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Cameron B. drank Ailaoshan Black Tea by Whispering Pines Tea Company

3986 tasting notes

This is my second time trying this one, after not loving it the first time. Thankfully, a lot of people here on Steepster gave me advice and hints so hopefully I can have a better experience with this one. I’m doing the TheTeaFairy and Dexter method, which is basically low and slow. :P 5 minutes at 190 degrees, and with bottled water instead of tap (thanks Brenden).

Well, it definitely tastes different. This time I’m getting a ton of sweet potato and almost butternut squash taste. Very creamy, but almost savory. It’s definitely fruity as well, but mostly dark fruits like plums and raisins. I’m not sure on the whole salted caramel idea, I think what I taste is probably closer to molasses. And I still definitely am getting a slight floral aftertaste.

Overall, it’s good but I’m not “in love” with it. Maybe this one just isn’t totally for me… I would be curious to try tap water with the same brewing time and temperature, maybe in a few days when I’ve gotten through part of my humongous Nicole Yunnan collection. :P Thanks again for all the advice, everyone.

Flavors: Butternut Squash, Molasses, Plum, Raisins, Sweet Potatoes

Preparation

190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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8 comments

Nicole
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Part of that humongosity is boychik’s fault. :) I passed on the tons of samples she gave me from YS. :) So I don’t have all of that Yunnan in my house! Not yet, anyway…

TheTeaFairy
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Glad it worked a little better for you this time around :-)

boychik
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Blame it on me, haha. And don’t forget Terri. She introduced me to YS. After that I ordered a ton and I don’t regret because I can share and spread YS love

boychik
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Cameron, do you have Ai Lao fr YS?

Cameron B.
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Nicole did send me a sample of Ai Lao Mountain Black if that’s the one you mean. :)

boychik
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Yes. Can you do them side by side?

Cameron B.
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Sure, I can try that. I only have one brewing basket but I should be able to keep the first one hot since I have lids for my mugs. :)

boychik
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Oh, what if you make in two identical cups and just strain. I think it should be done at the same time, same temp, same equipment

People who liked this

Comments

Nicole
Delete

Part of that humongosity is boychik’s fault. :) I passed on the tons of samples she gave me from YS. :) So I don’t have all of that Yunnan in my house! Not yet, anyway…

TheTeaFairy
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Glad it worked a little better for you this time around :-)

boychik
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Blame it on me, haha. And don’t forget Terri. She introduced me to YS. After that I ordered a ton and I don’t regret because I can share and spread YS love

boychik
Delete

Cameron, do you have Ai Lao fr YS?

Cameron B.
Delete

Nicole did send me a sample of Ai Lao Mountain Black if that’s the one you mean. :)

boychik
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Yes. Can you do them side by side?

Cameron B.
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Sure, I can try that. I only have one brewing basket but I should be able to keep the first one hot since I have lids for my mugs. :)

boychik
Delete

Oh, what if you make in two identical cups and just strain. I think it should be done at the same time, same temp, same equipment

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing