58

Knowing I had another caffeinated evening requirement (since I needed to stay up to watch The Biggest Loser) I tried my sample of this tonight after dinner.

There were some pretty cream colored flower petals among the dark brownish leaves, though I could not smell jasmine. I did smell some wonderful smells, though. Vanilla, brown sugar, and yes, maple syrup.

The liquor was a light brown/orange color with a sweet aroma of vanilla/maple syrup. There was also a whiff of something else, something really interesting. It reminded me of incense, though it has been so long since I burned any I can’t remember what kind. Sandalwood maybe? In any case, I really enjoyed it. Made me feel all Bohemian, like I should be wearing a long, diaphanous Indian-print skirt, sandals, big hoop earrings and a peace sign medallion on a leather thong around my neck.

There was something silky smooth about the mouth feel, as if the mapleness was actually emanating from a few dollops of syrup dropped into the tea. It tasted much better than I’d expected for some reason. Vanilla and sweetness, and if I closed my eyes, I could almost taste waffles with syrup and whipped cream.

I wish I could tell you more about the tea itself, but as with the other tiny Herbal Infusions samples, it’s a bit of a tease. I wasn’t easy to get a handle on the tea flavor before reaching the bottom of the half cup brew.

I can see buying more of this to play around with it a bit more and decide if it was just the right taste at the right time, or more than that.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
Rabs

Now I’m really craving waffles! :)

SoccerMom

Yum this one sounds good. LOL at you dressed all bohemian to drink tea.

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Rabs

Now I’m really craving waffles! :)

SoccerMom

Yum this one sounds good. LOL at you dressed all bohemian to drink tea.

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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