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For first time it seems I got a fruit tea blend! Translation of name should mean “Dream about the Love” or “Love Dream” or such. That still little hurts me, as my first nad last love… well we broke up earlier this year.

But as of tea… yep, it is a fruit tea, definitely, and that to hibiscus a deep red coloured tea. It is quite hard to me to point out the flavours as there are lots of fruits in and make some kind of fruit mish-mash; however two notes that stand out in my mouth are: caramel covered grapes.

That’s something I never had or tried. And I am not even sure it is a thing. But It is indeed quite sweet tea, with hints of grapes. Interesting, considering that by the ingredients there are no grapes or raisins, while the second is mentioned in the description by the vendor. And there is no caramel either.

It seems that this tea puzzles me.
Once it was fine; once it was bad. And today, in advent calendar it tastes like something different and fine.

I have steeped all 5 grams western today morning and steeped those in 80°C water (a little colder, actually) for 2 minutes.

I have received a tasty cup with lots of fruity, tropical notes, which were pleasing to drink. As of now, writing this note much later, I can’t recall exact fruits. The base was a little rough though. While not exactly bad, it was a bit astringent and maybe a little bitter for me. But it was strongly prepared, that could be the cause.

Anyway, it was fine… though agian not a tea to keep in the cupboard.

Not long time ago I had my first sticky rice tea from Curious Tea and now a little other one, though named in very similar way.

I used 85°C water for all 4 steeps, starting with two minutes and doing minute incements but last steep was for longer time. And I have used only 2 grams in my 100 ml gaiwan.

First of all, it is strongly aromatic in pouch, so I know exactly what to expect.
First steep was a little bland, though. Definitely some sticky rice notes, maybe a little of milky and floral notes are there too.
But then it started! Second one was very, but very strong and thick tasting. Amazingly long mouthfeel, with sticky rice notes and that floral bomb in my mouth! A little astringent, though. I guess a little shorter steep would be better.
Third steep was milky, rice, and florals were much lower. And last one was… just a little too “oolongy” with a little of sticky rice.

So, I need to find a way, how to make first steep so good as a second. Maybe I just need to be patient enough?

In conclusion: I like this one more than Curious Tea version. By a tiny bit.

A pretty much standard Gunpowder and I find nothing Special in this particular one. This was day 4 tea; but I have made a mistake. Happens! I am glad nobody else have this tea advent calendar.

Mineral, slightly smoky… and none of the vendor’s lemon flavour.

Easy to drink, considering it was in the sachet. But nothing I need to have in my cupboard.

Whoops, this was for day 5 and today is just day 4! So, tomorrow will be day 4 tea.

I hoped to like this. It contains eucalyptus, not so common ingredient, but also pine buds which have relaxing properties and that is something I would love today.

But alas, I don’t like it too much. It was very floral and heavy in herbal notes; and from the ginger I barely noticed anything. Nothing warming, nothing spicy from that.
I think that the eukalyputs here was the strongest and sadly overwhelmed all the other ingredients. Well, not all teas can be winners, right?

This is my very first experience with “Duck ßh*t aroma” oolong and while I always wanted to try this mysterious tea, I am not sure I really wanted to try it today after very awful day at work.

That’s why I acutally started with La Via del Té one, but this comes after a little nap.

I steeped as suggested by vendor, 40 seconds being first steep using all 5 grams today in my 100 ml gaiwan, second a little shorter and then steeps with shorter, approx. 10 seconds increments.

The leaves were wonderful to look at, twisted, glossy and long, with no particular aroma detected, even though I have used a preheated gaiwan. Maybe I was just too tired or unfocused.
However, the aroma after first steep is very strong and fragrant. It tickles my nose, with something I am not able to describe well, but I think it can be that English name of it. It is very specific combination of mineral notes with fruits and florals.

As of taste of first steep, I am again pretty much clueless, but it is smooth and not bitter or astringent, very mouthcoating, but what the flavours are?

Second steep was 25 seconds only. Used leaves became more mineral, and a little salty maybe? The liquor is again very mouth coating and I do notice gardenia as in the oolong I had which was with those flowers. But this one was more intense, almost like an incense stick. Also it reminds me Pardubice Dobra Cajovna tearoom in such a way. After cooling a bit more, it is a little soapy to me… so that floral note is too strong for me.

In third steep I have noticed florals combined with some stonefruits, which are very ripe, almost melting like. Maybe it is a little like mirabelle plums? That aroma of this tea is very distinctive! A little less soap-y.

Fourth steep was approx. 50 seconds long as I needed to clean spilled water a bit and turned on the countdown a little later. But seems to be best steep? The soapy notes are gone and instead I got a nice, somehow fruity, notes.

And I steeped it a few more times, but let’s finish this tasting note here.

Do I like it? Well, I am not that sure. It was interesting and the mouthfeel was nice and long-lasting, however… well, it seems it is indeed taste to be acquired. And for that I would need more than 5 grams. Also 5 grams seem to be a little too strong, but I didn’t wanted to keep an awkward amount left. I may get a small bag when I place another order there.

This tea is a blend of Japanese bancha and Chinese Jasmine green tea. Interesting blend and it is also said it is low in caffeine, which I hope for, as I was drinking it at 7 pm — soon time to bed. Yep, alarm set to 5 am; then a swimming session (another 500 meters, at least) and off to work. I can’t believe I do this twice a week for almost a year!

Anyway, back to the tea. I have to say, it is pretty tasty! Jasmine is having just correct level; and green tea is fresh tasting with a little of sweet grass notes and little minerality? Also I noticed a little of fruits, but it was that little I couldn’t recognize in a single steep what those were.

A 50 gr bag costs 6.50 EUR, a tin 100 gr is for 19.90 EUR; twenty sachets, but with outer wrapping (that would be great for exchanges!), is for 10.90 EUR. That bag seems like a good price and good amount of tea for my yearly consumption.

We have decided with Leafhopper to make it in the very same way — those were parameters: 195°F (90°C) water, 3 steeps: 120, 90, 180 seconds. Prepared 2.5 grams of tea in 150 ml of water.

While I really liked first two steeps, they were very delicate, smooth and floral, the third was somehow heavy and cloying. As of flavours, I detected hay, florals and grapes. The aroma was very nice, too — in the two steeps, mostly again floral (meadow flowers), combined with delicate grape and hay notes as in taste. It was surprisingly similar!

Not a tea I would need to keep in my cupboard, but tasty enough to try now and then.

It seems we had this tea in the very same time with Leafhopper but I am writing a note a little later, as I went distracted a bit. Also we did very similar steeping parameters. It would be fun to prepare it together and share the impressions with each other right away.

Well, I have to agree that vendor’s notes about aromas are just right. Honey, fig, little smoke, wood. I would add another description and that would be tobacco after making the leaves wet.
The flavours are pretty much similar and it was nice and fruity and while I couldn’t point out the fruit on the first sight, it was the fig. I need to have more experience with this fruit apparently. It was very round and sweet, however a bit longer steep turned it a little drying, exactly how Leafhopper notices too.

In conclusion, it was very tasty and enjoyable tea from a little less common terroir of production and maybe just because that I am biased — and raising a rating because of that. I have used all 5 grams for 100 ml gaiwan.

I know no Italian to recognize what the name means; but outer wrapper design is very nice, showing white calla lily on the left side and orange lilium on the right side, both on dark purple (Bordeaux) coloured background. It is not looking festive, but very nice nevertheless.

The sachet in was a little bigger than yesterday I suppose? There was nice amount of black tea, two, pretty big, pieces of orange peel and rose petals. Smmells quite floral with citrusy notes.

After a session I found out they used Chinese and Indian black tea and the base was very tasty indeed; with orange notes of peel as well as the notes of the floral elements, especially when cooled. While I generally enjoy more robust teas, I think it would clash with the rose? And I just keep wondering, if there is other floral aromas that I just could not detect?