172 Tasting Notes

51
drank Chai Spice by Spices 'n Such
172 tasting notes

This one was interesting. It was not what I expected at all as the flavor was all cinnamon and orange peel, no detectable taste of cardamom or other spices (even though they were clearly in the blend. The taste of this reminded me of Good Earth’s Sweet and Spicy tea only it had much more character. The black tea was bold and smooth and the cinnamon and orange peel blended perfectly. Even without sugar or cream, this tea was CREAMY. It was a little odd at first, I don’t even mean to say that was reminiscent of something creamy, the texture of the brewed tea was actually physically THICK and the taste matched in that department. Like I said, the closest thing I would compare this to is Good Earth’s sweet and spicy, but it’s on a much higher level as far as taste and quality go. Very much enjoyed this.

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74

I actually really enjoy this. Like others have said, there are a lot of competing flavors in here and the only thing that I can really pick out as dominant is the lemon flavoring. It is a strange concoction and the flavor is unlike anything else, but I do find it to be very pleasant and relaxing. I understand the mentions of medicinal flavor as it is lemony, slightly minty, and it coats your throat a little bit going down. Overall, I can’t quite explain why I like this stuff so much. I admit that it’s strange, but I love it. As a side note, I also definitely notice a slight cognitive enhancement when I sometimes sip on a 36 ounce jug of this stuff iced throughout the day. It provides an energy boost, but at the same time relaxes…this is definitely due to the eleuthero (which I also recommend as a great herbal supplement) and B-vitamins. Overall, I really like this stuff. Definitely my favorite bagged tea.

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80
drank Paris by Harney & Sons
172 tasting notes

Bonnie sent me a sachet of this, and I’m really glad she did. I bought Paris once before and loved it, but now I’m convinced that the tin I bought before was a little stale as the tea that I’m brewing right now has a much stronger caramel and vanilla aroma than the tea I bought a few months ago. If I loved it stale, I can’t wait to see how I like it fresh. Now I wait a few minutes for it to cool down… It’s now five minutes later and I just took a few sips. Yep, the flavor is definitely a lot more pronounced in this batch. I’m getting much more vanilla, caramel and fruit whereas with the last time I had this it was mostly bergamot with a hint of cream. I’ve gotta say, I love it both ways.

CHAroma

You know you’ve found a great tea when it’s gone stale and you still enjoy it!

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56
drank China Green Tips by Tazo
172 tasting notes

Desperate for some decent green tea while traveling, I picked some of this up (the full leaf sachets).. It’s okay. A little pleasant vegetal flavor, but other than that it’s flat, boring, and has a little bitterness to it. It’s definitely the best I can get around here, but it leaves a lot to be desired when you’re paying $7.99 for under an ounce of tea. I could get a very high quality loose leaf for that much. But it’s what I’m stuck with. Tazo just really bothers me. The description on the can makes it sound all nice and high grade, and there’s something written about how their “tea shamans” pick the finest teas and masterfully blend them and blah blah blah… But in Atlantic City, this is as close as I’m going to get to real tea.

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56

This comes in a big 100 set at Costco, and it’s my go-to tea for travel. It’s not the greatest tea in the world, but as far as bagged teas go it’s one of my favorites. It’s a little watery, but it still has a little bit of that signature Japanese green tea flavor. This is actually an Ito En tea marketed under the Costco name Kirkland signature. I’m guessing it’s just the leftover fannings of Ito En’s bancha, so it’s not the highest quality but if you’re looking for cheap Japanese tea for traveling, then I recommend it.

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drank Zen by Tazo
172 tasting notes

Sitting in Starbucks on the New Jersey coast. The only tea I have with me is some Ito En teabags and I wanted something different so I came here. I ordered a small China green tips tea and they gave me this instead, which is saddening but I’ll deal. This stuff is enjoyable, my problem with it is that I really can’t see or taste the green tea in it, it’s all lemongrass and mint. But for now, it’s soothing as I watch the waves crash on to the shoreline. I just wish the staff of Starbucks knew that just because this says green tea, doesn’t mean it’s the same thing. Haha

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97

I’M GOING TO SEE RADIOHEAD LIVE IN JUNE, WOO!!! Anyways, this is another sample provided generously by Tommy the Toad. This one really caught my attention. The tiny square wrapped in gold foil reminded me of a piece of candy, and I will admit that that probably subconsciously caused me to want to try it so much. Well, it was great. This one is more mellow and black-tea like than the Twin Elephant pu-erh I had before it. It’s still got that distinct earthy and musty taste, but it is very mellow and is more in the background. The tea is very smooth and definitely had a sweetness to it that I wasn’t expecting. I LOVE this. Thanks, Tommy.

2nd steeping: I broke the brick apart this time and it produced a much stronger brew but was still delicious, this time there are HUGE notes of chocolate. Rating is going up a notch…

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84

Tommy The Toad was kind enough to send me some samples to introduce me to unflavored pu-erh, this being the first of them I decided to try. I can’t thank him enough for helping me branch out. To be honest, I was a little scared to dry it when I smelled the brewed tea, but I kept an open mind. There was definitely a little bit of that “fishy” odor that I had heard about, but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. When I tasted it, there was no fishy taste whatsover. It was just an earthy, smoky kind of taste that made me think of fall leaves, campfires, and dirt (I never thought I’d drink something that reminded me of dirt, but really it wasn’t a bad thing). This was a very new experience, my mind was not fully prepared for what my taste buds experienced, and I’m glad I got to try it. Once I get used to the taste a little more, I can see myself becoming a pu-erh fan. The whole process of making pu-erh is very intriguing to me. The amount of effort and expertise that goes into creating a good pu-erh is something I can really respect, and I want to experience all of the different facets of the tea world. When it all comes down to it, tea in general is a form of art and allows me to feel a spiritual warmth and a connection with the nature. I am consuming the ESSENCE of nature, and at the same time the product of a rich culture of my own human race. As you can see, I’m getting a bit contemplative…and that in my mind the greatest quality of tea. It gives me a few minutes out of a hectic day to truly feel centered and be able to THINK and BE in the moment. I truly enjoyed this new experience.

Bonnie

I like that you are willing to try these different tea types. I drink my Pu erh rather strong and after tasting straight up I usually make a latte with sugar. If you have a chance try this too.

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83
drank Checkmate by DAVIDsTEA
172 tasting notes

This was another one of my samples from Bonnie, and I quite enjoyed it. I added a little sweetener and it was smooth and creamy, with a mellow coconut flavor and a hint of savory spices. Good stuff.

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97

This arrived today as as sample from Joy’s Teaspoon. It’s finally a sunny, somewhat warm day here in Pennsylvania and this tea is suiting that mood perfectly. The aroma of the dry leaf smells strongly of sweet-tart cherry, but the brew is more mellow. Mellow green tea blends with smooth almond flavor and leaves a sweet/slightly sour cherry note on the tip of your tongue at the finish. I love it.

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Bio

My name is Kyle. I love good tea, a good book, the great outdoors, and I am passionate about music. I also find enjoyment in writing and mountain biking here in beautiful Central Oregon.

Tea is a hugely misunderstood and under-appreciated gift in the western world, and my hope is to spread the gift of quality tea. It is communion between the passion of man and the raw beauty of nature. It is art, and it is therapy. I hope you enjoy my writings.

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Bend, Oregon

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