400 Tasting Notes

98

Quick Review

I haven’t had the time to sit down and enjoy tea in the Gaiwan lately. However, I’ve decided to skip class and relax today (shame, shame). The professor admitted that “We wouldn’t be doing much, and would probably get out two hours early;” therefore, instead of wasting an hour, I came home to drink tea.

Flash Steep: Cocoa, Raisins, Apple (?), dark color, sweet, and smooth aroma.

1st steep: Light, with a nice sweet malty raisin flavor; there’s a touch of apple in the aftertaste.

2nd steep: Light, the flavors are blending together throughout each sip. However, we’re introduced to a touch of cocoa within the aftertaste.

3rd steep (3 minutes in the Gaiwan): “Aunt Gerry’s Apple Raisin Pie.” Meaning: layered with raisin, a bit of caramel, apples, and slightly doughy.

I’ve dumped the other 4 steeps into a thermos for work. I have a late meeting tonight, to get ready for summer camp. I’ve told the students that I’m also ready for summer, and by showing them what I meant, I decided to wear a clown nose, while performing somersaults and “other daring feats!” A student told me that this was her “favorite day” with me; yet, she tells me this every day before she leaves. It felt good to have all of the students, even the wild ones, giggling their little heads off. I must admit, that there are days when I need to act crazy and wild as they do.

p.s. This is from the Dark Matter series!

Flavors: Apple, Cocoa, Malt, Raisins, Sweet

Tea and Cheese Lover

Just drank some of this but I’m feeling too lazy to write myself a note. You described p what it tasted like to me. I may just make a note to see your note in my log! Well said…

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Thank you! There was so much within the tea despite how light it was. Use as much as needed when you write your review!

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100

In the words of Daylon R Thomas, “Liquid Nutella is the best description I can offer.”

I didn’t want to stop drinking this lovely sample from @Whiteantlers. I have a little more left over, but I think I’ll make a small amount of Sun tea with it. I might as well experiment with this tea, since it’s so good. Plus, iced chocolate tea—it could be good!?

These samples have so far proven that there are other types of tea out there that I’ve yet to try; which I plan on trying more of, once I drink down more tea. It’s not that I’m not committed to tea, but I’m literally running out of room in my cupboard. I’ve purchased an unnatural amount in the past few months (there’s no such thing as an unnatural amount of tea, though), and I want to create a challenge for myself to see if I can drink away 5-6 teas before buying more.

Anyway, thank you for this lovely sample, Whiteantlers. It has been an adventure thus far, and I can’t wait to try the rest this week. :)

Flavors: Chocolate, Creamy, Nutty, Sweet

apieceofquiche

This sounds really tasty.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Let me just say that I love chocolate, and I love tea. I usually dislike chocolate tea. However, this is unique. It has me wanting more. And when the time comes, I might purchase enough of it to last a long time.

hawkband1

Starting on Steepster helped explode my cupboard. I’m also working on reducing my stash so I don’t feel guilty buying more tea! :)

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I’m right there with you! I purchased the last bit of tea from Liquid Proust…Now it’s time to sipdown older teas before I get any more. I thought having 15 teas in my cupboard was bad, but like you, joining Steepster has caused the cupboard to become overstuffed with tea. Ha-ha.

Inkling

Okay, you talked me into it…just ordered this one!

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Great decision! Totally worth it. :)

apieceofquiche

Oh my heavens, there are so many teas on this website that sound beyond delicious.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

@apieceofquiche That is why I’ve bookmarked it in my “Tea” bookmark folder, and left the site before I had decided that the credit card needed to be used. Ha-ha. Their teas leave me longing for them as much as a kid in a candy store. I wasn’t a huge fan of dessert tea….until now.

apieceofquiche

I couldn’t resist. I placed a small order this morning. :)

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Wonderful! I look forward to your reviews! :)

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85

Quick Review

I wanted something to take to work with me in the afternoon; a little pick-me-up to help me have the same energy level as the students. They’ve been pretty antsy lately since there are only 28 school days left until summer. Therefore, it’s hard to control them.

Anyway, I received a sample of this from @Whiteantlers in the mail. It’s a splendid tea. It’s malty, has a black or blueberry aftertaste (pretty subtle) and the milk adds an element of creamy richness to it. I had this without sugar, with sugar, and added milk. For a black tea, it’s smooth and delightful. I’ve taken a liking to other types of tea throughout my journey, and had recently diverted from black tea. However, this is exactly what I needed for the afternoon, and would also consider making this as a sun tea and/or iced tea. Quite refreshing!

Flavors: Blueberry, Malt

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Thank you again, @Whiteantlers!

White Antlers

You are most welcome!

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95

Quick Review

I made this in my Kamjove Gongfu Tea Maker yesterday afternoon before going on a hike. I had noted “Malty, sweet, cinnamon, and nutty. Reminds me of cinnamon glazed almonds.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEUDVYkA-2d/?taken-by=sgsanders1

I had a total of 8 steeps from this sample from the Dark Matter series. I will probably end up purchasing more of this eventually. It’d be a nice tea to have in the afternoon or morning. When you’re craving a doughnut or coffee cake, this is a great substitute! However, I wouldn’t take my advice on the account that I had ice cream for dinner! Ha-ha.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Malt, Nuts, Sweet

White Antlers

Beautiful hiking pics/videos!

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Thank you! It was a lovely day to be stuck in the middle of the woods for a while. However, when I was on the path, I had realized that I forgot the thermos of tea in the car. But it still was a splendid hike nonetheless.

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Quick Review

I’ve made a bad habit of stopping off at a local Coffee & Tea cafe by my job (there are two locations, each within a 6 mile radius from either my job or home) during the day when I’m awaiting to return to work.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDVxI5Ig-9s/?taken-by=sgsanders1

Lately, I’ve been drinking their teas without complaint, so, I decided to ask the barista for something “tasty” and dessert-like. She pointed out the “Banana Bloom Tisane” which was supposed to be “like banana pie with lavender.” That’s false. It turned into a lavender nightmare, and there are cloves and cinnamon chunks within the tea. I like it, but since there is no banana flavor to it, I’m giving this the low rating.

P.S. It looked like lentil soup.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEOrwQWg-xG/?taken-by=sgsanders1

Flavors: Cinnamon, Clove, Lavender

Roswell Strange

That looks absolutely dreadful…

Kristal

Yep, it looks like fennel mixed with lentils. I can only imagine how gross it is, considering how much I dislike lavender in tea.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I didn’t expect it to be so lavander-esq. It was horrible!

Kristal

I made the mistake recently of buying tea called “remember me” from steeped tea. I figured since lavender was low in the ingredients list I would be ok. Nope-lavender overdose. That’s why I’m very leery of buying from them or any company whose min amount of loose leaf tea to buy is 50g. Wayy to much tea to commit to if you’re not sure you’ll like it.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

The minimum amount for this tea was 100g. The listing of the tea is “banana, spices, and floral undertones” AKA so much lavender that you’ll go crazy!

Gooseberry Spoon

That doesn’t even look like good lentil soup.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

No, but that’s what came to mind. Ha-ha. It looks like it could be a soup similar to it. Both unappealing to the eyes and mouth.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Meaning the tea, not lentil soup.

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90

Quick Note

I started drinking this earlier this afternoon, but wasn’t able to sit down and have a few cups before heading out to work. I just had my final cup for the evening (steep # 6), and I might get to the rest of it for the morning. As far as my week has been going, I need a solid tea to help me wake up tomorrow.

Anyway, this is good. I like the wet Earth aroma and flavor to this tea. Aged teas are mostly to my liking. They remind me of hiking and the outdoors; which, now that the late winter may be over, can happen. I must admit that the gym isn’t as appealing to me as being out in nature can be. This tea has a solid flavor, thick soup, and a not too overly drying mouthfeel. I might try to find a larger quantity of this tea so that I can enjoy it more often on days like today.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BEMHk1Gg-8U/?taken-by=sgsanders1

Side Note: On the plus side, I’m nearly done planning the one man trip in August. I want to do something with a lot of exercise (Appalachian Trail?) , historical (Gettysburg? Williamsburg?), and fun. I thought I’d have my wife join, but she’ll have to work, and we won’t have the foster kids, yet. So, since my summer schedule is in, I have to take the time to go somewhere before vacationing becomes less frequent.

Side-Side Note: Cat Steven’s “Tea For The Tillerman” is the album for tea sipping today.

Here’s the track, “Wild World:” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj4ibL1VqDo&list=PLtS_jNy6-K_ceZvwxJH93XrWUqu1huEAV&index=11

Listening to this on vinyl is especially enjoyable :)

Flavors: Wet Earth

Tea and Cheese Lover

If you make it to Gettysburg, you’re already more than half way to Philly, and it’s not to far of a detour if you’re going to Williamsburg from there. ;-)

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Well shoot. Guess that’ll be the trip then. Ha-ha.

Crimson Lotus Tea

Sounds like a fun trip. I love that area.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I love amount of history in those areas. I figured it’d be a fun trip loaded with history and great food! What could get better than that?

mrmopar

If you get near Southwest Virginia you will be close to me. Tea session!

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I’ll let you know when I’ll be there! Tea sessions are always a pleasure to have with others who appreciate the gift of tea!

Kirkoneill1988

awesome review man!

Crimson Lotus Tea

Is it going to be a road trip or are you hiking?

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I think I’ll do a little bit of both. Visit the historical sites along the way, and perhaps hike for a day in Pennsylvania before heading down to Williamsburg.

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55

I was pretty skeptical about trying this. I thought that there wouldn’t be any way that something stuffed inside an orange could become so fishy. I made sure to give the tea a couple of extra rinses before consuming the third steep; however, the fishy smell increases and the taste is similar to old socks (I’m assuming) and anchovies. I’m sorry to those individuals who I questioned, but I’ve been skeptical about trying a tea before, to which everyone claimed that it was pungent, yet, I enjoyed it (actually, it was my first time having a cup of pu-erh at Teavana, that every employee, excluding me, hated).

Anyway, it’s true. This is quite fishy.

Flavors: Fishy

boychik

oh you are tempting me to try!!! i dont mind fermentation flavor usually ;P

MadHatterTeaDrunk

I rinsed it 4 more times after consuming the third cup. The initial flavor is a touch of citrus, but there’s still the fishy aftertaste on the tongue. It’s pretty odd.

boychik

ok you made me lol

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Ha-ha! Happy tea sipping!

Tea and Cheese Lover

After reading a few reviews on this, I just took mine out of the plastic. I wonder if a week in the air will drive the fish away?

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Let me know how that goes. Placed mine in a tin without the wrapper. I was going to leave for a few weeks or months before going back to it.

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drank Earl Grey by Twinings
400 tasting notes

Quick Review

This was a quick snatch and grab this morning. I think that mornings are best to revert to the oldies. Honestly, I’ve found myself disliking Earl Grey tea more and more as I convert to newer flavors. Despite that, I think that Twining’s makes a pretty solid Earl Grey, and it’s great to add sugar and cream to; therefore, I can see myself drinking this from time to time. There’s something about this E.G. that keeps me going for it now and again; however, it reminds me of the days when I thought E.G. was the only decent tea—which was before the time my friend had introduced me to anything but E.G. It’s almost nostalgic drinking this tea.

Side Note: The students were nearly sleep walking this morning, and didn’t want anything to do with me or school. However, I have that ONE student who loves mornings, and can function much better than any of us. She approached me and proceeded to tell me that her grandma drinks Earl Grey tea every day. Anyway, she decides to go on about drinking tea, when, as I’m listening, this is a child who can actually talk tea and drinks tea.

I give perks to her parents and grandma for introducing her to tea, and allowing my mind to wake up by having tea-talk with an eight-year-old at such an early time in the morning!

Flavors: Bergamot, Citrus, Cream

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83

The first from the Dark Matter 2016 series from Liquid Proust.

I’ve worked this tea for 13 sessions before calling it quits. I was on the fence before even giving it a try or smell, due to the mixed reviews. However, I decided to go ahead and try this one first, so that I can form my own opinion instead of relying on others.

Matu mentioned that there was a “tobacco and maybe burnt grass” flavor, which I had tasted during the first two steeps, but it went away after that. I thought that the smokiness of the tea was more of a Lapsang Souchong kind of smokiness, but without the meaty/BBQ flavor. Rather, it had that burnt grassy taste as Matu mentioned.

Anyway, as the 8th or 9th steep settled in, the tea started having a corn (?) or some type of sweet vegetable flavor. It was a weird tea to have, but the overall flavors were uniquely refreshing and outstanding. I like to drink or eat weird stuff in general, so this tea was highly favored way before I decided to give it a try (this was decided by Matu’s review). I liked it, and just for the sake of the Dark Matter Series, I’ll rate this one!

Side Note: If you generally like oddball flavors, this is recommended. If not, then no.

Also, my wife isn’t a tea expert, but I wanted her opinion about the smell (she refused to taste it), and she thought it had “meaty ashtray” smell.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BD_K2PEg-3K/?taken-by=sgsanders1

Matu

I’m often turned off by smoky flavors in tea, especially in the Lapsang Souchong I tried recently. I think I have an issue with the meaty/BBQ version of smoke you mentioned, as the smokiness present in this one was nice :)

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Exactly! This smokiness is nice! :)

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Yesterday was a day where I was finally able to sit down in the afternoon and enjoy tea gongfu style. I had tried a new method to making tea since my time was spent in class, at work, or babysitting my three-year-old nephew. I decided that it was “gongfu on the go,” simply because I had quick rinsed the tea into a 32 oz. thermos that my wife had purchased for me since I didn’t have time to drink tea at home (plus, the tumblers I use are too small for the amount of tea that I’d prefer to drink in one sitting). I must say, that I was pleasantly surprised on how long the tea had lasted, how long it stayed hot in the thermos, and how quickly I drink 32 oz. of tea.

Anyway, I had made plans last night to watch the Alien trilogy with my parents, but I (obviously) wanted to have tea during my viewing of the films. I picked out the 2007 Youle Ancient Tree Pu-erh from the Pu-erh shop to try while viewing the first Alien. I took my supplies over to my parents and worked on this tea via gongfu style while watching the film.

The initial taste of this tea had that sweet, grassy (I’d say leafy, but you know, it IS a leaf after all), slightly fruity, mouth drying, and refreshing taste that raw teas usually give. However, these flavors only lasted 8 steeps (not including the first rinse). I liked it; although, the tea was disappointing on the amount of time it had lasted. I’ve noticed that the “Ancient Tree” pu-erhs that I’ve had hadn’t lasted as long as I had thought they would.

With that said, I didn’t make it past the second film of the trilogy since I was nearly exhausted from the long week, the 4:45 A.M. waking time elevating that exhaustion, the tea going dead (I had failed to bring more, so I was drinking plenty of hot water while hoping that I could revive the tea), and the fact that I’ve had enough of cheesy Alien films (mostly the second film due to the cheesy dialogue and special effects).

Side Note: I’ve come to the conclusion that an Alien action figure would make a great tea pet.

White Antlers

LOL! You know, you are absolutely right! I’d share my tea tray with one. :)

MadHatterTeaDrunk

My Dad said, “You know, if you can have a pig, you can have an Alien.” Now I want one. Ha-ha.

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Profile

Bio

Mostly drinking sheng/shou puerh. Gongfu daily; western brew at work.

More to see at the IG account: Madhatterteadrunk

Drinking down a lot of my teas in 2020. I may not observe these sessions as much as I’d like, but I’ll note them, when the mood strikes.

Location

Northeast Ohio

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