4843 Tasting Notes
Backlog:
An amazing green tea … sweet, vegetative, remarkably smooth … smoother than many other Japanese Sencha teas I’ve experienced. It’s sweeter than other sencha teas too, with less of that bitter intonation. A delightful creaminess to the cup as well. One of the nicest Japanese Sencha teas that I’ve had the opportunity to try.
Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/07/sencha-tea-chashi-meijin-imperial-gold-from-chado-tea-house/
Backlog:
Thanks to Em for sending me some of this tea. This is a delicious white tea – quite beautiful. Sweet, hay-like, with delightful nutty tones. It’s warm and toasty.
Here’s my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/06/white-leaf-and-bud-single-estate-white-tea-from-teajo-teas/
Backlog:
A really good blend that has just the right level of smokiness for me. I don’t generally like a heavy smoky tone … I have come around to enjoying an occasional Lapsang Souchong now and then but I don’t really consider them a favorite, and I find that I prefer it when I find a tea like this one, that utilizes Lapsang Souchong as part of a blend so that the smokiness is subdued.
This is flavorful and satisfying … a nice cup for first thing in the morning. Brightly flavored with nice caramel undertones and that lovely wisp of smoke.
Backlog:
Another amazing blend from 52Teas. That’s one of the reasons why it remains one of my favorite companies … because while there are occasions where there are tea disappointments from 52Teas, more often than not, I’m satisfied with a tea, and there are plenty of times when I’m doing the happy dance over a tea. And I love the uniqueness of it all … you just aren’t going to find teas like 52Teas anywhere else.
The tea base is Shou Mei and it gives off a nice earthy note … not overtly strong (you don’t really expect a white tea to be strong though, do you?) but I like the subtle approach of the Shou Mei. Stronger than a typical Bai Mu Dan … it has the substance it needs to hold up to the strength of the pomegranate and blackberry notes.
The blackberry is sweet and here in the Pacific Northwest, blackberries are growing wild EVERYWHERE. You can pull over to the side of the freeway and there will be blackberry bushes on the sides of the freeway (although I don’t recommend picking these blackberries because they spray them I think.) Anyway … blackberries are a favorite treat around here, but it’s not a flavor you find often in teas. I like the way Frank did blackberry here.
The pomegranate is tart and juicy! Just enough tartness to contrast with the sweetness of the blackberry.
A really wonderful combination of flavors. This one is GREAT iced!
Backlog:
A really interesting take on the classic Earl Grey. Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending it my way!
The black tea is a brisk yet smooth tea with hints of pepper to it. The bergamot is a softer bergamot, and the additional citrus notes seem to soften the bergamot to produce more of a citrus medley than a distinct bergamot taste.
Here’s my full-length review of this one: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/05/organic-crazy-earl-black-tea-from-indie-tea/
Backlog:
A really good Oolong. Strongly vegetative in the aroma, but the flavor tends to be a bit more on the mild side than the aroma suggested. It still has a vegetal tone, but, not nearly as strong. I’m really impressed with Driftwood’s quality.
Sweet, buttery but not so much of a creamy buttery note… it’s more of a taste than a texture. This one becomes more floral as I continued to infuse.
Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/04/organic-oolong-17-from-driftwood-tea/
Backlog:
Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this tea. I liked this Black and green tea blend, and I really liked that it supported a chariTEA!
The fruit notes of this blend do not pop out immediately, but, after a few sips, the fruity qualities began to develop. The black tea is the most prominent flavor, and then I notice the green tea mostly in the body texture of the tea rather than the flavor … but there are certain notes in the flavor that are distinctly green too.
Overall, a very pleasant blend. Best when served iced! Here is my full-length review of it: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/04/world-bird-sanctuary-tea-blend-from-trail-lodge-tea/
Backlog:
I was sad when I could (recently) no longer find Infussion online. I am almost always sad when a tea company seems to close its doors (whether they be the doors to a brick and mortar or their cyberspace doors) and I really have liked what I’ve tried from Infussion, and I also liked them as a company … really nice!
Anyway … this is a beautiful Matcha – incredibly smooth and sweet. Whisked up brightly jade, and with lots and lots of froth. The matcha doesn’t separate quickly … it stayed well incorporated until I reached the bottom of my bowl.
A really good Matcha – excellent! Here is my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/03/ceremonial-grade-organic-matcha-from-infussion/
Backlog:
I really, really liked this breakfast blend from LuLin … in my opinion, it’s a great example of what a breakfast blend should be. Rich, full-flavored, Robust, Bright, Brisk, and a very invigorating tea … what you need to get going in the morning.
Here is my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/03/03/breakfast-blend-no-1-from-lu-lin-teas/
Backlog:
I liked this blend. The aroma of the dry leaf was STRONG cherry notes, almost to the point of smelling medicinal. However, I’m grateful that it didn’t brew up to taste like cherry cough syrup. I like cherry cough syrup just fine when I need it to control a cough, but I’d rather not drink a teacup full of it when what I desire is tea.
Fortunately, this has a really good balance between sweet-tart cherry notes and tea flavors. I tasted the green tea notes as well as a hint of earthiness from the white tea. Jasmine notes are lingering in the distance. Rose creeps in after a few sips. The coconut offers more of a hint of creaminess to the overall cup rather than a profound flavor.
Overall, a really well-conceived blend from Aromatica … thank you to Amoda Tea for including it in the February box for me to try!
