teatimetuesday

At the coffee shop, I needed a tea to drink. This tastes like a standard run of the mill bagged Assam. Medium body, clean finish, a little drying on the back outer edges of the palate, I’m unimpressed. However, it’s better than nothing. 50/100. New to tea? Try this one. It’ll grow on you. I’m glad to have hot lightly flavored water on a cold, rainy classic Ohio autumn afternoon. Enjoy your cup today, whatever it may be!

A nice anytime tea. A light, quiet cup. The Kenya Milima doesn’t possess too much body and the flavor is simple: a light malt with fruit in the background. There’s a slight briskness on the sides of the palate with a drying finish that lingers, while leaving the mouth clean. Overall, recommended if you’re looking for a good morning time, plalate cleansing tea.

This is now my new favorite black tea! I have struggled for awhile to find a black tea that I can enjoy alongside other tasting. Unfortunately, my search has only yielded a few results (one being the South Indian Parkside). However, this tea can now be added to that category. It is a rich and smooth black that fills the mouth but does not overpower the taste buds nor linger too strongly. It is have a light tartness to it that is reminiscent to some citrus notes I normally encounter an Assam teas, but this is distinctly brighter. I definitely recommend this tea and will be having it often. A breakfast tea perhaps?

Also, if you might have any other suggestions for black teas that fit the description above, please let me know!

I was disappointed in this tea to be quite frank. It is not bad by any means, but for me, I was not to fond. For me, the black tea was too mild and it could have used more robustness to pull me in. I think there are times in which I will be able to enjoy this tea; however, it will not be a regular staple for me. Overall consensus: some people will love this tea and instantly fall in love, but for the tea purist, it may take little while for you to appreciate.

Addendum: photos (http://twitpic.com/ri495 http://twitpic.com/ri4rp)

This tea for me is relatively plain. It is not robust in flavor; however, after savoring, this tea began to unfold in complexity (and definitely began to grow on me). As the description says, there is a certain truffle aroma to it. This tea is very low in astringency and briskness. It has a light body and lingers on the palate pleasantly with a certain dampness, as opposed to a dryness you may perceive with an umami type. The liquor is a bright orange and the leaves are tightly rolled with a golden brown color and, after steeping, unfurl to a larger leaf (similar to what I would see in an oolong).

Addendum: photos (http://twitpic.com/rh6qk http://twitpic.com/rhmr4 http://twitpic.com/rhmaj http://twitpic.com/rhn42) and video (http://qik.ly/sS1x)

I had this tea alongside the Darjeeling Steinthal (http:/su.pr/), another first flush, for the sake of comparison; however, the ended up being very complimentary. This tea is going to give you a nice sharp bite on the front, providing a medium strength briskness while keeping the astringency minimal. Providing a nice clean finish with its full body, the South Indian Parkside helped to cleanse my palate after enjoying the herbaceous briskness of the Steinthal.

Addendum: Photos (http://twitpic.com/rcep7 http://twitpic.com/rcfot http://twitpic.com/rcewx http://twitpic.com/rcf7b) and videos (http://qik.ly/sJ3W http://qik.ly/sJXv).

This tea is harsh for sure, but in a freshly “green” way (as the description gives way to). You get the herbaceous aroma right off the bat on the front of the palate. Shortly followed with a sharp bite on the sides and rear, a heavy briskness, this tea lingers with an intensity that some tea drinkers may not enjoy. A light edge of muscatel flavor is also noticeable. I complimented this tea with a stronger, fuller bodied tea that provides a clean finish (South Indian Parkside http://su.pr/).

Addendum: Photos (http://twitpic.com/rcfxu http://twitpic.com/rcgq8 http://twitpic.com/rcgw7) and videos (http://qik.ly/sJ3W http://qik.ly/sJXv).

This fruit tea is fantastic! The bitter almond is pleasantly present on the palate as well as the complimenting tartness. In the background, I definitely detect the apple; however, the raisins are tough to notice (especially on any infusion past the first). Overall, this holiday seasonal tea is a must, good hot and iced, and will compliment many holiday dishes as a post-meal desert.

Addendum: photos (http://twitpic.com/r7r7d http://twitpic.com/r7sm5 http://twitpic.com/r7srp) and video (http://qik.ly/sDhc)

This green tea provides a nice vegetal, grassy briskness right of the cup. As its (pleasant) harshness dissipates, it gently calms into a lingering butter finish. The lemongrass is so faint that it is hardly noticeable. I think it adds to the briskness lightly. Overall, I recommend this tea, giving it a 3.5 tea leaves (out of 5). Simple and enjoyable.

Addendum: photos (http://twitpic.com/qixzf http://twitpic.com/qiy5e http://twitpic.com/qiyc2), video (http://qik.ly/rZIx)

This tea gives a nice dark orange liquor (see picture and video below). Off the nose, I am getting a musky & bitter citrus aroma (the oolong is semi-fermented). This oolong provides a nice medium bodied tea that has a clean finish, lingering little (simply the woodiness of the oolong), and no briskness. It is not too bitter/astringent on the palate either. I am, like the description states, getting notes of leather and smokiness, complimenting the light woody notes on the leaf. Right off the bat, you get subtle notes of a floral orange that aren’t overwhelming at all. They compliment the oolong nicely. This is a superb blend!

Addendum: photo (http://twitpic.com/q9b0r) and video (http://qik.ly/rHxz)

This is my first time having the Genmaicha. After having many Japanese teas, I finally decided to give it a try. The story of how it started reminds me a lot of the legend of the Lapsang Souchong and its origins (they both were never intended to become the worldwide success they are). This is a mild tea with a light body, lingering little on the palate. It’s light enough that the lingering is very hard to tell and dissipates quickly (as it spreads across the palate). The sencha is concealed by the toasted rice; however, not to the point that it’s gone. You miss out on some of the less popular subtleties of the fine Sencha—e.g., briskness—and are able to enjoy a little extra something alongside the roasted rice. At first sip, I thought it was like a toasted piece of thinly sliced whole grain toast. After further savoring, it’s easily distinguishable from that. The Sencha provides a “green” flavor to it, giving you a simple, flat vegetal flavor to round out with the starch. I recommend this tea. It’s a good afternoon snack for sure!

Video clip (31 sec): http://qik.com/video/3537887

As I said in the video, this bright first flush Darjeeling provides a bright and slightly unsettling Muscatel edge. However, accompanied with the woody, wet stone aroma, the appeal is great. Complete with all that you would expect, this tea gives a fantastic presentation of sharp edges and deep, subtle roundness, all at once. Notes of light apricot also come forward from the background of the Darjeeling tea as you savor this blend.

This Japanese green tea is pleasantly grassy with creamy, medium weight body that lightly lingers on the top of the palate (cf. umami). Alongside this briny grass-like flavor comes a nuttiness resembling almonds. Adding more complexity to this cup, there is light cut on the back end that is reminiscent of a mellowed, bitter orange citrus (similar to the peel, but not as harsh). Complex in flavor, but simple in it’s description, this tea provides a very good warm cup on a cold day that can help intensify the mind’s introspection and, like any tea, the calmness to approach what you discover (paraphrased from Jason Witt).

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This Assam is a CTC BOP second flush and it is very suddenly apparent when you see, smell, and taste this tea. To start off, it has a deep brown, chocolate liquor (similar to coffee). It has a robust malty aroma that is unilateral in that it is strongly simple and flat. When you drink this tea, you really don’t taste much. There is a certain briskness to it (2.5 of 5) that is apparent on the sides of the palate; however the strength of the tea overshadows the briskness that would accompany the rear of the palate (and quite possibly mellows out the bit as well). The Numalighur is very full bodied and provides a powerfully clean finish. In addition to this, lingering on this tea is intense to the point that it feels like it coats the tongue. TeaGschwendner is right when they say that this tea handles cream and sugar well (for the purpose of tasting, I did not use any additives). My consensus, this tea makes a great post-meal tea if you’re in the need for pick me up. Keep in mind that it is strong.

Post-N.B.:
This tea will leave your taste buds shot. Not in a bad way; however, this should be the last tea one should try if you’re going through more than one.

This tea is great! Off the nose, I am getting a muscatel & vegetal aroma with a hint of cherry. It’s a full bodied green tea that lingers little and offers a very light briskness (0.75 out of 5, really that mild). You get a light buttery sweetness on the tongue alongside and a milder vegetal than you would get with a Sencha (the Shincha is the first month’s/Spring harvest of Sencha). I definitely recommend this tea. Not horribly complex, but a lovely tea!

(Caution: brew at 60°C/140°F)

This mild black tea gives off a bicuity aroma with a definite astringency. On the palate it is very lingering as it dries the mouth. Moving towards the rear of palate it provides a strong citrus bite (in line with the astringent aroma). Highly brisk, this tea is a great wake up tea. The pucker it gives you alongside the clean finish (yet mild body) work wonderfully along the higher caffeine levels. Not my favorite black by far, but I can definitely appreciate it for a post egg, bacon, and sausage breakfast tea.

This Vietnamese tea reminds me very little of an Assam in the aroma. Although it has that “biscuity” steam that billows from the cup, it is very light on the nose. Starting off, you get a strong and stout smokiness off the palate. You get a slight grape lingering that is overshadowed by the sharp bite you get off the back end. Full bodied, this tea lingers in the mouth while providing a clean finish. In this way, it is very similar to an Assam. I would recommend this as an occasional deviation from normal breakfast teas. Also, it can work well in the afternoon as a solid pick-me-up.

This tea is a calm Japanese green. Getting a light vegetal aroma (spinach-like). Very subtle, alongside a lightly citrus background (between a under-ripe peach and an clementine). The taste is equally as light. Chartreuse in color. Not as creamy as some other Japanese greens I have partaken in, the Gyokuro’s body has some lingering astringency that dries the mouth as it coats the mouth (unami); however, there is little if any briskness (pucker). Overall, this tea is pleasing with a mellow flavor and medium body (fuller than what you encounter with most greens).

(Caution: brew at 60°C)

Today I enjoyed Babington’s Darjeeling 2nd flush (3 min @ 90ºC). The dry leaf has a very nice tart peach, apricot aroma to it. Right after steeping, the leaves had a very pleasant biscuity aroma. The liquor of the tea was a nice golden orange. Mild on the palate, this is a light black tea with a lingering flat taste. Overall, I enjoyed it.

Rated: 80/100

This chai is rich in flavor and bold in the spice department. The clove is very noticeable and verges on overpowering the other spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger). It has a very aromatherapeutic quality. All in all, I enjoyed this tea, but think that the spices could have been balanced with a more satisfyingly round ratio.

Preparation: steeped for 4.5 minutes at 206 degrees F.
Rating: 75%

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First morning in Italy, I woke up to this. Very nice, but simple black bend. Composed of Assam, Ceylon, and Kenyan (similar to Twining’s English Breakfast, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vpqffdeetI), this tea has a distinct flowery, toffee flavor. My guest this morning was going to brew the pyramid bags, but then was slightly concerned that I, as the host of Tea Time Tuesday, would be slightly offended, so he brewed loose tea, contrary to the picture here. I enjoyed it thoroughly. It’s important to note that this is essentially Britain’s version of Lipton, but not quite the lowest quality of standard orange pekoe.

Preparation: 5 minutes at 205 F.
Rating: 87% (4 1/3rd of 5 tea leaves)