Scottish Caramel Toffee Pu-erh

I really should not be having this much caffeine right now but the family decided to finally watch a movie at 1:30 am … so Chronicle and Pu-erh it is!
This is an excellent pu-erh and a good starter one for those who want to venture in but are on the timid side. The flavor is excellent! You know the caramelized sugar on top of creme brulee? That is what this tastes like! Full of yum!
Then add to that an almost incense like woodsy note – slightly spicy – kashmir is what it reminds me of. DOUBLE YUM!
Even for those of you who are experienced with pu-erh – you will love this – a wonderful desert tea!

It’s a little late to be drinking something this strong, but oh well! I only had a few options today since I am visiting my aunt and I brought a handful of samples with me. This was one of them, and I read “caramel toffee” and was sold!

The smell in the bag is very caramel-y and dessert-y, but steeped it smells more like a normal pu-erh. I was kind of expecting this to be a “light” or wussy pu-erh like companies often use for blending, but this has that nice earthy smell and a rich, forest floor taste. Hay, dirt, musty… but you know, in a good way. The caramel is sweet and subtle. This brews up as dark as coffee, and it also tastes a lot like coffee—or rather, like some sort of fancy latte. Rich, dark, malty, sweet, a very nice tea though not one for every day.

Thanks for sending me some of this, Azzrian!

Probably too late at night for this (oops), but oh well. It smelled delicious and I wanted to try some! I didn’t rinse this one as I figured I might lose the flavouring if I did.

The aroma is sweet and toffee-like, with just a hint of pu’erh fishiness. Completely tolerable though, and quite yummy-smelling!

The flavour is rich with delicious toffee, complemented by a pu’erh base that is dark and earthy and perhaps the slightest bit fishy. A strange but surprisingly delicious combination! I will definitely be having this one again, and thoroughly enjoying it!

Azzrian thanks so much for this!

It smells like Toffee prior to infusing. Afterwards with smells like pu-erh and caramel.

It tastes like butterscotch. The pu-erh base is certainly in the back ground. The end sip is where I can pick up on the almond flavors. There is a creamy-smooth texture to it, too, much like toffee or creme brulee.

This is pretty impressive. It surprised me. It’s a goodie!

Today I’m going to try some samples Azzrian sent me. Thanks! She was very considerate in her choices. Now I get to try another pu-erh. :D

Caramel and toffee are right up front. They are balanced by a salty flavor. The contrast is balanced really well and is quite pleasant. Underneath, I taste leather and horses. This tastes like my grandpa’s tack barn used to smell. Since that was one of my favorite places to be as a child, this brings back many happy memories. I learned to catch critters and snakes in there. I learned how to ride and befriend a horse there. I just had some quality time with my grandpa. I think pu-erh and I shall be friends. Thanks again Azzrian.

Mmmmm I think I need to do a side by side of this one with the version from majesteas that I have. I think? I like their version better but I can’t tell for sure. Received this from my dearest friend in Florida – she sent me a few of her favs to try out. Really glad to try another version of this tea, since its one that I enjoy quite a bit (as long as I drink it hot lol)

I got this in a big swap with AlphaKitty and was really looking forward to this one. So much so that I brought it with me on our little mini trip away. Once we got to our destination and I was ready to settle in and relax I brewed some of this. It smelled great dry.

But alas, pu erh and I just don’t seem to be great friends. We get along great when I can barely taste it (cinnamon swirl bread, Aztec spice) but this one was a much stronger pu erh flavor and I just couldn’t seem to get used to it. Maybe someday my tastes will evolve, but that day was not today. Thanks for the taste though Alphakitty!

Stuart Mackenzie: Well, it’s a well known fact, Sonny Jim, that there’s a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentavirate, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri-annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

Tony Giardino: So who’s in this Pentavirate?

Stuart Mackenzie: The Queen, The Vatican, The Gettys, The Rothschilds, and Colonel Sanders before he went tits up. Oh, I hated the Colonel with is wee beady eyes, and that smug look on his face. “Oh, you’re gonna buy my chicken! Ohhhhh!”

Charlie Mackenzie: Dad, how can you hate “The Colonel”?

Stuart Mackenzie: Because he puts an addictive chemical in his chicken that makes ya crave it fortnightly, smartass!

I can’t drink this tea without quoting So I Married An Axe Murderer. Caramel & Toffee & Pu-erh, does it get any better?? This tea is so rich and delicious and heavenly. I first found this at Elaine’s Tea Shoppe in Toledo, but this I picked up online with a coupon :)

I’m not kidding, that boy’s head is like Sputnik; spherical but quite pointy at parts! Now that was offside, wasn’t it? He’ll be crying himself to sleep tonight, on his huge pillow.

First dance with pu-erh. Bonnie sent me this one and judging by the name, it seems like the perfect introduction. Being a bit apprehensive, I went shorter than recommended on the steeping time and added a little sugar and just a splash of cream. Well people, it’s delicious. It’s super creamy, caramelly, butterscotch-laden and delicious. The only way I can tell this isn’t a regular black tea blend is that there is a musty, earthy flavor that pops through the creamy sweetness and gives the tea some character. It’s a little woody, and causes me to think of the taste of cured tobacco and, well… damp caverns. Don’t take that last statement as a bad thing though, it’s very good. Overall, this was definitely a new and different experience to me. I was a little apprehensive about pu-erh, but this blend at least is very good and approachable. I like it. Now to try some unflavored pu-erhs…

Thank you to Azzrian for the lovely sample.

So after I researched for a bit how long to properly brew this, I’m not sure how long I steeped this for since I was doing other things at the time and forgot to time it. Oops. My guess is around 4 minutes.

It’s not bad for a type of tea I normally don’t like. Not quite as flavorful as the puerh cafe I had a little bit ago, but I’m going to try and steep it again for longer to see if I can taste the flavor more. It’s definitely drinkable, and it’s not too bad as an iced tea, either. In fact, I might like it better iced. It’s a LOT like coffee.

This smells delicious dry. Not really caramel though. The flavour is toffee like, without being overly sweet. Will have to try this as a cold brew.

Thanks to Lazey for this.

Wow…. This is another one from Traveling Teabox B From Amanda and MAN this is GOOOD!!! i Saw Scottish and Caramel and was set on having it and im So glad i did Fav tea From the box!! the caramel just Sings in this tea!! What a Wonderful tea!! this is my desert tea!!

I’m falling in love with Pu-erh’s. As a former /hic/coffee…LOVER!!!….I think the appeal of deep, sultry, sexy, smokey Pu-erh has seduced me. This smells like an early morning campfire all smoke and woods (tall trees) with breakfast jacks and maple syrup in the background. What Toffee! Coats your mouth! You can almost smell someones caramely lovely pipe tobacco way off in the distance. Moist. The smoke lingers through the nose. Must be sweetened and add cream in my opinion. I steeped 4 minutes…it is too weak to drink on a shorter steep.

I really, really like this pu-erh. It has the full musty body of a pu-erh without being too harsh. I can usually only do a small cup of the straight stuff, but add some toffee and caramel and I break out the giant Disney Goofy mug! It’s lovely. I take it black but it would hold up well to milk and even a little sugar.
My ONLY complaint – and this is only going to affect those who decaffienate by pre-steeping – is the toffee melts quickly and is pretty much gone by the second steeping. Not an issue if you’re only going to steep it once, and still very yummy.

As flavored teas go, this is one of the better ones. In fact, I think my humans actually smiled while trying it. http://lyt-tea-reviews.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-english-tea-stores-scottish.html

I’m not quite a fan of flavoured blends, but this one is a great experience. The caramel/toffee gives a nice twist to the pu-erh base