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A sipdown! (M: 3 Y: 77) — prompt: A tea you can buy in your town or city

I consider myself lucky that I have a small corner shop in my town with a vast variety of Basilur teas.
This is one of the sampler I bought last year; and I think it’s great one… lots of good fruit infusions that you can almost pick any according to your current desire.

I will repeat myself from my last note… both fruits are present here, genuine and not artificial tasting; but unlike that note, I haven’t noticed too strong hibiscus — it’s not tart today. Thanks to that I am raising the rating.

I am a little sad that I haven’t tried this cold or iced; but ces’t la vie and I will try that method with other teas in my stash. And this one may return one day.

A sipdown! (M: 2 Y: 76) — prompt: The tea with the most ingredients

10. 10 ingredients to be exact in this last tea bag.

Juicy orange with warming cinnamon blend, pleasant in the cold and rainy afternoon. It is very pleasant to drink; and as well as very easy to drink.

Some would like a little more of earthy turmeric, but not me.

This was an absolutely unplanned sipdown with a prompt. I just thought that I should finish this little amount left and I just did. And while I wrote last time that it would be western; I decided for gongfu again.

I wasn’t too focused to the tea, though. It was a tasty tea, indeed, with longer steeps in, not full, gaiwan. That’s because of less than 2 grams left.

But as I wrote, I wasn’t focused on it today… just it lasted quite long with long and enjoyble aftertaste. Smooth mouthfeel.

April and May sipdowns without a proper note.

April:
A sipdown! (M: 8 Y: 70) Erzgebirgesonne by Teehaus Mörl
A sipdown! (M: 9 Y: 71) Ms. Gardenia by Xian Cha Tea — prompt: a flavored oolong
A sipdown! (M: 10 Y: 72) Royal Green by Richard – prompt: your oldest green tea

May:
A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 73) Traditional High Mountain Oolong by Floating Leaves prompt — May 1 – May Day: Drink a floral tea!
A sipdown! (M: 6 Y: 74) Spring 2024 Yingpan Shan Black by Farmerleaf prompt — March 21 – International Day of Happiness/Spring Equinox – drink a tea that makes you especially happy or speaks to you of spring. A spring tea.

I have received this tea from derk, quite a long time ago; and I felt I need to be very focused on this tea to enjoy it fully. And as I am home alone for once again, and I have a mood for damn good tea, I picked those 8 grams in small zip-lock bag; got water ready, preheated the gaiwan, measured half of the tea amount, and put tea in the gaiwan. Actually, I wanted to use all 8 grams; but I read the notes by others and rather used just half. That means I will have a chance to have this tea once more; with a proper sipdown.
Thank you a lot, derk that you send me such gems in the tea industry.

Dry leaves smell mostly after honey and cocoa, with some fruity line — it could be mentioned black currant by vendor; it could be something else, but nevertheless, it is a lovely scent.

I haven’t done any rinse, as, in my opinion, it doesn’t need any; as there are only nice twisted wires of leaves; nothing broken, no dust to strain.

First steep was only 10 seconds long, enough to wet the leaves; with first notes to appear in the drink as well. Leaves now smell really lovely, very familiar, but again, I feel short to point out what is it like. I think it could be again that black currant, but others say wintergreen. I am trying to recall if I ever had the experience with the latter and probably not at all. Just some teas that tasted like that before, but not the plant itself. If I look into Internet what wintergreen is, I found out many essential oils with such a scent.

The flavours are a bit weak, but hey, 10 seconds steep… you can’t have miracles.
It is a little tannic, however then the refreshing notes appear, fruity, something between red and black currants, hints of cocoa and woodsy. Long mouthfeel and aftertaste with cherry notes. Amazingly complex!

Second steep has been 12 seconds long; it seems I am more-less following Leafhopper’s note; brought much more darker liquor with a lovely aroma and I will tell it is that wintergreen.
Leaves started to be like chocolate covered cherries, a little bit reminding me griotte. The flavours exploded in my mouth, filling it with wonderful fruity notes; again the cocoa and the aftertaste is like the aroma of the leaves. And it’s long indeed!

Third steep, 15 seconds
I wish I could get high from the leaf aromas! It smells so nice and I could smell it very often. Narcotic isn’t probably the correct word for that, but my mind can’t bring other one.
This is chocolate covered cherry, there is nothing off-putting; lovely aromas rising from my teaware filling whole room; flavours that are mouthcoating like a honey… and that note appears in taste too, especially in the long aftertaste.

Fourth steep, 20 seconds
Oh my, that aroma from leaves. I know that I repeat myself. But it is such sooo nice. I am speechless.
As of flavours, it turns more into currant notes. Maybe a bit of herbaceous. Delightful woody notes; a little bit tannic, but note that there was a really low level to start from.

Fifth steep, 25 seconds
It started to fade, but it is not faded at all.
Currant-y flavoured goodness, with cocoa and woody notes. A little bit drying too.
A flaw? I don’t think so.

6th steep, 30 seconds
Still so fruity, so flavourful; drying and tannic level has risen a bit though.

And many, uncounted following steeps that are without written notes.

I saw a can of this RTD tea yesterday and I bought it right away. I saw well-known brand, so I thought it won’t be bad.

I haven’t checked the ingredients in the shop; but maybe I should next time.

First of all, it contains sugar. That’s not surprising, but me, who likes tea without any sweetener, it is a little dismal. Truth is that the amount is lower than expected; and maybe better sugar than artificial sweeteners or stevia.

Secondly, they claim it is Ceylon green tea. That’s not suprising either, as Dilmah is a brand from Sri Lanka. But Ceylon green teas were usually a miss for me.

But, well, I was drinking it and something was wrong. It is refreshing, jasmine is there, but a little bit hidden… not sure if is because of sugar, and it taste indeed like a green tea. But that aftertaste is weird, but what is it. I found out when I was finishing the can. It is like you used boiling water for a green tea. That creeping bitterness, which is very unwelcomed in green tea. Such a shame; it ruins the experience!

This gongfu session tasting note will be rather short.

I have used 4 grams for my 125 ml gaiwan and used almost boiling water… approx 93°C water.

Quick rinse to release first aromas, which were delightful… roasted, mineral, with hints of red fruits. On blind test I would guess right that it is a rock oolong.

Following steeps were tasty, with a moderate long mouthfeel. Flavours that I noticed were fruity, with hints of minerality… later steeps a bit more like spicy, but not distinct enough to describe the spices.

Is it worth 0.18$/gram? I don’t feel experienced enough to tell that. But it is fine for daily drinking. I think it is not a top-notch tea, but let’s try also different preparation method and more focused gongfu, to find out; if it was worth. Or it is because 3 years old?

A sipdown! (M: 4 Y: 69) prompt: The tea with the shortest name

I must admit, I was really aiming to finish this tea for the prompt, and honestly, these teas need to be consumed fairly quickly anyway.

I was genuinely surprised that, despite being packaged in a sturdy paper box and outer paper wrappings, it managed to keep its taste and aromas wonderfully locked in.

The tea was, predictably, very floral, but also fruity—I particularly noticed orange notes. Overall, it made for a very relaxing cuppa. While I’ll miss it to some extent, it might be more for the charming box than the taste itself. I’ll definitely keep one of the outer wrappings for my collection; it’s sure to bring back memories.

A sipdown! (M: 3 Y: 68) prompt: May 21 — International Tea Day: Any tea that makes you happy!

I prepared remaining amount in the pot and steeped for longer time than usual, but it’s just okay.

It is a fruity black tea, although there are no other ingredients but tea. I do notice rosehip for sure today, but also mentioned peaches and oranges, but only if I know what to look for.

Mouthfeel was very short too, without any prominent note.

Very forgettable tea.

A sipdown! (M: 2 Y: 67)
A perfect refreshing cuppa, even when I drank it hot. As gmathis wrote, it is very hibiscus forward, but lime tastes natural and is very refreshing.

I think it could be a blast iced; but this was a last tea bag, drank on rainy afternoon.