1379 Tasting Notes
This tea smells sweet and sour which must be the hibiscus dominating over the rose and jasmine. It is a little floral but not enough for me to pick them out especially. The powder is red in colour.
Once boiling water is added it has been stirred very thoroughly.
Flavour is mild but sweet and slightly tart. There is some dryness along with a generic herbal taste with little to no after taste. The tartness from the hibiscus is only mild and does not last long. On the whole grand scheme of things this blend is much more mild than I was expecting but at the same time I like that. Reason being I think it would translate well to iced tea, which it does say you can use cold water for this blend.
As it cools the flowers pop up with more sweetness, pure tasting ie clean though still subtle. Still a little dry but it hasn’t increased.
This blend was the one I was most wary of since I dislike hibiscus but due to it’s mild nature I found it rather pleasant. I’ve been trying to go ‘caffeine free’ a lot recently and this was a nice example. Finishing this sample will be no problem.
For pics and info: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/14/chi-whole-leaf-tea-sampler-review/
This tea smells very minty and refreshing, slightly sweet but the peppermint and eucalyptus effeminately take control. The powder is dark green in colour.
Once boiling water is added it has been stirred very thoroughly.
The flavour is mild at first but explodes with fresh mint towards the after taste with a touch of bitterness. The aftertaste is of eucalyptus and definable, it’s refreshing, warming and herbal. It’s not too thick, if anything is the strongest it’s the mint which in my opinion is never a bad thing.
Compared to other brands of green mint tea (particularly those in bags) this blend is cleaner tasting though the dryness is about equal. Plus the eucalyptus makes this taste rather unique in the after taste.
As it cools slightly the strength increases, the mint now adds a soft tingle to my lips as I sip. Also the bitterness increases though not too much.
It was a nice blend, the eucalyptus was stronger than expected and I’m still in two minds about it but all in all it was enjoyable. I may try this one iced at some point to see the difference. My negative point is that I could not really taste the green tea very much, and I feel I should have considering it’s a Darjeeling green.
Pics and more info: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/14/chi-whole-leaf-tea-sampler-review/
This tea smells spicy, enough to tickle my nose as I sniff. The ginger and cinnmon would be the two that I can pick out, but it’s blended together very well. I can’t smell the Rooibos and would not have known if it were not in the ingredients. The powder is dark sandy brown in colour.
Once steeped and stirred (very thoroughly) some milk was added.
Flavour is spicy yet sweet with the Rooibos noticeable but rather light in strength. That means none of the icky chemical or ‘unique’ flavour that Rooibos naturally has. Aside from the sweetness and herbal touch of the Rooibos there is some refreshing clove present with the ginger and cinnamon adding a subtle yet still spicy kick. It’s hard to pick out the ingredients specifically as such, they all blend together very well.
Compared to a tea bag this seems fresher and less dry, despite it being powdered. I also find it sweet enough with additional sweetener, which I usually have to add to my Chai. Compared to other Chai powders I have had this is more toned down in terms of strength and is lacking in terms of aromatics (cardamom etc). So this is a Chai but an extremely simple one at that, though for quickness and ease to make (including the idea of transportation, since this is travel handy) I am really liking this blend.
So a thumbs up on this one, with a possibility of me stocking some for my personal use.
Pics and more info: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/14/chi-whole-leaf-tea-sampler-review/
This tea smells very herbal and dry, it’s slightly sweet. It’s blended rather well and herbal is the best I can really say. One ingredient does not stand out over the other particularly. The powder is green in colour.
Once boiling water is added it has been stirred very thoroughly.
The flavour is subtle but sweet with lemongrass and peppermint coming through towards the after taste. Herbal and some thickness to it which adds dryness but not too badly.
As it cools the chamomile comes through stronger as does it subtle sweetness. This carries on nicely through to the after taste.
This was nice enough though I have never been a large fan of chamomile.
Pics and more info: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/14/chi-whole-leaf-tea-sampler-review/
As I open the bag I am met with a herbal scent, not quite ginger but warming enough to tickle my nose. The lemon is a little more recognizable, though with the herbal scent it is more like lemongrass than lemon peel.
The pyramid bags have dark green/brown leaves in with small pieces of chopped, dry ginger and even smaller pieces of dry lemon peel. Though the pieces are small, they are still not powdery in any way. Again this one also has a good amount of leaf in the bag.
Once steeped the colour is golden/brown with a subtle yet toasted grass scent, the after scent is peppery and tickles my nose.
Flavour strength is subtle, dominant toasted, grass tones in front of a dry, peppery herbal ginger and a soft aftertaste of something sweet and fruity. Which pretty much sims up the name of this tea, so in effect it tastes as it’s named. Nothing too dramatic in terms of flavours and strength, but the mellow feel of this makes it easily drinkable.
As it cools the lemon increases in strength and becomes waxy but also sweeter than before. It moves in front of the ginger and the whole affair dances on my tongue for a long after taste sensation.
One bag, two steeps ie The re-steep
Colour is dark yellow with a toasted, herbal scent. Remaining soft but still strong enough to warrant the re-steep. Flavour still has wonderful peppery ginger and soft, lemon tones amidst it’s toasted grass affair. Another successful steep.
More info: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/07/10/organic-green-tea-bags-natural-flavours-tg/
As I open the packet I am met with a sweet herbal and berry scent that is subtle yet fresh. A nice combination actually, and on the jujube terms it’s similar to cranberry. In that sharp, dry sort of way….but not as drastic.
The pyramids are made from see through material so it’s easy to see the quality of the ingredients, and you can know exactly what you’re drinking. I can note golden pieces of osmanthus against a dark green/brown leaf (which makes some contrast) and some dark orange/brown berry pieces scattered around the mixture. It appears to be roughly 1.5-2 tea spoons worth of mixture, so a good amount per bag. Also it’s worth mentioning that the bags contents are not powdered or small, so no fannings.
Easy enough steeping instructions to follow, even my husband could do this he is a bog standard tea or coffee man most of the time).
Once steeped the tea is: Yellow/brown in colour with a soft yet toasted scent. Lightly grassy too. Also the tea blend has actually expanded beyond expectations, the pyramid was very spacious but it has now been filled.
The flavour is subtle but pleasant with toasted grass, sweet herbs (which must be osmanthus) and a clean yet dry after taste. I cannot taste the jujube as much as I could smell it which is a little disappointing, but the osmanthus is rather pleasant without it. As the blend cools it becomes thicker in flavour, with the green tea increasing vastly. Though it’s not really what I would call bitter, but the sweetness has subsided somewhat. To the point where in the after taste among the dry I think I can taste something creamy and berry like.
One bag, two steeps ie The re-steep
Colour and scent match that of the first steep, which is rather impressive for a tea bag. Flavour is more mild (which was to be expected) but it still has toasty, grass qualities and just that touch of sweetness from the osmanthus. I would definitely say it was worth the re-steep.
More info: http://jodyridesigns.co.uk/hand-dyed-regular-threads-11-c.asp
As I open the bag I am met with the toasted, grass scent I have got to know rather well these last few mugs full. It reminds me of Japanese Bancha if I had to compare the green base to another. There is also a dry, perfumed scent in the after sniff.
Once steeped the colour is golden brown with a toasted grass scent. Very clean smelling.
Flavour pretty much matches the scent, though the after taste is rather dry and somewhat perfumed. It’s more floral than I noticed in the two previous flavours, grassy but floral and behind the toast is a slight buttery tone.
As it cools it thickens in strength with an increase to dryness. Also not as immediately toasty as before.
One bag, two steeps ie The re-steep
A nice re-steep, still subtle elements of toast, grass and perfume though it also remains rather dry.
More info on: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/07/10/organic-green-tea-bags-natural-flavours-tg/
Thank you Chi Whole Leaf for this sample.
This is not a review, ok well it is but it’s a pre-review. Tomorrow I aim to sit and review each of these properly, not to mention thoroughly. As for now out of the five samples received this is the one I am the most eager to try for two reasons. 1 – I LOVE ginger. 2 – I LOVE chai.
So a quick taste of this as I cannot wait any longer. Well, I’ve only had the sample for a couple of hours. It shows the power of temptation.
Anyway, back on point. This is sooo easy to make. 1/2 a teaspoon with boiling water, splash of milk and a thorough mix. Oh and I added sweetener today, just some calorie free stuff. Simple, takes seconds.
The mix smells spicy, not over the top spicy but it gave me an ‘ooph’ moment when I opened the little sachet.
In terms of flavour I must say….I AM LOVING IT! So much so that I am truly considering buying more, even though money is tight and I vowed not to buy any more tea. (Though after saying this I realize yesterday I placed an order with Siam Tea). Super naughty of me!
The ginger is mild but spicy and lingers in the after taste, and as for this being a Rooibos blend it’s actually very clean tasting. I can tell it is Rooibos but it’s mild in terms of flavour, it adds some body and sweetness above the chemical, herbal tones. Also says this one contains clove which I can pick out towards the after taste. Refreshing, spicy yet still subtle.
Yes. I do love this one. As I drink it more and more I can see myself taking this with me to friends houses and such for ease of making and transporting.
No rating today, shall wait until tomorrow. But for today, thumbs up.
Review: I don’t recall having green tea with jujube in before, but it sounds pretty awesome!
As I open the cap I am met with a sweet scent, very soft but with some fruit tones. Something a little stronger than the ginseng which must be the jujube. Reminds me of cranberry without the harshness.
The flavour is as light and refreshing as I was expecting (comparing the previous two teas) but the jujube is interesting. It tastes like a combination of raspberry and cranberry albeit mild and sweet, though there is some dryness in the after taste. The rock sugar like sweetness lingers.
For more info and pics: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/06/tg-bottled-iced-green-tea-a-way-to-beat-this-heatwave/
Review: Green Tea with Mandarin and Ginseng, that sounds wonderful, I do love orange (and similar) flavours in general.
As I open the cap I am met with an amazing sweet and fresh mandarin scent.
In terms of flavour this is as mild as the ‘original’ iced tea ie Green Tea with Ginseng, but the mandarin is so sweet and juicy it tastes like cordial. Albeit a natural and rather nice cordial. A few sips in and the mandarin increases in strength, enough to be waxy but remaining fresh and very delicious. At times it’s like eating an actual mandarin! I can almost taste the flesh and pulp.
As I mentioned before, I’m an orange fan; and quite frankly I found this delicious. The balance of flavour was nice, not too strong or weak but sweet enough to be refreshing and heavenly. I highly recommend this to fellow orange (and the like) fans.
For pics and more info: http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2015/07/06/tg-bottled-iced-green-tea-a-way-to-beat-this-heatwave/
