Siam Tea Shop

ADVENT DAY 5, tea 3/3

Oh dear, this one sounds fancy! Used all 5 grams in one western session; using only 80 °C water.

The dry scent and liquor scent is the same. Puffed rice / corn cakes, rice krispies, and so on. Naturally it reminds me the sticky rice oolong I had this year. It was very light in flavour as well as in the colour. Less vegetal than that oolong; more of the rice aroma here.

Delightful and probably a tea that I would buy for further experimenting.

ADVENT DAY 2, tea 1/3
I have to admit, I am a little bit cheating with my Advents. If next day is a working day; I took all teas out a day before, to choose if I should bring some to the office. Today I have this oolong and two caffeine free blends.

How I wish I took at least one to the office! Albeit I wouldn’t have much time for that there, it would be more comfortable than drinking all three just a few hours before jumping to the bed.

So, right away when I arrived home, I took this tea and decided to brew it western (though I can imagine using all 5 grams in gaiwan), again keeping half for next session as I don’t really want a strong caffeine boost at 6 pm.

It smells wonderful! Orchids, lilacs, meadow flowers, that all is in the pouch of dry tea as well as in the mug and steeper. The liquor is thick, floral and creamy; with sweet and long mouthfeel, with several layers, each one revealing the flowers mentioned before.

The leaves after 3 minutes steep doesn’t look completely expanded and used; and now I am not sure if I want to try another steep or another tea.

A sipdown! (M: 4, Y: 40)

Gongfu, 7 grams, 125 ml.

Yay, another sipdown!
Several steeps of 15-30 seconds. Did not count, no exact timing. Temperature roughly 70°C. One fast rinse.

Round, grass seed and hints of vegetables in taste. Aroma was floral, mostly gardenia in my opinion, followed with other floral notes, even hints of jasmine here.
Exciting mouthfeel, long aftertaste, relaxing and refreshing properities. A little astringency if steeped for longer; but dismishes quickly and keeps grass seed note on the tongue. Surprisingly, no hay here.

Okay, I have ordered 20 grams of this tea. First 4 grams I had to toss out as my mother decided to descale the kettle, told no-one and I just filled my mug with vinegar instead of water. That was a few months back, but since then I had no mood to brew this again.

Until today. I heard they prepared coffee in the next room, but I didn’t want to get out of the bed (I slept like a baby today), but when I did, I chose green tea for today morning. I haven’t checked temperature beforehand, but I measured it afterwards and it has got lovely 70°C, so great for green tea.

First steep was subtle vegetal and mineral, with floral notes, smooth and round. It was sweet, I also noticed the peas a little and overall nice cup of tea.

Second steep I prepared about 30 minutes later, after finishing first cup, was fairly same, but with higher intensity of all flavours and scents, which was caused by two reasons I assume. First of all, the tea leaves were already wet and expanded a bit, but they haven’t relased all their flavorus yet. And second reason was I used a wee warmer water, but still not boiling one. I used my ear-thermometer, so I just listened to the water and when I heard first bubbles, I stopped the gas. This way I got usually water with temperature around 80°C, but I haven’t measured it this time. As I am writing those lines, I have a little left and the floral notes I am able to recognize — it reminds me gardenia.

Well, this is highly enjoyable green tea. Interesting how different are green teas from tea bags and loose leaf. Especialy in green tea I notice it the most.

From the oolong group buy -
I should drink these before they get much older. Probably should have used a gaiwan not my 12oz pot for this – oh well, next time
Dry leaf – smells sharp, soft
200F, 2 min: soft, wood, fruity aftertaste, coating
as it cools – more vegetal and a little drying, aftertaste changes to more a sharp vegetal, green, but hint of fruit
Not sure what to think of this tea, though I have enough to try it several ways.

Day 8 – Siam Tea Advent

First Steep: 1 minute

Once prepared this tea is yellow in colour and bares a soft, seaweed scent.

Flavour is also subtle yet very clean tasting. Hints of dry grass, seaweed and flowers with a dry after taste.

Also somewhat buttery with mild sweetness. Very easy to drink.

Second Steep: 20 seconds

More cloudy yellow at this point.

A lot more flavour now the leaves have been opened. Umami goodness with mineral tones (kale and broccoli), seaweed (that touch of salt) and the thick but sweet grass that coats the tongue to give complete mouth feel. Some dryness in the after taste though.

Umami is very soup broth like but I adore it. It’s not too heavy here but it is noticeable. Delicious!

Pictures and more info – https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/08/day-8-siam-tea-advent/

Day 7 -Siam Tea Advent

First Steep: 45 seconds

Once steeped the resulting tea is pale yellow with a soft, floral scent and a sweet finish.

The flavour matches the scent. It’s weak with a soft yet perfumed peony tone that becomes a little dry in the after taste.

Second Steep: 1 minute 30 seconds

The leaves are more open now.

Here we go, more floral notes though it remains mellow. It’s like a bouquet of flowers and I’m drinking sap from their petals.

There is also a buttery finish that dissipates quickly before the dry after taste.

Third Steep: 2 minutes

Ooohh yes this is more like it.

The flowers are now met with a mineral, grassy tone and honey sweetness that meld with the butter to slip down so easily. It even makes the dryness seem minor.

It still reminds me of fresh rain in early Spring.

Fourth Steep: 2 minutes 30 seconds

Looking more yellow now and the leaves are fully open.

Very similar to the previous steep though a touch softer. The floral bouquet is milder but still dominant in this super delicate but beautiful Oolong.

Pictures and more info on my blog.
http://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/07/day-7-siam-tea-advent/

Day 1 – Siam Tea Advent

First Steep: 2 minutes

The resulting tea is cloudy, yellow with a sweet yet salty seaweed and lily scent.

The first sip reveals a light yet complex tea with notes similar to it’s raw form. I can detect seaweed, salt, sweet grass, vegetal broth and umami which lingers on the tongue in the after taste. It bares minimum astringency.

Half way down the cup there is some dryness coming into the after taste.

Second Steep: 1 minute

Similar to the first steep this remains light though full of character. The umami and seaweed has increased as has the saltiness.

The dryness remains around the same level as the first steep.

For info and pics please visit my blog
https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/01/day-1-siam-tea-advent/

Day 2 – Siam Tea Advent Calendar

First Steep: 3 minutes

Once steeped the resulting tea is amber in colour and bares a sweet malt scent that matches it’s raw form.

The first sips reveal a beautiful malt flavour that’s sweet yet creamy that leads to a slightly dry after taste. Some astringency but very minor and only for a second.

It’s sweetness resembles rock sugar. There is thickness which is rather wooden/clay like but it diminishes quickly to leave the dry, malt after taste that coats the entirety of my tongue. Also getting a hint of prune/stone fruit.

Second Steep: 4 minutes

More burnt orange now in colour though it’s difficult to tell from the picture.

This steep is lighter than the first one but very easy to drink. Remains sweet and malty though delicate with an increasingly dry and somewhat astringent after taste.

For pictures and more info please view my blog
https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/02/day-2-siam-tea-advent/

Day 4 – Siam Tea Advent

First Steep: 3 minutes

Once steeped the resulting liquid is red in colour and bares a rich wood and stone fruit scent.

Full on flavour, stronger than I expected actually. I think that’s because in my mind it showed similarities to a Sun Moon Lake tea and a Yunnan. I suppose it’s in the middle of those strength wise.

The stone fruit (prune or date) is rich and leathery with wooden tones and a slight astringency that leads to a drying after taste.

Second Steep: 4 minutes

Softer and somewhat sweeter in this steep, though the stone fruit remains consistent.

It’s actually so sweet now it reminds me of rock sugar. A delicious contrast between the darker fruit and wood tones.

For pictures and more information visit my blog.
https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/04/day-4-siam-tea-advent/

Day 5 – Siam Tea Advent

Steep One: 2 minutes

Once steeped the resulting liquid is pale yellow in colour and bares very little scent, the only thing I can detect is flowers.

The flavour is also soft yet sweet with a hint of butter and fresh grass. Some dryness in the after taste.

Steep two: 3 minutes

Here we go, the leaves have opened more and unleashed their flavour.

Just like the first steep it’s soft and sweet with floral highs and a buttery finish. I can also taste toasted grass.

Still some dryness though the butter lingers in the mouth. Floral wise it’s on the cusp of reminding me of jasmine though on a milder scale.

Steep three: 4 minutes

Richer and flavourful with toasted grass, dry wood and a jasmine-esque floral finish. Slightly sour but still buttery and mineral tasting. Fresh in other words.

This is my favourite steep so far.

Steep four: 5 minutes
Ah, now it’s similar to the first steep. Very little remains at this point.

The after taste is floral with a hint of grass.

Many pictures and more information on my blog.
https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/05/day-5-siam-tea-advent/

First Steep

Once steeped the resulting tea is yellow and bares a subtle, earthy, floral scent.

Flavour is stronger than it smells. Very mineral and earthy tasting with a buttery, clay like astringency. Rather sweet too.

Second Steep: 4 minutes

Similar to the first steep in terms of strength. Very sweet yet earthy with a dark, smoky tree flavour. Astringent though pleasant.

Third Steep: 5 minutes

Sweet but very astringent, again it’s in a nice way. More honey like to live up to it’s name. Slightly floral though with a very earthy after taste with some dryness.

Fourth Steep: 6 minutes

Taste wise this is very subtle, even more so than the first initial steep. All that really remains is a sweet essence that lingers with a sour touch in the after taste.

Pictures and more information on my blog.
https://kittylovestea.com/2018/12/06/day-6-siam-tea-advent/

This is a pleasant drink. Despite there being several notes to pick up on, it really has a pretty straightforward profile. It is very mellow and savory, but it does have a few other things going on to make the experience pleasant – a little nuttiness, a little sweetness, some astringency that makes the whole experience somewhat dynamic in your mouth.

It’s a good workhorse, no-nonsense, morning tipple. If you enjoy a quality bagged black tea blend, then this will probably be up your alley.

Speaking of which, I haven’t tried this Western style yet, but it would be a good candidate. Frankly, Western style with a splash of milk would work very well. I’ll give it a go and report back if things don’t go as planned.
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Dry leaf: milk chocolate, raspberry-chocolate, roasted peanuts. In preheated vessel – stronger nut aroma, some bittersweet green oolongy notes

Smell: savory, almost soupy, aroma (think vegetable soup with a sweet tomato base); milk chocolate, roasted peanut, peanut shell; savory bittersweet herb (bay leaf), black pepper

Taste:
Arrival – very mellow: bittersweet leaf, astringent – like a bagged black tea blend
Development – some peanut nuttiness arrives, mellow flavors, astringency continues; some savory vegetable soup notes
Finish – milk chocolate, chocolate-covered peanut notes arrive
Aftertaste – short-lived; light nuttiness and bittersweet leaf notes