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The dry bag yields a wonderful fragrance of warm flowers. We’re not talking about floral in the usual sense, where the aroma hits you the way it would when you’re in the company of actual perfumes. Here, you get the feeling of meadow-y buds with their faces bright and open towards the day. The osmanthus masquerades as a whiff of peach. In the cup, these scents deepen and round out, like they’ve been slowly baked into the tea. Ozzy gets fruit-tastic here.

Oh no this is not something to drink in the morning. As soon as you start sipping, the chamomile takes over. You’d never think that a calming herb could taste so powerful, but something about this blend really takes it to a new level… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

In the bag, Fez‘s dry smell is what your Starbucks Tazo mint tea wishes it could be. You get nothing but spearmint, with a hint of lemon that could pass as verbena, though in this case–pun intended–it’s Australian lemon myrtle. When was the last time you saw that one in a tea? Turns out it’s the perfect addition, as those sharp little acidic notes come out to play when the hot water hits the bag. No green smell at all, but that’s no surprise given the understated presence of their Mao Feng Shui.

Smith recommends drinking this tea while wearing a fez, but you’ll want to take your hats off to it–Fez, you sly fox!… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

Mao Feng Shui‘s bag aroma is highly understated–or should I say, understa-tea-d? Maybe it’s because of the tightly-woven silk sachet, but this tea does not want to give up its secrets so easily. Still, it’s possible to discern the sweetness of the green held up by the more vegetal notes, like an assortment of fruit supported by a summer squash platter. Interestingly enough, it still won’t talk much once steeped in the cup. Huh. There’s a teaser of botanical fragrance, but it’s more of a, “Yeah, I could be a floral. But maybe I’m not. Could go either way. Wouldn’t you like to know?”… Full review: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/20/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-2/

Lord Bergamot is exactly what you’d think in the bag–it’s all about the bergamot, baby. There’s barely any underlying tea smell, for all the cool-toned flowery-citrusy-ness blanketing everything. Luckily, once steeped, the Assam knows what it’s doing and takes a firm hand with its floral companion: “Calm the hell down, Sparky.”

As a result, you think you’re safe from a botanical invasion until you take that first sip. Bergamot goes, “Hey, didja miss me? Huh? Didja?” and by now, once your drink has cooled to bearabili-tea, there’s no room to reply, “No.” (That is, of course, unless you love bergamot. Earl Grey fana-tea-cs, with this tea you may well die happy. It makes for a brilliant cup of serious getting down to business that will take you through deadlines and exams with fortitude to spare.)… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/16/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-1/

With a name like Kandy, you’d think that the blend would have nothing to it but overwhelming saccharini-tea. Yet as we’ve seen with other teas in this collection, names can be misleading. A Ceylon by any other name would indeed smell as sweet. We have to keep in mind that the natural sweetness of an un-doctored black tea is it’s own brand of confection. If you’ve got the palate of a compulsive sugar-adder, then Kandy’s inner complexity might go over your head. The nice thing about it is the statement it makes when steeped; a distinct fruity aroma that doesn’t hide away in the auburn liquor.

Some really nice orchard notes come out on first sip: roasted apples and lush plums ready to burst off the tree. There’s the South Asian muscatel hovering about the edge of your tongue as well. Kandy rests on your shoulders as a robe of the most valuable, richly-made silk–but of a simple hue… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/16/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-1/

Masala Chai hits you with gingery, ginger, ginger from the get-go. (It’s like all the ginger that was missing from Chai Diaries found its way in here. No complaints!) The dry bag has no hint of anything but the arid, zingy spices–you’d be surprised that there’s any black tea at all. Yet in the cup, all of that melts away, as the ginger is overtaken by clove and cinnamon, with peppercorn bouncing in the background. That ingredient is an unusual one for chai, adding just the barest touch of savory to an otherwise notoriously sweet tea. Mad points for originali-tea.

Once you start sipping, the immediate question is, “Where the hell did all the ginger go?”… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/16/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-1/

Right out of the bag, that Darjeeling beckons with kohl-lidded eyes. There’s enough smoke to offset the sultry aroma with a hint of danger: “Come hither–if you dare.” But once steeped, this rounds out into golden smoothness, the kind of salt-copper scent you’d associate more with a Fujian or a Yunnan. This is definitely a Darjeeling with at-tea-tude.

The sip-’sperience is a letdown. When will we ever learn that dry leaves can tell many many lies? Bungalow leads you into the darkened bedroom and then expects you to play Solitaire for the rest of the night… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/16/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-1/

Brahmin‘s dry leaves start off with a definite maltyness, as promised in the description on the packet. It’s very Keemun-y, with that fireside feel you get from East Asian blacks. The scent hovers on the edge of smoke, but shies away at the last moment, safe under the protection of its Ceylon’s wine notes. In the cup, the Keemun continues to be at the forefront of the aroma, refusing to be ignored. You’d think that the Assam would take the stage in this blend, given its decidedly South Asian name, but our Chinese black is having none of that.

However, when you start sipping, it becomes clear why the Assam is so self-Ass-ured… Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/16/snooty-tea-review-steven-smith-tea-round-1/

In the bag, oh god, rich and pungent. Every note of the aroma–cinnamon, green cardamom, ginger, and vanilla, according to the ingredients list–is as raucous as the streets of Mumbai, fiercely proud of who it is and what it represents. Already, Chai Diaries is starting off strong.

Unfortunately, the brewing instructions lead to oversteepage. It says 5-7 minutes, and erring on the side of 7 led to a disappointing cup of Nope, Does Not Work. Luckily, it’s forgiving enough that the tea wasn’t mouth-wrenchingly horrible–just monosyllabic. With such a letdown for what seemed to be a vivacious, promising tea, it had to be re-tried. Everyone deserves a second chance. Even your crazy ex. (Though only one second chance, do you hear me? Not two. Not three. Just one. Otherwise it’s your own dang fault.)

The good news is that shorter infusions turn out much better. What’s remarkable about this chai is…

Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/07/snooty-tea-review-chai-diaries/

Please don’t pair this with anything, just enjoy on its own. Full review here: http://snooteablog.com/2013/07/07/snooty-tea-review-chai-diaries/