4185 Tasting Notes
Thanks for this one a while ago, TheLastDodo! Barely slept the night before last so I needed some brain power. Oddly enough, the tin looks like it’s filled with hay along with the little pebbles of ginseng oolong. I can’t imagine what the “hay” is, since I don’t see a description anywhere. It kind of even tastes like dried grass. Otherwise, it’s just a typical ginseng oolong. Even before steeping the third cup, some of the oolong bundles were still wrapped in ginseng. I’m not sure if the ginseng gave my brain superpowers, but I probably should have been a lot more tired otherwise. After the LONNNG third steep, some of the ginseng was still covering some of the oolong. It seems like a waste of oolong then.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 10 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 4+ minute steep
Thanks for these in the sale, Ost! I always like to try all the pearls. These ones are very light in flavor, even while using four for a full mug. Once unraveled, the leaves look fairly large and fill almost half the brew basket. Though light, the flavor is complex and delicious: slight hints of molasses, chocolate, honey, maple, caramel, tobacco in this light amber brew. Pretty darn good flavors right there. The second cup was deeper in flavor. It wasn’t astringent at all, but it seemed to lose some of the distinct characteristics of the first steep. It was mostly chocolate this time around. I’m not sure how I like these compared to other pearls. The first cup was unique but light, the second cup a lot more like the usual pearl flavor.
Steep #1 // 4 pearls for a full mug// 5 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep
Additional notes: So this is the new batch from my recent Zen order. This one wasn’t available for a while, so I was happy to see it back. And I’m very happy to note… it’s exactly the same! I’m so thrilled. I think it might be my favorite mint blend. Somehow it tastes the same as my pouch that is years old. It’s almost like it magically doesn’t change flavor as it ages. Awesome. I might add some cocoa shells next time to make it more chocolatey.
This is another awesome blend from S&V. A very tasty Snowbud white tea blended with fruit flavors and beautiful orange flower petals I’ve never seen in a tea blend before, as well as gorgeous blue cornflowers. It’s tough to distinguish which type of fruits exactly (the description says apricot and mango) but they pair very deliciously with the white tea. I bet it’s also great iced. There are also floral tasting qualities as well as having a milk oolong type flavor. I’d almost like to try the base without the fruit flavors, but I’m glad they aren’t overpowering the white tea. I can’t describe how tasty this is! Using just boiled water with the second steep didn’t make it oversteeped at all. It was nice that way. It’s such a refreshing and bright cup.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep
Thank you so much for this one, Tamarindel! I thought this blend wouldn’t be for me since I’m not a black currant fan but why are S&V teas always so GOOD?!?! If there is a successful black currant flavor, this is one of them. And the pairing with the black tea is wonderful. I wish I knew what types of black tea were used (description says China and India black)… especially once in a while in the scoop there is a tea that looks rolled up like gunpowder green or a really dark oolong. I don’t think the flavor is deep enough for that tea to be a black pearl, but this should be black tea so I’m not sure. The brew is a deep red. The base itself is fruity with hints of floral and whatever it tastes like is perfect with the black currant. A medium level strength brew. If I stocked up on a black currant tea, this would be it!
Steep #1 // 1 teaspoon for a full mug// 10 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Additional notes: So I’m trying the NEW new batch of this that I just ordered, and it still isn’t quite the same as the older EGC. Not the same bergamot, not much cream. The black base seems the same or similar though. Now there are also rose petals in the blend, which doesn’t add much new to the flavor but it’s an interesting addition. Definitely still not one of the best EGCs as before.
Additional notes: Wow, the flavor in this one is still quite good and it isn’t very new either. Delicious. It’s a unique blend I haven’t really seen anything like.
Bluebirdteaco.com will be raising their prices soon, so I’m inquiring in the forums to see if anyone might me interested in a USA group order. To split teas/ shipping from the UK. Prices don’t change until orders after April 3, so there are few days left!
Additional notes: Sad sipdown of my sample. I liked this one… I would have loved it if the chocolate was more pronounced. Cocoa shells would work! I ended up splitting my sample into two steep sessions of three cups. So it was about two heaping teaspoons (or maybe 2 1/2 teaspoons) for each steep session which I think worked really well. The steeps never got weaker anyway. I think it was the perfect amount of spice though. This blend is just my thing though. I’d probably order it again when ordering from AQTT. Also, there was a sad sipdown of Bluebird’s Nearly Nirvana that I’ll be enjoying throughout the day.
Happy Easter to those who celebrate! It’s a great warm day here anyway.
Thanks for this one from your sale, Ost! This is definitely a unique blend that I really wanted to try. I wouldn’t say it tastes exactly like ice cream, but there is certainly something delicious about it. I just wish the flavors were more pronounced. The oolong itself is definitely of the creamy/milky variety. The oolong becomes more noticeable with more steeps but it never gets too powerful. Probably because there are so many other goodies in the blend. The sarsparilla is the most noticeable. But like I said, I wish the other ingredients would have made more of a presence. (Like the sea salt! or the almonds! or the vanilla! or the jasmine!) But this was stored in a thin baggie, so maybe that is what happened to it. I should mention that anyway. I wouldn’t say no to a cup of this though. I’ll try stronger parameters next time.
Steep #1 // 10 minutes after boiling // 1 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 6 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 2 1/2 minute steep
Thank you for our combined order, Nicole! These teas are still on sale over at justea.com if anyone else was interested (the refill pouches.) I had to buy a pouch of this for my chai addiction, and I knew that this was a unique blend from samples I’ve had before. It is pretty tasty! The ingredients are nicely balanced. Sadly, I still can’t taste the rose petals but I like that they’re included. Definitely a unique chai!
The ingredients sometimes change, so currently the website says my pouch has these: 100% natural ingredients: Rainforest Alliance Kenyan Black tea, allspice, clove, fennel, cinnamon, licorice root, ginger, black pepper, rose petals.
