Bio
I’ve always been a tea drinker – I grew up drinking Tetley’s Orange Pekoe and their Chai, and considered myself to really like tea.
I’ve been working various retail jobs to put myself through higher education. One day at my store, a customer left a newly purchased bag of loose-leaf behind. We waited for three days for said customer to return, but they (likely not realizing where they had left their bag) did not return to claim the would-be brew. Too bad for them; lucky for me! I claimed the bag, took it home, and awkwardly made my first cup of loose-leaf tea with the only strainer we owned which was small enough.
I haven’t bothered with Tetley since. For the most part (and due to convenience), my patronage is limited to David’s Tea and Teavana. I also order from 52teas and Verdant Tea.
My rating system – hah, I don’t have a rating system. I rate teas a lot like Ebert rates movies. Everything’s relative.
I may often forget to mention it, but you can safely assume everything I drink is sweetened in one way or another – most rock sugar, or honey for green and white teas. I have not yet achieved drinking most tea clear. The few teas I drink unsweetened include milk oolong and genmaicha so far.
The guy in my avatar can be bought at Teaopia or here: http://www.jas-etea.com/products/Jingdezhen-%22Easy%22-Gaiwan-%22Blue-on-White-Phoenix%22-100ml.html
I currently work for Teavana. But I just work there, and my opinions about any of their teas are entirely my own and not meant to be reflective of the views of the company.
I haven’t tried to blend any teas yet, though I’d like to try. Is there any particular formula you use, or do you just wing it and hope for the best?
Wing it! I’ve had a few combos turn out horrifying, but often it works out great. Just think what might logically go together. Another thing that can help is to put the two teas side-by-side and smell them both quickly together. If they smell good together, there’s a good chance the tastes will blend well.
Of course, something basic like Honeybush Vanilla (it’s literally just vanilla-flavoured honeybush) will blend with practically anything.
Great, thank you Daniel, I will have to give it a try and see how it goes :)