Lotus

OMG I LOVE This and I for one hate anise! So let me tell you the first impression I got from this is flowery black pepper! Then a creamy sensation took over. Then a floral after taste – but wait THEN it developed back into the pepper. I took agree, I don’t know what is going on with this tea but I am in LOVE here!
I am absolutely getting some of this!
I am surprised it took me so long to give this one a try!
It has me rethinking several other teas from The Persimmon Tree that I have passed by!
Regarding the other two tasting notes I really never thought I would have liked this.
So glad they sent me a sample!
:)

I’m on a tea-buying hiatus in order to control the massive amount of space my tea cupboard takes up. I bought over 100 types (not including any samples) in only 3 months. ;~; So, no more tea buying! Even samples! But somehow, a small (5 sample) order from The Persimmon Tree snuck in. At $1 a sample + free shipping I couldn’t really resist since there were a few flavors I’d really been meaning to try. This was not one of them, but I’ve never had lotus flavored tea so I was curious.

I’ve had a lot of lotus-flavored snacks: one of my favorite things to pick up in Chinatown is candied lotus root (even if it does trigger a bit of my tryophobia). It’s got this juicy, crisp quality very reminiscent of watermelon with a nice earthiness too. So I foolishly hoped this tea would taste like that, despite it being stated as anise-like with a hint of vanilla. Well, those flavors are definitely there and quite pleasant actually, but the base green… oh my god. Mushy canned peas. I HATE peas, and this tea is all steamed veggies. Not nice, fresh from the garden veggies (I’ll even eat peas if they are very fresh)… canned veggies that have been sitting in a grocery store for 2 years. I had 2 sips and had to pour it out, it was making me nauseous. If it weren’t for the anise/vanilla at the end, this would get a big fat rating of 1. But really, you don’t want vanilla in your canned peas. It might actually make it worse!

Thanks to Alphakitty for this one.
It tastes like flowers and Anise. It’s SO not like the other Lotus Teas I have tried…in any way, shape, or form. This one…is…strange. It’s not bad tasting…just really DIFFERENT. I can’t say I like it but it’s not a cup I wouldn’t poor down the sink…I WOULD finish the cup, but…I’m rather confused by this one. Perhaps one day…we will find a happy medium…this tea…and I????

Backlog:

A delightfully floral tea. It’s really quite lovely, with a pleasant sweetness. I tasted licorice notes as well as vanilla tones. Really good. It seems like … based on the other tasting notes, this one is either a love or a hate kind of tea. I, for one, love it.

Here is my full-length review of it: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/02/11/lotus-green-tea-from-the-persimmon-tree/

The Persimmon Tree sent this for review. I will be writing a full review on my blog in the near future but I couldn’t wait. The smell is licorice – like black jelly beans. I love black jelly beans. The aroma turns floral in the sip. Then this wonderful light fresh creamy dreamy green leafy tea kicks in. The aftertaste drifts back into floral and finally black jelly beans. This is not like the tea bag lotus teas I’ve tried. This is Freakin’ Awesome. This won’t appeal to everyone but I love it.

Loose
Appearance: black grey dark curls
Aroma when Dry: bright, sweet lotus notes, peppery
After water is first poured: salty bright lotus floral notes
At end of first steep: bright lotus floral bittersweet notes
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: clear
Staple? yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first?: sharp, slightly fuzzy sour floral lotus
As it cools?:sour nutty tangy notes open up, tea gets fuzzier, deeper, thicker
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Softly, crisp floral lotus, slight hints of grass

Second Steep (5min):
Light, floral brothy, drying notes in close