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2020 Summer Harvest

This is not a forgiving tea and easily turns into astringent and bitter green territory. The reminds a little of a darjeeling that way. I see that if I’d read the tea’s page more carefully I wouldn’t have been surprised by that…

The finicky quality meant that this tea sat, neglected, in my cupboard longer than was warranted. After committing to drinking it up this month, I got some pretty exquisite tangy peach and stonefruit notes which really endeared it to me. I wish I hadn’t shied away from it for so long because I ended up enjoying it a lot!

The floral bouquet is decadent and complex too, even if often laced with stabby knives.

Another sipdown from last week.

I wish they’d gone with a milk oolong base rather than a tieguanyin. Otherwise, I actually like the tart hibiscus, cherry, and floral silk profile – especially on the second steep. I just want more creamy mascarpone too.

Sipdown!

An easy tea to drink – and a forgiving one. This one doesn’t bite if you accidentally steep it for +10 minutes (whoops). It makes me want chocolate.

Second steep has a prevalent woody/eucalyptus component today. It’s a refreshing note to end on.

Another tea that I decided to open this month after existing in the timeless vaccuum that is my tea cupboard.

Both aroma and mouthful are incredibly nostalgic for me – a mix of those chocolate scented toys, a children’s chocolate birthday cake, a brownie with caramel drizzle, and most of all, malt balls (100% malt balls). It’s veering on chalky but that’s somewhat true to form and doesn’t detract from how cozy, simple, and pleasing this blend is.

Sipdown!

This tea has a cloying aroma and has ingredients that make me doubt life (chinese sencha? With cinnamon AND cocoa?). Yet I bought a sample pouch anyways because I’m apparently a masochist.

I didn’t love it during most of our time together. I thought it would work iced but it somehow became more cloying in a licorice-like way. Something must have changed with age (or me) though because the last few cups were enjoyable! Sweet, syrupy faux-honey & butterscotch, with notes of cinnamon, aniseed, candied fruit, and… chinese sencha.

Yeah, I don’t love it to bits – those ingredients are on my “nope” list – but it still is an awfully creative blend.

Sipdown! I’ve had this for two(!?) years but only cracked it open this month, in an attempt to polish off older and seasonal teas.

It’s not my favourite tea in the world but it was easy to drink. Apple and caramel notes are definitely subtle, but the base oolong (a toasty one) is flavourful despite the age.

Another sipdown (I have many this week)! Not so mournful about this one because I mentally ascribe it to “seasonal flavours.” I’ll order more near the end of summer season. Probably. Or when it becomes challenging to rally energy and resolve in the dark, cold hours of early morning, and I begin to look longingly at jars of Nutella. Whichever comes first…

I ordered more of this after the holidays and tried to stretch it out. Alas, the allure of salted caramel on a brisk base was too strong. I didn’t even make it last until summer. Sad sipdown.

The first few times I tried this I honestly wasn’t too impressed. The woody, earthy cinnamon wasn’t blending spectacularly with the floral, fragrant tieguanyin base. The last few servings were pretty decent though – although, it often hit a more watery horchata note than a thick and creamy rice pudding one. I guess it depends on the rice pudding you’re used to.

I usually shy away from dessert-flavoured puerh blends. I know there are some great blends out there, but the first puerh I ever tasted was a odd fishy dessert concoction that has made me hesitant ever since. Pistachio cream flavoured things trumps my prejudice though; this particular blend turned out to be a great way to combat the hard southern California water too.

My mom, who won’t go near puerh, was lulled into drinking this with a lot of milk. There is a bit of puerh earthy funk that I don’t love, but mostly is tastes like a pistachio-creme filled chocolate thing – so, easy to enjoy and sipdown with the family.