Bethany

Had to be at work early today, so I wasn’t particularly exciting with my tea choices.. just some old, delicious standbys.

This one tastes kind of off today.. but still good.

Another disugstingly cold day in Chicago means another day of Yunnan Noir, an old favorite.

The last of 1 of 2 sample tins of this. How the heck did I end up with two? Glad I have the other one, though.. this is perfect for a sleepy winter night.

Hello old friend. How I’ve missed you. I love your sweet creamy coconut taste and beautiful orchid scent – that orchid scent that keeps you from being too sweet.

I wish I had some extra cash. I’d stock up on this during the Mighty Leaf sale.

Oversteeped a bit; getting more tart rose than creamy vanilla, but still good.

Like the slightly sour taste of this. Just gave away most the remainder of my sample in a swap, though.

Om nom nom. Drinking this instead of digging into cookies..

Slightly sweet, mellow, vegetal green. I’m really trying to be healthier in general (working out regularly, kind of on a diet), so I wish I could find green teas that I love, since they’re so good for you.

End of my sample of this. It’s been my go-to green tea for the last several months, but I don’t love it.

Oh noes, my sample is almost gone! I’m just plowing through ’em lately.

Roasty, toasty, and the hazelnut taste manages to overpower that not-so-great Adagio black base. A favorite morning tea.

This tea isn’t terrible. It’s not bad. It’s just.. stunningly mediocre, like many of Adagio’s flavored teas. There’s so much flavor bursting from them that it seems fake. I like flavor to come directly from the tea leaf, not additives or flavorings. This smells good, but it’s so overpowering, just like their Vanilla Oolong that I recently swapped away. And the tea’s the same way. I love almonds, but it’s overwhelming, screamingly almonds. I can’t taste any oolong.

Ugh. I don’t think I’ll be trying any new Adagio samples for awhile.

Last of my sample :( Finished up a few more sample sizes in the last week. I’m totally broke right now, but I could reward myself with a trip to TeaGschwedner with my $25 gift card from Christmas.. hmm..

Anyway, I did like this one, and would think about repurchasing. It’s weaker this time than last, since I only really had 2tsp left for a 4 cup pot. But that’s okay. I wanted something strong and black, and this is it. Missing the honey notes this time, though.

Grassier than I remembered, but just what I need.

My sample is now almost gone of this, and I just went to check SpecialTeas’ site for a steeping time and apparently they no longer sell it. Sad, because I really like this one. It’s smooth as silk with a very light cocoa taste. Not at all like most Ceylons.

I’m totally shocked at how much flavor this tea has with just a 3 minute steep. Awesome. I agree with pretty much every other assessment here – this is delicious. Tastes like almonds and cinnamon and baked goods.

This is a REALLY strong licorice tea from a local store. Like, clears up your sinuses strong. But I love the taste of real licorice, so I’m a fan.

Mmmm. Not much of my sample left, as this is my second pot. May have to buy a tin. A great evening tea.

Just another really lovely basic oolong.

I like this one more and more each time I drink it. It just defines oolong to me. Will probably order more once my sample’s through.

Hm. I’m kind of conflicted on this. On one hand, this is a very good, very delicate chai. The coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming, but it’s definitely there, and the blend of spices is very similar to what was in Zhi’s Kashmiri Chai that I tried yesterday. On the other hand, this is rather weak for a black chai. I guess that’s good for me, since it’s how I prefer them, but I really would prefer more flavor, just not more spice.

Yummm. Sharing a pot with the boy.

This seems to be Zhi’s most popular blend. I’ve read a lot of great reviews of it elsewhere. It’s way sweeter than I expected, which is a good thing. I expected this to be very thick and full of chocolaty tannins, which was not what I was in the mood for. Instead, this is much lighter, with the coconut and cinnamon shining through, and the stevia sweetening things up. I can’t taste the rooibos at all! This makes me glad.

Can’t believe I’m the first to rate this! This is Zhi’s version of a traditional Kashmiri chai, which uses a green tea base and, typically, all of the other spices in a black chai. Unfortunately for me and my almond love, this version does not include the also-traditional almonds.. but I’ll live.

Zhi’s version strays a bit from the traditional, anyway, with the inclusion of vanilla. The vanilla is barely perceptible, but I definitely think it grounds the tea with a sweetness not typically found in chai. It’s not that this tastes weak – it really doesn’t – it’s just an adjustment when you’re used to more powerful chais like I am. No one flavor really stands out; cinnamon is the most easily identifiable, with that sweet vanilla coming in at the end.

This is a lot different than I thought it would be. I wish it were just a bit stronger, but I like it.

I love the vanilla in this. It’s not too sweet or cloying at all. And I love that this is an Assam on the weaker side. Kind of want to buy more once my sample’s gone.