet definitely has a sweet, smooth fruity smell. In fact, it smells delicious! goes back to sniffing the packet

Ok, I’m bag, after pulling myself away from the packet. :P As always, the aesthetics of the tea are very pleasing. The little pinky red blossoms are beautiful. The taste is very subtle. What I’m noticing most is an earthy fruit taste (and maybe some warm cinnamon?) with some restrained astringency, more like juicy astringency rather than pucker astringency. I did sweeten this with a little sugar. I’m not sure about any caramel or cocoa, but maybe the smooth warmth and earthiness I taste is partly those notes mixed in with the fruit.

I can see how this tea would be amazing cold steeped, as I think the fruit my pop even more. I like this tea, and am glad to have tried it. I might get a larger amount to play with in the future, but not now. I think I’ll add it to my list though…

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63
drank Royal Wedding by Harney & Sons
2965 tasting notes

My evening cup of tea (so far). I wax and wane with this tea, and am happy to say I’m in a wax phase (no, nevermind. Forget you read that, that sounds weird.)
Its tasty! Today its steeped up light and pleasant.

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79

So it’s almost Halloween, and I’m watching ‘Witches of East End’. This smells nicely like vanilla. The added sprinkles are cute, though I was hoping for a little more. Still, I like the flavour. Very creamy.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 15 sec
Lariel of Lórien

I’m having my second cup with pumpkin rooibos, it’s very good.

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68
drank Tilleul by Harney & Sons
1015 tasting notes

Wow, after reading these reviews I was terrified to try this, but as I’m having trouble being the least bit tired tonight I decided to give it a go. It really reminds me of CS Original Sleepytime but without the slight mint. With a bit of sweetener it isn’t that bad and if it helps me get to sleep sooner rather than later I’ll probably throw this or the mint version in the cart next time I order from Harney.

mpierce87

Actually, the more I drink this – its alright, but I’ll probably just stick with my bagged CS Sleepytime Vanilla that is so easy to come by.

mpierce87

Plus, I’m still not the least bit tired… :(

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80

I wasn’t expecting too much. I found a box of this at TJ Maxx and decided to give it a try. I really like this. It’s incredibly smooth and the blackberry and jasmine mingle together nicely. I may have to try and find more of this once I’m done with the box.

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec

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drank Browncoat Genmaicha by 52teas
2291 tasting notes

Sipdown! Thanks, CrowKettle. It’s taken me a while to drink the sample you gave me, but I think I finally got it right.

As with all green teas, I seem to enjoy this one steeped really cool. I added a little sugar to bring out the chocolate, and this is really nice this evening. The chocolate is kind of weak, but the star is the toasty rice and sorghum.

I’ll probably try another steep tonight, but if not, then no harm done. I got the tea to a point where it worked for me, and though it’s not a favourite, it’s very pleasant.

(In other news, I sorted through my school stuff and got rid of all the paperwork. I have a stack of empty binders that comes up to my shoulder, and 3 overflowing bins of paper for recycling. I had been planning on buying another bookshelf, but now I have two empty shelves… Now to spend the next few weeks revisiting my textbooks and selling them.)

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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92

Having a few steeps of this in the gaiwan tonight, haven’t had it in a while! Enjoying the nutty green flavor tonight a lot! I have been lazy with tea notes today, had 2 other cups this afternoon but haven’t logged them yet. Haha, just relaxing today and have been watching Harry Potter. So yeah, See previous notes on this tea :)

mpierce87

Harry Potter!! I have a severe need to get all the movies and spend a whole Saturday watching the entire gamut! Maybe next weekend…

mrs.stenhouse12

Nice! Yeah I usually watch them every few months in the span of a week :) I need to re-read the books though, haven’t done that in ages!

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66
drank Redberry Tonic by DAVIDsTEA
237 tasting notes

Really curious about this one but only got 8 grams so I hope I don’t love it too much!

In the pouch it smells lemony,earthy and dusky.nice!

Once brewed it is a lovely color,smells like an earthier heavier cousin of Goji Pop ( one of my staples)

The taste is a much less sweet Goji Pop. It is the cousin,alright.Lighter with more emphasis on lemon and gentle tartness. Nice!

Good tea,but I am a Goji girl all the way and this is nice but not quite the same league. It is very good though,don’t get me wrong!

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 30 sec

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drank Strawberry Oolong Tea by Teavivre
1040 tasting notes

I think I’m in the minority here. This was just ok for me. I’m not a huge fan of green oolong, but I was expecting this to be more like fruit flavored green tea. Nope, not what I was expecting. There is real strawberry in here, but it’s subtle and overshadowed by the oolong. I can appreciate that this is a high quality oolong with real strawberry flavors.
I think I’m more of a fake, in your face flavor sort of girl. I either was straight tea, or I want flavored tea. This was too close to the middle for me.

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70

Dry, this smells EXACTLY like pistachio ice cream. Steeped, it loses some of that delicious, creamy scent. The taste of the brewed tea is smooth and sweet, it has a creamy mouthfeel. It doesn’t taste overtly like pistachio ice cream, but it does have a nutty quality to it.

I used my dad’s love of pistachios to get him to try this tea. Success! He actually enjoyed it and agreed to additional tea times with me, provided I get more of this stuff.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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34
drank Goji Pop by DAVIDsTEA
451 tasting notes

My friend loved this one. Sadly, even though it was the second time I’d tried it and I was super careful with my water temperature and steep time, I did not. It’s not a bad tea – it’s vaguely fruity and gets better as it cools. There’s just something about the taste that doesn’t hit the spot for me.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
Courtney

I actually wasn’t crazy about it until I had it as an iced tea. Now I keep smaller amounts around to occasionally cold brew.

sundaysipping

Hmm, I may have to get some more and try it that way.

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77
drank Blueberry BOO! by Della Terra Teas
353 tasting notes

This tea smells divine. The blueberry scent is super strong. This tea is pretty tasty, too, but I can’t tell what, if anything, the chocolate bits bring to the table. I can’t taste them at all.

That’s okay. I love blueberry.

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec

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83
drank Passion Berry by Teavana
513 tasting notes

Loved this tea! I was told it was very close to Starbucks Passion Tea, and so it was! Tropical with fruity and floral nots, I liked it both cold an hot. I did notice that, since the petals take a bit of space in the scoop, you need to make sure you give it enough leaf. That being said, another hardy blend that can steep indefinitely and a new favourite of mine!

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98

Where have you been all my life, little tea sample from Verdant?! I’ve had this one in my travel with me vintage lipton tea tin for a few months now and have yet to try it. Now that I finished the Traveling Tea Box C, I can focus on my huge swaps and samples and orders I have piling up in my closet. Ha Ha. I am actually making a Verdant order tonight and this baby is getting ordered. I loved the smoothness this tea brought. Defintely could taste all the notes. Chocolate, roasty rice, caramel, love it! Each steep was completely different from the one before which I loved, it’s like have multiple teas in 1. I got 3 steeps out of it before it started to get to late to be drinking a black tea. I should be in bed by 8 for my 4AM shifts:) I also ate with it some chocolate that paired perfectly with it. :)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20741867@N05/10527140546/
Well I love this one and don’t know what more to say about it. Speechless.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
Courtney

Haha I quite literally JUST ordered this half an hour ago.

BrewTEAlly Sweet

Ha ha i am just about to order mine. Sadly the main tea I wanted is now out of stock because I fell asleep before I processed my order last night. Wang Yanxin’s Budset Jin Jun Mei.

Courtney

Oh no :( That’s the worst! I’ve never ordered from Verdant actually, and I went a little crazy and placed way too many orders the last few days :/ At least I’ll have a bunch of tasty teas!

JustJames

i do love this one….. when i have a bad day i plunk myself down on the couch and drink this……. possibly while getting lost in skyrim. =0D

BrewTEAlly Sweet

Yes I had a very bad day today. I came down hard on my room mate for stuff that is getting out of hand. I went to work at 4AM so mad I was shaking all day and my adrenaline was through the roof, so this one was a MUST have after work.

Stephanie

Aww, that’s the worst. Tea is super comforting sometimes though. Yesterday sucked and my two new Mandala teas really made a bright spot in it for me :D

JustJames

this tea plus skyrim….. cannot advocate strongly enough! lol. very zen. there are no room mates in skyrim.

tea-sipper

Another person about raving this one! I need to try this one and soon! Maybe tomorrow!

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75
drank Hot Apple Cider by The Republic of Tea
15006 tasting notes

mmmm glad i picked this one up while on vacation. It’s a great bagged tea to have in the fall when you want apple cider without the fuss of making it!

bah 180…found a tea i hadn’t logged in my cupboard.

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Oh, boy! I made this at double strength, with two spoonfuls in one of David’s Perfect Mugs. I steeped it for a shorter time than normal but the cinnamon still came out strong today! It cleansed my throat out like mint.

This is quite pleasant and steeped nicely in the almond milk (my new favourite thing). Thanks, Jackie T, for the sample.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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100

I’m almost completely certain Oriental Beauty is my favorite type of oolong. I’ve enjoyed every variant I’ve tried of it, thus far. And this is, by no small margin, my favorite. No, not just because it had the words “wild” and “arbor” in the title. (Although, that certainly helps.)

The taste is all tart, sweet, fruity, and some form of magic not known to us humans. I would say more…but that might be windbagging it a bit.

Like I did here: http://steepstories.com/2013/09/19/wild-arbor/

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 0 min, 30 sec

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drank Maple Pecan Oolong by Butiki Teas
1440 tasting notes

I so want to love this tea! The tea itself truly is a masterpiece, and I know everyone else adores it, but I can’t seem to get completely on board. It really is creamy and delicious, and the maple sweetness is so lovely, but the pecans just aren’t quite doing it for me.

I’ve tried it multiple times now, and I’m just waiting on my second steep from today to cool now. I have a couple cups worth left and I think perhaps next time I have the urge to brew some up, I will measure it out sans pecans to see if it works better for me.

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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88
drank Pineapple Kona Pop by Teavana
513 tasting notes

This one does not seem to be a popular blend, but I actually really liked it. I am a pineapple nut, but eating it totally makes my mouth hurt, so this was a great way to get my pineapple kick in without any negative side effects. It tastes a bit like a tropical blend that is heavy on the pineapple. Very nice to just leave to steep and sip on throughout the day. I do tend to prefer a lot of David’s Teas blends, but Teavanna does some mean fruit blends, in my opinion.

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58
drank Vanilla Tea by Murchie's Tea & Coffee
15006 tasting notes

sipdown! (179 after adding in my samples from angel/teavivre). I had this as a latte with dinner and walking dead tonight. It was as it usualy is. I’m glad to be done with it and likely won’ re-rder since there are other vanilla blacks out there that also taste delicious as a tea and not a latte!

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