212 Tasting Notes

95
drank Red Rocks by The Tea Spot
212 tasting notes

I love this tea iced. I generally steep it for quite a long time and pour over ice. I feel like I get more vanilla and almond this way. Lets be honest here, I also ice it because I can drink it when ever I don’t really want to get up and make tea. It’s coming in rather handy with the warmer weather now though. Very refreshing for those warm days.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more
TeaBrat

I’ve never had an iced rooibos before… need to try it!

Missy

It’s quite yummy :D

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81
drank Yunnan Jig by Adagio Teas
212 tasting notes

We got the Adagio sampler with that cute little tea pot thing-mah-jig in it. There is a small book too. I think I was mostly attracted to the pictures in it. Any who on to the tea.

If all yunnans are like this one then I like them. Nice smooth tea to keep around for those days when you don’t want to challenge your brain or tongue. That almost sounds like an insult. Perhaps, I should say a comforting tea. A hint of malt or grain with your honey like sweetness should go a long way after a hard day. There is a moderately thick mouth feel to it. While not super impressive, it’s a good solid tea to keep around.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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74
drank French Breakfast by Golden Moon Tea
212 tasting notes

We are almost done with our samples! We have three left. I want to wait to try one for a bit.

This is very smooth. Definitely sweet with a honey like flavor. I think it makes a better afternoon tea for me. When I need some thing to wake me up with, I need a bit more bite, a tea that will insist that I perk up immediately. This is good but nothing really calling out to me.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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72
drank Fellini's Folly by SerendipiTea
212 tasting notes

We tried this tea last night. We normally have a pot of some thing caffeinated right after dinner. We move on to tisanes after that so I can sleep. It doesn’t seem to bother Dylan much, but I haven’t been sleeping well for a while. I thought it might just be the caffeine but so far I’m still not sleeping well.

I thought mint and rooibos wouldn’t be bad together. I like both a lot. I don’t think I’d stock this one up though. It may be that different steeping parameters will change that. I think it’s just a combination that doesn’t appeal to me. The rooibos is strong in this one. I think it powers out the mint a bit. It feels like the flavors are almost clashing in my mouth. The epic struggle in good vs bad is played out by this titanic battle of rooibos and peppermint…… Just kidding. It doesn’t feel like they are fitting together. Like two people who never learned to play nice with others being locked into a broken elevator. I think the rooibos may just be a bit too woodsy for the peppermint this time. I’ll try some shorter steeps to lessen the rooibos.

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 0 sec

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75

Apparently I forgot to review this tea when I drank it normal (hot). I do think its better iced. As a hot tea I found it to be peachy but not very gingery. There tea base is pretty good, not too bitter or astringent. It’s definitely not mellow but not too strong either. Since this tea was particularly fruity I thought I’d like it better. I think I like fruity teas better iced than hot.

As an iced tea I still find it to be really peachy. The peach is just better cold. It’s almost like fruit juice or a popsicle. Very refreshing. I think I actually get a bit more ginger now that it’s cold. It finishes the peach flavor up really well before you get to the actual tea. Glad I decided to ice it, as I find I enjoy it more this way.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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80
drank Darjeeling Tea by Golden Moon Tea
212 tasting notes

I’ve decided I really like Darjeelings. This is the first one I’ve tried, stand alone, so I have nothing to compare it to. Now I have a mission, to find the Darjeeling that belongs in my stash forever.

I though I’d brew this one for just 3 minutes. It isn’t often I find a black that requires more than that for my preferences. I was careful to brew it just before boiling as well for the same reason. I got a medium bodied tea with sweet, creamy notes. Very grape-ish sweet notes. I can taste just a hint of a nutty flavor as the finish. No bitterness or astringency in sight. I think it’s a nice afternoon tea. I think I might want some thing with more body or bite for a wake-up tea.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
TeaBrat

that will keep you busy for a while, check out the Upton tea catalog if you have not already, they have LOTS.

Missy

Thanks for the direction!

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98
drank Mandela Masala by SerendipiTea
212 tasting notes

Score! This is the rooibos chai I’ve been looking for. It has the perfect blend of spices. It’s especially awesome that the rooibos doesn’t fade away with all these spices. Clove and cinnamon are the most dominant flavors. Rooibos makes an appearance now with ginger as a partner. Last but not least, is pepper. A wonderful tea I’ll need to keep in the cupboard.

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 0 sec
ScottTeaMan

How serendipitous that you and Dylan drank and reviewd this tea so closely in time. :))

Missy

Hehe, yeah he was ready for bed, and I was trying to get it typed out before I had to use my nook for steepster. :)

ScottTeaMan

Do you like your Nook? I’ll buy the nook before the Kindle.

Missy

I love it! I have the nook color that dylan modified so it works like an andriod. If I remember right it’s easier on the wallet than the kindle. I would recommend it if that’s a concern.

ScottTeaMan

I just was drawn to it….plus, I was looking for another option besides Kindle.

Dylan Oxford

Yeah, there is some required geeky-ness to getting the Nook Color to work like I have Missy’s working. If you’re looking for something that’s a little simple, I’d go for the Kindle Fire. It also runs circles around the hacked NC, as far as navigation and such. But you can get some of the refurbished NCs for dirt cheap lately, like $100-125 at times. Heck, a new NC is only $150 until Mother’s day… not too shabby.

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74
drank Persian Nectar by SerendipiTea
212 tasting notes

Yay more than halfway through trying all the samples we just ordered.

This is a pretty good tea, but I’m not a huge fan of peach. The peach seems a bit sweet or maybe candied. It might just be that it contrasts against the tea base a bit. The base reminds me of the nonsuch estate tea we have. It’s very mellow and smooth. The kind of tea you would drink with a sour tummy on a bad day. A very gentle companion to soothe away the worries. So that’s it sweet peach and mellow tea.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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79
drank Iridescence by SerendipiTea
212 tasting notes

I’m trying to get through our serendipitea samples. Soon we will know our favorites there. I’ve already found two keepers.

One of my favorite flavors is mint, so a black tea and mint is always easy to drink. This tea is medium bodied with a hint of malt, a smooth partner for the mint. It’s a bit more aggressive in seeking attention than, say nonsuch estate. The mint is sweet and refreshing. Not quite a clear winner. I think our Moroccan mint is mintier.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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96
drank Ginger Ale Bai Mu Dan by 52teas
212 tasting notes

I forgot to review this when we tried it. Another yummy tea! An excellent combination perfectly balanced.

The ginger is sweet and well mannered enough to let the white tea shine through here. OH EM GEE! Yes folks here we have a bergamot that doesn’t make me frown. It’s very lightly done. I just get hints of citrus flavors, lime mostly. Yay! A tea that doesn’t smack me upside the face with the bergamot perfume.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 0 sec
TeaBrat

I loved this one… :)

Missy

Definitely a keeper!

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Profile

Bio

I’ve discovered I really like the spicy, nutty teas. Some fruity teas are pretty good but they are hit and miss for me. Flower teas really aren’t my thing right now. Seems like my preferences are changing so this may be different in the future.

Tea Rating system:

90 – 100: This is a tea I will always have on hand at work, and at home. I will leave it on altars as offerings of perfection.

80 – 89: This, or one of it’s close cousins, will likely be in my cabinet at home. When this tea runs out, I will buy more. I’ll always wonder if there is something better, but be too afraid to look to stray from home to find it.

70 – 79: Definitely good, but not a clear winner. I enjoy it, I’ll finish it, but I probably won’t buy it again until I’ve exhausted all other versions of this product from any reputable retailer. Though, it may enjoy a resurrection for custom blending.

60 – 69: This tea is okay, but definitely not something I’m going to brew again. I’m going to give what I have left away.

30 – 59: I didn’t finish drinking this tea. I actually poured it out, and went for something else. I’ll still give this tea away, but I’ll do it with a warning and a plead for forgiveness.

0 – 29: This tea is riding securely towards an iceberg at the helm of the failboat. I’ve taken this out of my tea tin, and laid it on a napkin as potpurri. I do not consider it fit for human consumption.

Yes, I did copy this from Dylan. It’s okay we share every thing any ways.

Location

Tacoma WA

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