M&K's Tea Company

Tea 2/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea. For this sample though I used the entire thing in my small tea pot because I was making 2 cups at once (one for me, one for my husband).

I steeped the tea in 175 degree F water for 2 min. The taste is mineral (I seem to be getting that a lot lately?) with a buttery undertone. I actually tried a little sample of this tea a few months back and I noticed sweet undertones which I’m not getting this time around (prob from using more leaf with more water?). Either way it’s a decent tea.

I bought this tea on etsy-the packaging is quite lovely and they gave me a free sample of another tea to try :). Shipping was crazy though so if I ever order from this company again I will order a larger amount of tea because it isn’t worth it to buy $5 of tea and spend $10 on shipping :/ (this isn’t their fault by any means- they are based out of California and I live in Northwestern Ontario).

When I first opened the bag and smelled the leaves all I could think is “This smells exactly like Angels on Bare Skin (my facial cleanser I buy from Lush Cosmetics)”. Not exactly the association you want to make with something you’ll be drinking. The taste is quite floral and light, but all I can think when I’m drinking this tea is “This is probably what my facial cleanser tastes like.” I’m not sure about this tea. I think I’m going to try mixing it with chamomile or white tea because I’m thinking lavender should be an accent in tea, not a dominant flavour that remind me of candles and cleansers…

UPDATE: I tried combining a little bit of this tea with plain white tea, and it was better, but I still do not care for it. I am giving the rest of this tea to a friend of mine.

when I was sent this tea it originally said 1999, but has been changed to 1995, so oops somewhere

I think my computer has a grudge against me personally (ok no, it also hates Ben) because it has the most god awful internet connection in my bedroom. Anywhere else in the house is fine, but in the bedroom…where I do my work…it will not connect. It is driving me absolutely bonkers!! I have finally saved enough money to buy Ben’s birthday present (it is a new computer, woo!) and was going to then save up to replenish my dwindling tea stash, but now I have to get a Wi-Fi booster instead. How annoying!! Ah well, life goes on, at least I got to use the phrase ‘I am priming my ovipositor’ today, which is something I never thought I would say, so life isn’t too bad.

Today is the last day of Dark Tea Week, it is also the grand opening of M&K’s Tea Company’s website! Previously they had an etsy store which I had great fun visiting (especially for holiday themed teas) and spent a great deal of time admiring their awesome aesthetic. Last order I placed (back when I was chillin’ in PA with me mum) I was sent a sample of Menghai Lao Tou Pu-erh (Ripe/Shou, 1999) and holy cheese doodles that was a long time ago, I also say that 1999 was one of the best years of my life until recently, seriously that year was amazing. I was going to post a photo of me from that time, but alas I cannot seem to find one, so you must all be content with just imagining me in my gothic glory. But this is not all about me reminiscing, this is about a tea from bonkers forever ago, hailing from Menghai County in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, this tea is a real nugget of fun, no really, Lao Tou means old nugget, a result of piling while being fermented. The aroma of these nuggets is woody primarily, with secondary notes of loam, old oak wood (reminds me of an old oak cask or trunk) a forest floor, and a tiny bit of a meaty-mushroomy-savory note at the finish. This is a very woody shou, not as loamy as some.

Into ye’ ol elephant pot it goes! Not the pot that gets the most use in my collection, but it certainly might be the one with the most personality! The aroma of the nuggets (even after rinsing they are still pretty solid) is a blend of molasses, pine forest loam, oak wood, and a touch of meatiness. It blends woody sharpness and loamy earthiness really well, more balanced than the dry leaves. The liquid has a stronger savory note and a nice mineral note to join the woodiness and earthiness, it is not a hugely complex pile of notes, but it is quite tasty smelling. Happy nose!

Tasting the first steep I can safely say, this is a mellow tea. Smooth and mellow, kinda like the guy who insists on always wearing a towel and has convinced me that Old Spice is the best man soap ever. I am officially making him the mascot of Shou Puerh! Anyway, randomness aside, this tea starts off creamy smooth with notes of loam, mineral, and molasses, It then moves on to woodiness and slight sweetness. Finally the tea ends with a bit of leather and loam, it does not linger in the mouth long, but the lingering that is there is mild and sweet.

So here is the fun part, this tea can go…and go…and go…I legit lost count of how many steeps I had, but the best part is it was like drinking the same cup of tea FOREVER. I could imagine this being a real downer to some, especially if you like each steep to be a little different (or a lot different) and usually I do with some teas. Once in a while I want a tea that I can just sit with and not think, I want a tea that sits like a trusted friend and does crafts with me, plays Minecraft with me, or helps me wipe out humanity while playing Plague Inc (I am so awful at that game) It seems kinda mean to call this a background noise tea, because it is not one to have and ignore, it certainly has a presence, it is just a solid unchanging presence.

OMG I FIXED MY INTERNET!!!! I think…How does everyone like the idea of next week being Oolong week? For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/03/m-tea-company-menghai-lao-tou-pu-erh.html

Backlog:

I’m not always a big fan of rooibos blends but this one is a winner for me. It has a lovely contrast between cool, crisp mint and warm spice.

Zesty cinnamon, refreshing mint notes from peppermint and spearmint, licorice notes from the anise, and a warm, peppery flavor from the ginger. The rooibos isn’t a strong, obvious flavor and I like that.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/01/13/mint-marigold-spice-herbal-tea-from-mks-tea-company/

Backlog:

I really enjoyed this Moroccan Mint that I received in the Wintertime sampler from M&K’s. It was just different enough to spark my interest – it’s not your typical Moroccan Mint!

This isn’t just peppermint, it’s peppermint and spearmint, and to add a hint of lemon-y flavor, M&K’s added some Lemon Verbena to the mix. It doesn’t add a really strong lemon-y note, but just enough of something that will make your taste buds sit up and take notice and realize that this isn’t the average Moroccan Mint blend.

Really nice. Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/01/11/moroccan-mint-green-tea-from-mks-tea-company/

Backlog:

I was a little bummed out by this tea. It just wasn’t the Earl Grey that I expected or hoped for. The bergamot is really lacking. No real strong bergamot notes in the aroma and not really a very strong bergamot flavor either.

The bergamot flavor comes forward a little as the tea cools, but it still isn’t enough bergamot to be calling itself an Earl Grey. This is the Earl Grey for those tea drinkers that don’t really like bergamot. And why would you be wanting to drink an Earl Grey if you care for bergamot, I ask you?

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2015/01/05/classic-earl-grey-black-tea-from-mks-tea-company/

Backlog:

They actually taste quite nice together! The cool flavor of the peppermint curbs the sharp notes of the licorice (which is further softened by the honey roasting) and the warm flavors of the licorice cut through some of the minty notes to make this taste more like tea should taste and less like mouthwash.

A really nice blend.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/12/30/peppermint-peace-herbal-tea-from-mks-tea-company/

Backlog:

I have really enjoyed the teas that I’ve tried from this Etsy company. I’ve especially enjoyed the seasonal teas they offered this past holiday season (I think most, if not all are still available) because they’re so different from the ‘normal’ holiday selection of teas.

And this one is truly unique: Mint is a common ‘holiday’ ingredient, but here the mint is quite different with the addition of licorice. These two ingredients work in an interesting way – the licorice seems to ‘change’ the flavor of the mint, making it taste more candy-like than like mouthwash. This sweet, candy-like flavor is further enhanced by the vanilla notes.

The black tea is full-flavored and rich. It has that hefty quality that I like in a black tea.

Everything comes together in a very tasty way.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/12/24/white-vanilla-peppermint-black-tea-from-mks-tea-company/

Backlog:

This tea taught me something – goji berries are also known as wolfberries.

The description from M&K’s says that this tastes like: “like an apple met a cinnamon stick and got caught in a magical honey ocean.” and yeah … it does.

I love that the base is a green rooibos – which I prefer over red rooibos. Green rooibos is a little sweeter, lighter, and fruitier than the woodsy/nutty red rooibos.

Event though wolfberries = goji berries, I didn’t taste a strong goji berry flavor. Instead, I tasted honey, butterscotch, cinnamon and apple.

It was quite a wonderful tisane and I’m glad I tried it.

Backlog:

The flavors are a little subtle – I was told ahead of time by Marty (who I’m guessing is the M in M&K’s) that the pine notes were pretty subtle in the pine teas from the winter teas collection. So I expected that.

Even so, I still can taste all the elements of the tea. Subtle mint notes, a sweet green tea note, berry notes that add a touch of tartness to the cup, a hint of honey. The pine notes develop as I continue to sip.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/12/14/mintberry-pine-green-tea-blend-from-m-ks-tea-company/

Simple.. . buttery. . . smooth.. .slightly grassy with a side of a veggie notes to it. . All in all, just a really good Green tea. Just love this company!

Backlog:

The aroma is warm and spicy, it evoked thoughts of my gramma’s kitchen when she’d be baking. The spices are well-balanced. They have a pleasing, well-rounded flavor to them. It’s not too strongly spiced but it’s by no means what I’d call mild either. It reminds me a bit of a spice cookie. I can taste the spices but that’s not all I taste.

The black tea base is a blend of Assam and Ceylon and it’s a hearty background of flavor.

A rich and satisfying chai. Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/12/05/9-spice-chai-black-tea-from-mks-tea-company/