1112 Tasting Notes
The mint definitely helped this decaf with the strange chemically thing I get with them. I steeped for 4 minutes, and heaped the teaspoon with tea, but…still…it’s not a bad cup, but there is something that just isn’t right. This isn’t an ugh, can’t drink tea, but it’s not something that I would like to purchase. Thank you SimplyJenW for letting me try this!! These decafs have been a real education!
A good decaf is hard to find! It makes me appreciate Vanilla Comoro even more!! I’m going to do a little more experimenting with Harney, and maybe my local tea shop. But my gut tells me I may find one or two more decafs that I like, but I will probably still be leaning on herbals, rooibos, and Vanilla Comoro the most! It is what it is!
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I think you will like the Decaf Ceylon from Harney’s (I think someone was sending you some.) I will admit to appreciating tea better now myself. That Vanilla Comoro turned me into a decaf snob, and now I don’t want to settle in the decaf department. This whole tea thing has been such an education.
The last piece of cheesecake! I had to have Vanilla Comoro with it since it’s so perfect together. Mmmmmmmmm. Farewell delicious cheesecake!
I am very relieved that the cheesecake is gone, though, because one more piece and I truly believe I would have turned into a very round cheesecake myself!!
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Sipping Golden Monkey, eating cashews, almonds, and pistachios, and processing the Freshman Declaration of Major forms (so far, Illustration seems to be “winning” :) The smooth, honeyed tea, salty, buttery nuts, and my laughing over how the students manage to put a creative spin on even the most boring administrative form is making for a most enjoyable morning!
Also! I wanted to show you my guest post over at the Villette Read-a-long! It’s about what tea I think each character is :)
http://unputdownables.net/2011/03/17/villette-read-a-long-week-six/
If you like to read, I highly rec this blog! I’ve had so much fun and enlightenment in the read-a-long so far, and Wallace reads so many good books that wind up on my to-read list :)
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Jacqueline, I greatly enjoyed your look at the characters in “Villette” through a tea-stained lens. I’d probably enjoy it even more if I read the book!:)
Thanks a lot … I don’t believe I’ll ever be able to read a book in the same way again! I’m already on page 885 of “Coming Home” by Rosamunde Pilcher … now I’ve got to backtrack! :)
Lovely idea and post. I enjoyed the back and forth in the comments almost as much. and yours about the author addressing the reader. I read the book ages ago.
Thank you, chrine!
I’ve been thinking a lot about Bronte this morning, as I just saw the new Jane Eyre last night. I was disappointed: http://www.twitlonger.com/show/cmctci
…but then I am a fanatical Bronte worshipper ;)
I have not seen yet. But planning on it. I am also a major Bronte fan, have been since I was a girl. I love how a lot of us tea drinkers are also readers. =) And enjoy seeing the topics cross in posts.
Today is a very, very, very wonderful day, because I have finally found a black rose tea that I’m INSANE over! THANK YOU SimplyJenW for sending me this tea to try! I owe you forever!
I had an inkling that I would like a black rose tea that had a Chinese base since I loathe rose teas with milk, and am not crazy about Indian teas without milk. I am ever so happy to say that my hypothesis is correct! OH this tea is afternoon perfection! The rose is present but subtle, the tea medium bodied but the slightest bit smoky/savory. They combine in exactly the way I think a floral tea should. Not super sweet and cloying. You taste TEA first, and then some rose flavor washes over you like a sigh! Ahhhhhhhhh. You also taste a…complexity. Not vanilla bean, not wine, not fruit, but suggestions of each from the Congou. This is so, so good. This is exactly what I was looking for!!!! I am so excited!!! As soon as I have two pennies to rub together (almost literally, because this tea is very reasonably priced!) I am going to get a tin!!!!!
Thank you once again, SimplyJenW! You made my – month!
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Yaayy! I am so gald you like it! I am drinking the other version that costs more but tastes the same right now as I type this….. ;)
I just made a resteep, and it resteeps beautifully! This is a superstar tea! Thank you once again – I love it!!
I wish I’d seen this before I impulsively placed an Upton order yesterday (they’re not kidding about that Quick Buy button!). I will be adding Rose Congou to my to-try list for the next order, which I will probably place ridiculously soon.
Your comments border on the poetic….
Many, many thanks to SimplyJenW for sending me this tea to try!!!!!
I haven’t had much experience with decaf teas besides my Extremely Beloved Vanilla Comoro, and one less than stellar go with Decaf Hot Cinnamon Spice, so I was really excited to try this. I used my usual black flavored tea brewing method, which I think was a bit of a mistake – I got a little bitterness/astringency/funny decaf flavor. I get this extremely dry tongue feeling and a slight chemical aftertaste? Does anyone else get that w decafs?
Anyhoo – it reminded me a lot of H&S chocolate tea- if I could just lessen that funny decaf thing I have going on!! She also sent me a chocolate mint decaf, and I’ll bet you anything the mint will mitigate that funny unpleasantness, as will a shorter brew time/more tea trick that I do w VC (4 min, heaping teaspoon tea).
Here’s to experiments! clink tea cups
P.S. My husband drained his cup alarmingly fast and doesn’t taste chemicals – maybe it’s my very active imagination?
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I usually do 3 minutes on my decafs. I also wish they were slightly better, but my poor body can’t handle the caffeine after about 5 pm. And nothing compares to Vanilla Comoro!
Not an overactive imagination, but a highly sensitive palate! That is why you are a good cook. I have only had a few decaf teas, and the two decaf Irish Breakfast (or assam) teas I have tried were awful! They tasted like the rinse water from a teapot – with a little soap added! Weak, weak,weak! I love Vanilla Comoro and Harney’s Decaffeinated, which is a decaf Orange Pekoe. Have you tried it? I can send you some!
ashmanra – I do want to try Harney’s Decaffeinated :) I won’t beat around the bush – lol :) A delicious plain black decaf tea would be so amazing for desserts and those nights where you just simply want tea without razzmatazz!
Consider it “on its way!”
Our guests brought a GIGANTIC creme brulee cheesecake for dessert when we had our dinner party, and we’ve been plowing through it since! Last night was particularly memorable because the vanilla and caramel of the Vanilla Comoro paired so nicely with the burnt sugar and creamy cheesecake. Even though we’ve been faithfully having a piece every day, we still have four left, which is a very nice problem to have :)
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Sweet, sweet, sweet! Love that sweet potato, sweet roasted carrot (I just had sweet roasted carrots last night so the flavor is fresh in my head!) brown sugar-ish and tea flavor. So, so lovely. This is one of my favorite “experience” teas to drink – you can steep it all day and experience a myriad of different flavors in each steep. I am looking forward to when it goes “milky” in later steeps :) The best thing I have ever won in a contest, hands down!
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Day Two of Daylight Savings Time Hit by a Truck-edness! It’s like jet lag, only I’m not anywhere exciting, or just back from anywhere exciting. Eugh.
Anyway – I really wanted something lovely to help a bit, and this came to mind when I was on the train. The delicious roasty tea base, paired with the zingy citrus is striking the right balance for me today. I feel…less awful :)
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I wonder how much of the population would have to rebel and whom they would have to rebel against to just leave the clocks alone?
http://news.discovery.com/human/why-do-we-have-daylight-savings-time.html
…and I used to really like Benjamin Franklin! ;)
Between having a very, ah, spirited dinner party Saturday night, and the whole Daylight Savings Time Losing an Hour thing, we had a verrrrrrrrrrrrrry sleepy Sunday. So, after dinner, I did something I never do! I made an Assam!
We had a special treat in store for us because I broke open a brand new tin of Thomas Sampson! It smelled very fresh and wonderful! When I brewed it, it had all the bready, malty wonderfulness I am used to, but also that delicious raisiny quality that I almost forgot about! It was really fantastic, and completely hit the spot. I loved every single sip of it. I am so glad that I have yet ANOTHER tin squirreled away :)
I love you Thomas Sampson!
