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This is the only matcha I ordered a while ago with my super-sale caramel matchaccinos. I had to try this one, as it seems it’s the highest rated here on Steepster. It’s a good start anyway! Also, I just received some lovely samples from Red Leaf, so I thought it was time to write this tasting note!

Cup #1 – Hot latte
The dry matcha has a heavenly fragrance of marzipan.. which I guess makes sense… that is certainly more fragrant than plain almonds. Microwaved warmed milk slowly poured from measuring cup to a mug with matcha in the bottom. I have no idea how much to use, so I went with half a teaspoon. It is very delicious – tastes just like the scent, though the milk does mellow it a bit. But the flavor is definitely like marzipan, creamy and sweet. But this is why I’m glad tea is so hot – this cup was gone QUICK. If I drank all cups of tea this cooled and not risked burning my mouth, I would have to drink even more tea. To taste the flavor better, I’ll move on to…

Cup #2 – steeped like a usual cup of tea
I waited for the water to cool around 40 minutes to not burn the matcha. ( Forty minutes is probably not necessary, but it just happened.) I learned that a serving is half a TEASPOON and matchaccino is a whole TABLESPOON… unless the matchaccino bag is wrong. The flavor is lovely.. more to the front than if it was a cup of milk. Just marzipan! These cups are gone quick though. :D
redleaftea.com

Dexter3657 MUST have seen this on my shopping list to include it in the best tea package ever! I was thrilled to see it in the package! thanks so much! I swear this ISN’T the only Della Terra tea I don’t have a sample of. I don’t know how it escaped my grasp… maybe because in my small black Friday order, I only wanted to pick one apple tea. I have no idea why it was the other one, as I knew this one would be my thing as soon as I knew of its existence. And this blend is EXACTLY what I had envisioned it as (except for maybe the orange I see in the blend?!) The dry leaves have a fragrance that is the same as the taste – I’m not sure how molasses like it is, but it has a lovely sweet flavor to it I haven’t seen in other teas. The blend has apple slivers that even still has the rind attached. This is the nice kind of Della Terra apple flavor and not the off-tasting apple they sometimes have. Perfect. The “spices” listed in the ingredients doesn’t say which spices but it doesn’t seem to be much spices anyway… just enough to give it depth (and maybe just enough to remind of their dreaded Dirty Chai but the rest of the blend makes up for that. This tea was made for me as molasses type teas are one of my favorites (even if the molasses is usually just found naturally in the leaves). One of my favorites from DT. NICE.

Not much to say on this one but a decent yerba mate. Very earthy! The flavor seems to change with every sip. I’m not sure why there are white twigs in the leaves though… I’m not sure if that is part of the yerba mate but I thought yerba mate was just the green leaves. I waited a half hour to cool after boiling for this to steep for 3-4 minutes. It always seems like I’m sleepy after drinking yerba mate though! It doesn’t energize me like black tea. The second cup went for 4-5 minutes and was a bit astringent but nothing I can’t handle.. still good.

Ah, my first kukicha tea. Thanks to Dexter3657’s awesome tea package! This one looks like little twigs… the same color as hojicha that I love. This one has such a low steep temp – 160 degrees for 2-3 minutes. I like this one, though it is very mild. It has the flavor of a very light roasty hojicha. But it also has a creamy taste. I don’t know why this can’t be steeped hotter though… as I usually steep my hojichas hotter than fresh green teas. I was curious how another hojicha blend had a cream flavor… maybe there was kukicha mixed in the blend.

Additional notes: Having some of this from my Bestsellers sampler. I was hoping for some of this one! This fresh batch tastes even better. I just love how the popped rice and the marshmallow root is so naturally marshmallow treat! So naturally sweet. One of my favorites from 52.

I had to order a couple SAMPLES from thepuritea with their going out of business sale. So sad! This was a free sample with my order which I really wanted to try, but at that point they didn’t have the samples in the tins. It looks slightly like Zen’s Phoenix “Pearls” (snails). The leaves are slightly wound up with gold color.

Steep #1 // 3 min // around ten minutes after boiling
I only waited a few minutes after boiling because I was undecided about what to have. The cup was nice anyway. It’s kind of between chocolate and sweet potato… not really either… just a really nice black tea. Tough to describe! I wonder if black teas always tasted like chocolate and sweet potato to me, I just never noticed the flavors.

Steep #2 // 4 min // right after boiling
Slightly astringent this time around and much darker in color. A nice robust cup! Malty, lingering, much more chocolatey this time around. There is a leaf in the bottom of my mug somehow that actually DOES look like a snail. erm, ew. Other than the snail, this one is a winner! It will be missed but I will savor the remains of my sample.

I’m testing out the leaves from my order a while back. This is possibly my favorite tea! Sadly, I think the leaves may have changed from the sample I had a while back (possibly a new batch?)

Steep #1 // waited 14 minutes after the water boiled // 3 1/2 min steep
Two teaspoons of this one. I’m not sure if I did something wrong, but the NUANCE isn’t here anymore. The dark chocolate flavor is here, but not as deep as before. And now any of the hints of fruits (like apricot or plum) are missing…even the sweet potato and squash isn’t there. It’s still very good, but it lost what made it so special. Maybe if I steeped with one teaspoon of leaves the fruity flavors would reappear. If I oversteeped this time, there would be a deeper chocolate flavor. Kind of disappointing.. I want the lovely leaves from my sample back!!!

Steep #2 // waited 14 minutes after boiling // 4 min
This cup is exactly the same as the first cup. It just doesn’t have that SPECIAL anymore. It’s very good, but I feel like other teas like this are better now (like the Teavivre I had the other day). Note to self: I’ll try one teaspoon at some point and another try with two teaspoons after waiting for 20 minutes.

Lesson learned: If a tea is your favorite, order as soon as possible. Do not wait for another harvest/batch! (I’m guessin g that is what made the difference here.) There are so many factors, even before a tea gets to the drinker, that the leaves are bound to be different.

Additional notes: From the Bestsellers sampler. I think they changed the base of this one (I think my tin of this is older), or else I didn’t steep it perfectly.. but it isn’t as lovely as usual. It seems like the base on this one is a Ceylon that I don’t love for it’s sour type flavor (not astringent). At least it is the same type of coconut! I’ll have to keep trying it. Lowering the rating a few for now though.

This lovely blend is thanks to Dexter3657! Wow do the leaves smell SO refreshing, bright and fruity. So many fruits in this blend! I knew I had to choose this tea while I was thirsty. And I’ve been sipping way too many black teas lately!

Steep #1 // 3 min // 45 min after the water has boiled
The flavor is as amazing as the fragrance. The white tea definitely is the first to the forefront. It’s nice that the fruit didn’t overpower the white tea. I’m not tasting any rhubarb but I can see where the other fruits make themselves mildly known. I’m getting hints of lemon, pear, cherry, and pineapple… hints but they are there like they combine to make a new fruit. The steep color is bright yellow.

Steep #2 // 3-4 min // half hour after boiling
Another gorgeous, tasty cup! I actually see a big chunk of cherry in the infuser! There are some definite fruity white blends lacking in my cupboard! I love this one. I’m honored I was able to try it!

Additional notes: Had to buy some of this with my order. I was low on pu-erh and this will keep my stash of pu-erh going! I like this one. I think I’ve figured out I liked ripened pu-erh more than raw pu-erh. Correct me if I’m wrong but aren’t the ripened pu-erh darker in flavor (like a cup of coffee) and the raw pu-erh is lighter? I’m not sure. And I have no idea about sheng or shu yet, especially as I never see those in the descriptions of the teas. I love the little rose that floats at the top of the infuser for this one, though it doesn’t really contribute much flavor! Three nice steeps with this one.