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Thank you Teascent for this sample. This is my 700th tasting review according to Steepster :)

I’m not too sure what makes this Ali Shan ‘Sleep Easy’ but I would guess because Teascent gave it 2/5 on the strength scale, making it a mellow and mild Oolong suitable to drink before bed time.

The loose Oolong looks nice and reflective and the balls are roughly 2mm-3mm on average. The balls are dark green in colour with large stems still attached.

Once steeped this Oolong is very gentle and floral with green notes. Flavour is similar to the scent, it’s very mild and floral with mellow buttery softness. Further down the cup this tea gains a toasted touch which gives this Oolong a little more depth.

A further steep reveals deeper flavour whilst remaining light and buttery in consistency. The toasted depth has increased which has toned down the sweet floral tone. It’s also more green mineral tasting.

Overall it is a light Oolong that some would enjoy drinking before bedtime. It resembled an early spring Ali Shan. A nice tea but it’s something I would have to be in the mood for before bed time.

I love multi coloured teas, they are so nice to look at. They say that the first bite is with the eye and based on that belief this is very aesthetically pleasing. It has a very sweet pineapple and papaya scent that is very strong but also somewhat artificial. More like a candy than the actual fruit.

Once steeped this tea is yellow and has the same strong papaya and pineapple aroma as it’s raw state. In flavour this is a little bitter and astringent at first with a sweet tropical fruit after taste that lightens. I would say that this was A – over steeped and B – steeped at too high a temperature but I followed the instructions on the front of the package and this is how they recommend to have it. Think of a fruit green tea that has been steeped a minute or two too long and with boiling water. Eeeks-ville!

You sort of get used to the bitterness but personally I think it looks and smells much nicer than it tastes. This is most definitely not something I would like again.

First Steep – 30 seconds

Colour is light yellow with a slightly sweet wooden aroma. Flavour is very mellow with highs of honey, wood and clay. Very mild for a first steep.
Second Steep – 1 minute

Wonderfully smooth keeping it’s honey and wooden tones. It’s also developing a mild fruity prune like flavour. The bottom of the bowl has a light floral touch.

Third Steep – 2 minutes

As it strengthens both the honey and the wooden tones become stronger which softens the teas flavours as a whole. Incredibly smooth and non astringent. A little dry and musky in the after taste.

Fourth Steep – 3 minutes

The colour is darker in colour now and more yellow than the first steep. Not as mellow as the previous steeps and the clay has grown to an almost tang but it softens in the after taste very quickly. Still sweet though not honey like, more floral sweet and nutty like peony.

Fifth Steep – 4 minutes

More wooden now but still with plenty of flavour. More leathered now than wooden as it’s slowly getting darker in flavour but remains balanced with the wonderful sweet peony tone. Still very smooth and mellow.

Additional – Sixth Steep – 5 minutes

Toned down somewhat from the last steep but still a lovely mellow drink. This bowl has leather, wood, musk and toned down peony. It’s not nearly as sweet as the first few steeps, although you could argue that I’m just used to the sweetness by now which is why I don’t notice it as much.

Additional – Seventh Steep – 6 minutes

Very peony like and dry but still with very little astringency. For me I would say this is the last steep. If you liked your tea subtle and mild then it would be suitable to carry on but for my personal tastes this is the perfect place to stop.

Overall this Pu Erh has remained beautifully mellow and featured virtually no astringency at all. Definitely one of the softer Pu Erh that I have tried but even as soft as it was there was enough flavour to be very relaxing and pleasing. Also this tea kept it’s flavour over many steeps.

For pictures and more information please view my blog.
http://www.kittylovestea.co.uk/2013/09/13/nan-nuo-mountain-sheng-pu-er-2007/

Thank you Nicole for this sample.

As I drink all of my bagged breakfast teas I add a drop of milk and a spoon of sugar..in this case half a spoon of sugar. Not feeling so sweet this morning, could be the bottle of red wine I had last night. Accompanied my home made spaghetti and vegetarian meat balls and Belgian chocolate ice cream perfectly though.

Anyway steeping time was taken from the back of the tea sachet. Also just a quick note to say that I love the length of the string this tea bag has, it’s very long and perfect to form it’s function. Nothing ticks me off more than a tea bag with too short a string that as soon as you pour water into the cup the string gets pulled in and the weight of the wet teabag keeps it that way. Grrr.

Alright once steeped this tea is nice and strong but not too much. It’s a nice strength for a breakfast tea but next time I would wait the extra 30 seconds for a 5 minute steep to see the results. Flavour is dark and rich with a slight spicy Assam feel and a touch of smoke.

Would also say this was suitable as an evening tea with a maximum of 3 minute steep. I would drink more of this tea but for me it’s only average. Still thank you very much Nicole for the chance to try this.

Side Note – I’m approaching my 700th tasting note. :) This is 695.

This looks thickly Rooibos and smells like it too. Not offering me much temptation but I will prepare it anyway, hopefully it will surprise me.

Colour once steeped is Rooibos red (as expected) with a sweet fruit scent. Perhaps too sweet for peach but not far off.

Flavour is very thickly Rooibos and on the icky side. There are some peachy notes in the after taste but they are very subtle. It’s very simple in flavour…quite literally it’s sweet Rooibos and gentle peach.

It is drinkable but not particularly to my taste. Not something I would buy.

I can be nothing but honest from the start when I say “I dislike pistachio”. So having a pistachio tea was not that exciting for me but if I look past that and see the rose word behind the dreaded pistachio then I was able to say “Alright I might like it”. Most rose teas I adore..in fact I don’t think I found one that I didn’t like.

In raw form this has wonderful colours…yellow, light green, dark green, pink, brown. It’s nice to steep colourful teas. :)
This unique little blend has an unbelievable rose and marzipan scent that is so thick and sweet I could almost taste the marzipan pieces my nan used to buy us to share. No pistachio as such but there is that sweet nutty feel about it, more almond though than pistachio. Hey I’m not complaining!

The temperature and steep time are taken from the guide lines on the front of the tea package. I admit it’s a much shorter steep than I was anticipating but I shall try it all the same. Also qty is 2 teaspoons of blend in a 4oz or 5oz mug.

Once steeped the tea is light yellow in colour with a soft and sweet rose fragrance. The marzipan has definitely toned down along with the sweetness which has left it much more floral.

Flavour is light and soft but with sweet rose and a dry nutty (a mixture of pistachio and almond) beautiful tones. It’s stronger than I thought it would be for such a short steep and it seems to have left it so fresh and gentle, it’s a beautiful touch. If steeped for any longer I believe the rose would be too thick and would outweigh the nuts.

Also has a buttery/creamy style effect the more I drink of it. Like floral silk that pans out to a subtle dry but sweet nuttiness. Very delicious and original.

Side Note – This also came with a cocktail recipe.
2tsp Pistachio Rose
2tsp of golden castor sugar
35ml VSOP cognac
Zest of one orange
Small bunch of mint
Plenty of crushed ice
(Optional) 3 drops of rose water

I don’t have cognac but that cocktail sounds amazing!

My talk about Keemun with looseTman reminded me that Tea Horse sent me some in the monthly club.

This Keemun has a dark, smoky and wooden scent in it’s raw form. The leaves are finely chopped into roughly 2-3mm pieces that are very dark brown with a few golden tips.

I shall be brewing one large teaspoon of tea into a small mug which I estimate to be around 4oz. The temperature and steeping time are as suggested by Tea Horse.

Once steeped the tea is golden honey coloured with a beautiful smoky, cocoa and floral scent. Very beautiful.

Flavour is very clean tasting and smooth with essences of smoke, sweet flowers, fresh wood and very dark cocoa. It’s rich in dark flavour but light in consistency which makes it refreshing. Also picking up increasing malt flavour which is a personal love of mine.

Very delicious, looks like this is a new favourite Keemun to add to my cupboard. :)

I’ve always thought Assam teas were most appropriate for mornings and nights but no in between. It seems to energize yet relax and offers such rich, dark flavours that make you wanting more. Well that is usually what I find with Assam anyway, I always make sure to keep some in stock. That is why I was excited to receive this sample..unfortunately I have forgotten who sent this to me so I apologize. :(

This is a nice looking Assam with plenty of golden tips. Once aired the tea has a malted and dark fruited scent similar to currants.

First Steep – 1 minute
The colour is golden red brown and it has a sweet malted aroma with undertones of currants and fermented fig. Flavour is sweet, fruity, malty, smooth and rich. It’s soft like velvet but with so much sweetness and such wonderful malted tones and a touch of smoke. For a 1 minute steep it’s stronger than I had expected but also light and quite delicate in it’s full bodied flavours. Also has a leather like charm in the after taste.

Second Steep – 2 minutes
A much more delicate steep than the first. This has more fermented fruit tones and is a little sweeter. Also the malt is super silky smooth now. Still very rich but honestly this is my preferred steep so far.

Third Steep – 3 minutes
This has toned down substantially and all that is left is a sweet, malted scent with a slight after taste of currants. It’s still smooth and offers no bitterness or impurities.

Overall – It’s a beautiful tea and it offers everything an Assam should. This is the type that I would consider buying more of.