161 Tasting Notes

50

I steeped for 5 minutes. The color is very pale yellow. I do smell a faint “tea smell” but there is almost no taste. As the cup started to cool off, I began to taste a little tea. Slightly earthy with a faint musty smell and taste. Maybe I needed more leaves despite being careful about the portion due to TeaEqualsBliss’s review. Not good…not bad. This one is just blah.

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90
drank Thai Chai by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

Loves it!!!

I really took the time on Saturday evening to brew this correctly. The whole process took about 30 or so minutes. I had about 1 cup of cream that I added to the mix that made it superb! Diets aside, adding the rich cream was sooo good. The whole house smelled spicy and fall-y. After my husband’s initial, “you’re going to make me drink that, aren’t you?” he decided that he loved it. (I didn’t tell him it had coconut in it.)

On Sunday morning I awoke to the Thai Chai smell in the house again. I thought it might still be from the night before, but my husband crept into the bedroom with a breakfast tray of eggs in a pita pocket, a piece of homemade baklava, and the last rose from our garden. Oh yeah, and a huge steaming cup of Thai Chai for the both of us! He had snuck out of bed to start making the tea! He admitted that it was better with the cream added (he just used skim milk), but it tasted great to me because of all the thought he put into it.

As we lounged in bed eating breakfast and drinking our tea, he said to me, “Hey babe, I won’t give you a hard time if you order a much bigger bag of this stuff.” Yea!!! No more eye-rolling when he sees my tea orders!

takgoti

That is just awesome in so many ways, not to mention jealousy inducing. When you got to the part about the baklava I may or may not have actually started salivating.

The fact that I think that chai tea is SO much better with milk that’s got fat content [I usually make it with whole, MAYBE 2% – never tried it with cream which sounds absolutely sinful] is exactly why I don’t drink it every day. But in that way it’s also a real treat when I do get a cup.

I don’t have a husband who makes me melt, but I do think I’ll be rewarding myself with a mug of chai at the end of the week. I’ll take what I can get.

Auggy

Anything that gets the hubby on the tea-wagon is a definite win!

Cynthia Carter

What aug3zimm said. Clearly you have superb husband training skills, not to mention great taste in tea.

I ♥ NewYorkCiTEA

Awww! Please help me train mine. He won’t even make my coffee, which is much simpler than tea. That is, he won’t sweeten and half & half it.

Please tell me about your Chai tea making process. I’ve only recently began trying to make it with milk on stove top and I don’t have a good process down yet.

Jillian

Aww, that’s so cute. Sounds like you’ve got quite a good catch. ;)

I’ve been wanting to do a traditional-style chai with this tea aswell, but I always forget or don’t have the time.

LENA

Thanks everyone…he is a good catch!

Here’s my traditional method: bring 2 cups water to a low boil. Add two table spoons of sugar. I like to use brown sugar with my chai teas. Stir in until sugar is totally dissolved. Add two heaping spoons of your chai…a little more or less depending on your tastes. Let everything boil for about 10 minutes…this cracks open all of the pods and spices. Add 2 cups of milk. Whole milk is ideal. I used a cup of skim milk and a cup of cream in my review above. Delish! But DO try to use a milk with fat in it. Adding the milk with halt the boiling process for a few minutes. Let the mix all start to boil again. Watch your milk and stir stir stir! I let mine all boil together for about 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes and you are good to go enjoy a fab cup. This makes about 2-3 average mugs.

Enjoy!

CHAroma

This is the sweetest thing ever!!!

VeryPisces

Oh, boy- I’m very late to the party, but can I borrow your husband?

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90
drank Jasmine Silver Needle by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

This tea smells genuine. It tastes genuine. Even the aftertaste is pure. Very light in color and ever so delicate. My cubicle smells like I have a little greenhouse of Jasmine growing and blooming. I think I must have accomplished the perfect steep because everything seems just so. I feel all girly drinking this cup…and I’m not a big girly girl. (except that I’m not really into bugs touching me…or being anywhere around me.)

This tea will have to be an “in a certain mood” tea. I couldn’t drink it everday.

Oh yeah, for all you visual folks out there, I added the pic of the tea leaves to the site. Thank you…thank you!

TeaEqualsBliss

I agree! Good review!

(I’m not a girlie girl either LOL) Thanks for adding the pic!
Auggy

I’m a bit girlie girl (which I’m sure surprises everyone since my avatar is a pink monkey, right?) and especially uncool with the bug thing. But I haven’t been able to fall in love with a jasmine tea. I haven’t tried too many and Adagio’s #12 is the only one I’ve really enjoyed.

Any chance you’ve had that one and can compare the two at all? Because this sounds really good. I’m just a little gun shy. But tempted enough to be curious.

LENA

Hey aug3zimm…I would have never guessed by the pink monkey! :) I haven’t tried #12 but I’ll slip you some of this one in the tea swap.

Auggy

Awesome – thanks! I’ll be getting your goodies together tomorrow. Tea swapping is so fun – like Christmas but no pesky wrapping paper! :)

Hyrulehippie

I’m another non-girlie girl, but I do love jasmine. It was kind of amusing to find myself drinking some jasmine green this morning from a pink hello kitty cup. >__<

I think I may have to be ironically girlie and add this to my shopping list!

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65
drank Foxtrot by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

Well, the peer pressure worked. I bought a bag.

I’m not a fan of chamomile, but this blend is pretty good. I love me some rooibos and I think this is the 1st “anything” that I like it blended with. I still haven’t found a flavored rooibos that I like. :(

I drank two cups hot and it kind of felt medicinal in a way. This isn’t a bad thing, but I might reserve this tea for sore throat, feeling funky days. I’ll try it iced next, since that seems to be getting rave reviews.

Perk: after drinking, my breath is feeling quite minty clean.

takgoti

Argh, I need to get this. Curious to hear about the iced experiment.

TeaEqualsBliss

Did you oversteep by chance? I did that once and it takes medicine-E too…just curious.

LENA

There is a very good chance that I oversteeped. Between customer’s phone calls, trying to look busy, thinking about what to eat for lunch, etc. I’ll try it again and really watch the clock. Thanks for the advice!

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81
drank Formosa Bai Hao by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

My new stash is in!!! (picked up off the front porch by my eye-rolling husband.) I was really excited to try this one, so I’m drinking it first. The leaves smell and look really nice, both dry and wet. The picture looks just like the dry leaves…but after steeping, several of the leaves unfurled to show whole 1-1.5 inch leaves. Pretty neat!

I’m not really picking up any of the peachy notes, but it doesn’t matter. #40 is very smooth and soft tasting with a tiny smoky aftertaste. It also brews up pretty dark. I don’t know how this tea and ali shan are in the same oolong category. I highly favor this type/style of oolong over the hand rolled, super dry tasting other oolongs. However, I wish I preferred the others considering this tea is $44 for a 6oz tin. Diggity damn! #40 might have to be my “special occasion” or “really bad day” tea.

I’ll just keep steeping this cup until I’m drinking clear, hot water…it’s THAT tasty.

Jillian

Isn’t that always how it works, the best tea is always the most expensive.

takgoti

I have a little tin of this that I’ve been saving. Definitely looking forward to trying it now.

jennlea

Hmmm…I have a sample of this somewhere. Why haven’t I tried it yet?! Gonna have to now.

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65

I’m running low on everything!!! Luckily, I’ll have a brand new box of goodness from Adagio as soon as I get home. Yea! New teas and new posts to follow.

Does anyone know of an ANTI-rain dance? I’m about tired of driving to and from work in the rain. And my dog can’t go out and play. Wanna see a 150 pound Great Dane that is scared of the rain?…come to my crib. At least this cuppa kept me nice and warm and snuggly as I pretend to work. I’m on my second cup. Bravo Sagittarius tea!

takgoti

I can’t be certain, but I think it may involve any or all of the following: a wooden spoon, wearing your pajamas inside-out, and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Well, and drinking tea. But that’s my remedy to just about everything.

TeaEqualsBliss

I’m running low on everything too!!! STILL looking for my package…ek!

Cynthia Carter

If you find that anti-rain dance, let me know. It’s rained so much here this summer, even my cactus plants have mushrooms growing in them. And don’t even ask about being trapped in the house with two stir-crazy beagles.

I like the Cancer tea from the Zodiac series – it sounds like this one is worth trying, too.

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25

I’m not feeling this one and it’s my second time trying it. Any tea that has a description of “smelling of crab” should have thrown up the good ole warning flag. And I get it…there is a faint crab…err, krab smell.

There is a natural sweetness to this tea, but the sharp veggie dryness kills it. I’m glad this tea was part of a free sample pack…I would never re-order it. As a matter of fact, this tin will probably go into the drawer of misfit teas and wait until it can be swapped.

Any takers for the krab tea?

takgoti

Not to deter people from taking the sample off your hands, but that sounds disgusting.

TeaEqualsBliss

Oh No!!!! I just order this! I’m nervous now…

Auggy

Seriously, this sounds so odd. If you are really looking for someone to relieve you of it, I’d love to try it. Seafood and tea, all rolled into one. Hehe.

LENA

it just wan’t my cup of tea…you guys might love it.

aug3zimm, I think I can send a sample to TX. :) Just email me your home address and I’ll send it out. No stalking I promise. Although I did look at your kitty pics. My 2 cats love a good box to play in too! Do you have any teas that you might swap with me?

TeaEqualsBliss

maybe it was a bad batch!? Mine wasn’t too bad

LENA

and….SOLD…to aug3zimm!

Auggy

Yay!!! It’s so interesting to read the different reviews about it on here. I can’t wait! I’m such a nerd!

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75
drank White Blueberry by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

I’m a huge fan of this tea iced…but this morning in my sweat pants and hoodie, I’m drinking it hot. And it’s great! I think there are one or two blueberries floating about that I might have to fish out and eat. Tasty cuppa!

Although, after looking at the fuzz covered blueberries in the picture, I might pass on eating them today.

takgoti

SWEAT PANTS AND HOODIES FTW.

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75
drank Wuyi Ensemble by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

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60
drank Black Dragon Pearls by Adagio Teas
161 tasting notes

As a resident of TN, I have unlimited access to average tea/slightly above average tea at every restaurant I eat at. Even our Sonic and Subways have ok Southern Sweet tea if you don’t mind risking a diabetic sugar coma. I don’t think these Black Dragon Pearls are anything to write home about.

My office just received our complimentary flu shots this morning, so I brewed up a cup and had it on standby. Keep in mind that I’m a HUGE needle whimp, so I was looking forward to a hot cup of soothing goodness. It just didn’t come through for me like my Wuyi oolong probably would have.
Taste = C
Entertainment factor = A
Will comfort and get your back = D

takgoti

I don’t see this as being a huge comfort after being stuck with sharp pointy things, either, unfortunately.

Maybe if they let you watch the tea steep WHILST sticking the needle in you? Though if they were to do that I’d rather watch John Krasinski doing…I don’t know, ANYTHING.

Cofftea

Did you use too many/not enough pearls? I use 5 per 8oz water. Most black teas, other than chais oddly, upset my stomach but this one doesn’t.

LENA

takgoti – It was no comfort at all! Watching the pearls unfurl would have been alright. As it was, I just talked about my Great Dane and had a minor breakout of hives. Now, if we had a little TV playing reruns of The Office (also my computer’s wallpaper), I bet I wouldn’t have felt a thing. Eh, who am I kiddin’?

Cofftea – I used 3 pearls for my cup w/ infuser from Agagio’s site. I even made a second cup…it was a good amount of leaves from just 3 balls. Maybe 4 balls would have been better, I don’t know. I haven’t had a tea upset my stomach before…probably because of the amount of coffee I used to drink. I’m off coffee now. At least you can enjoy yummy chais. :)

Jillian

I haven’t tried this tea so this is just speculation, but I’d say the novelty of the tea is in the shape not the flavour.

Cofftea

You’re right Jillian, although you should never waste tea by steeping a tea you can’t stand to drink just to look at it.

Cynthia Carter

I agree with you about the quality of Southern ice tea – even the fast food joints down here (Panhandle FL) wouldn’t dare serve the yucky instant tea that seems to be the rule up North. Luzianne is still my favorite.

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lover of tea, travel, good food, nerdy stuff, tattoos, great danes, sushi, beer, netflix, UFC, reading…and of course, my kick-ass husband.

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