t Leaf T

I’m rating this so highly because I’m a coffee person more than a tea person – and a creamy, bitter dose of caffeine to me is delectable. This is the only matcha I’ve had so I have no basis of comparison, but it’s bitter and grassy in the best way possible. Add a little brown sugar and cold milk and you have my new favourite iced drink!

Today was round 2 with this tea, and my first endeavor with re-steeping loose tea! To my delight, the second steep was just as smooth and tasty about 1 hour later. I also tried stevia in one and sugar in the other – unfortunately the stevia gave it a ‘cold’ and licorice-y taste. I think my brand of stevia is just like that, though. The sugar really brought out the caramel and made perfect for dessert, though the same goes for cream sans-sugar so I think I’ll keep it that way.

I am quite new to tea, always finding that it tasted like ‘dirty water’. Today after a bit of research I made a trip to the always-cute t leaf T and bought a packet of this tea. It is quite nice! Not bitter or cloying like other teas I’ve had (though those are probably due to my own brewing faults) but I didn’t find it sweet at all. Divine with a tablespoon of cream.

I took a guess on the temperature but I like to wait a few moments after boiling to pour it over black tea.

I love this tea, but I think it’s an acquired taste. It’s nutty and strong, but if you leave it too long it gets very bitter. I brew mine on the short side, and use it for multiple steepings. It’s a great tea to wake up with, and I love watching the rice puff up as it steeps.

This arrived a couple of days ago and I’ll confess I’ve been hesitating trying it .. But something told me to be brave today, soI tore open the fresh bag and gingerly gave the dry leaves a sniff – wishing I didn’t have descriptions like ‘shrimp’ in my head, lol .. And you know what? It smells like TEA :P

Sure there’s a rich earthy base note of hmm, mold? That really isn’t the best word, but it’s the only one coming to mind .. Oh wait, maybe fungus fits better as it brings up images of mushroom sheds, and peat .. I don’t know, but the point is it’s not overwhelmingly strong, nor bad :)

So, I actually bought this to try and mix my own version of 52Tea’s Chocolate Mayan Puerh that I often write about and long for .. And due to my experiences with that I just brewed this like I would any other black, albeit for less time – 2min for the first steep, and with no prior rinsing etc ..

As I expected it brewed to a brilliant cedar wood red colour, but surprised me with quite a bit of smokey aroma, & flavour too .. I’m not a fan of strong Russian Caravan types, but this is mild and palatable even for me ..

Remembering this was all about my mayan chocolate experience I began by adding some dark chocolate nibs, a sprinkling of Cayenne, then a good dash of Cinnamon (not in original just went with my gut on this one) .. Oh and also added milk & sugar, just a little of each, as this is how I like my afternoon cuppas .. It was sweet, almost creamy though not quite malty, and with a generous peppery bite which I quite enjoy – a very good substitute indeed!

Brew #2 (same leaves) I steeped for longer, and am drinking plain, sipping as I type this .. And even without all the playful additions I’m finding it full bodied, yet low astringency .. This Tea actually has the perfect ‘mouth feel’ imho ..

It’s definitely not going to be for everyone, and it’s not even something I’d want to drink every day, but it’s very different from anything else in my cupboard, and makes a pleasant change .. So yup, I’m pleased as punch that I bought it, and yes I would definitely recommend as something new/interesting to try :D

Nice fresh 250gm tin (that’s a little over half a pound) ..

Greedily opened it up and took a big indulgent sniff woah that’s fragrant!

Brewed a nice strong pot, a little milk, a little sugar, a new book on my iPad – ahhh now this is the life!

A tea that truly deserves it’s rating 3 ratings of 100 – even though the overall one is 84?!

Oh My, how is it I have never logged this wonderful tea before??

Maybe I never bothered as Miss Sweet’s friend pretty much took the words right out of my mouth .. Well, if I was as talented as prose as s/he obviously is ..

Anyhoo, I just finished off a 250gram bag this morning, and am racing to order another tonight .. Which I hope hope hope will get here quick!

Earl Grey Excelsior – Rockin’ my world since Jan 2010! ♡

Oddly, but pleasantly smokey aftertaste and aroma.

Not an especially tasty or exciting tea, though not hard on the palate if you’re looking for a herbal tea that won’t overpower your senses. Could be mixed with something sweet, though there seem to be enough ingredients already.

Pretty smoky tea. I added cream and one lump of sugar and it took some of the edge off of the smokiness, which made it slightly better. I would drink it again!

This is a sometimes tea for me. The sharp citrus and lemongrass scents and flavours are nicely refreshing, but the same thing again stops me from having a second cup after my first.

A little sweet even without sugar, this is an incredibly rich fruit tea. (Or I may just have a heavy hand when dosing it out, I’m not too sure.) Maybe a little too rich at times, especially if you add a sweetener.
That being said, once cooled and had as an iced tea, you just want to sit in the shade taking sips and letting the taste roll over your tongue. Delicious.

I love chai and I love the spice blend of this green version. However, the green tea made it just a bit too mellow for my tastes. It is though the tea I recommend to anyone who likes the idea of cinnamon, cloves and aniseed all mashed up but prefers green tea over black.

Before tasting this green tea, I’d decided I didn’t like green teas. This tea is quite different from what I’d associated with green tea – it’s more delicate on the palate and (like miss sweet says) not too astringent.

yum yum yum. This is a lovely black tea. Be careful not to leave in the teapot though, can get a bit ‘stewed’ if over-brewed.

I’m actually quite addicted to this tea so ALWAYS like to have some in my cupboard .. Not that I drink it all that often, not even every week, but when I do I tend to make pot after pot of it .. In fact, I pulled it out last night for a before bed cuppa, and have already enjoyed two more pots today :P

It’s medium to light bodied, yet the tea itself isn’t completely hidden under the floral flavour .. And by floral I don’t mean like a highly perfumed Jasmine or Earl Grey .. No this is more like Rosewater than full-on Rose Petal – think Turkish Delight without the chocolate ..

I don’t find it overly sweet on it’s own, but it does have a real ‘candy-like’ quality about it which intensifies as it cools off .. I think it would be very much enjoyed by children, as both the aroma and flavour evoke (for me) images of little girls tea-parties in the garden .. Served elegantly with milk & sugar, cupcakes & cucumber sandwiches, I’m sure it would be an absolute winner!

Smells like Feijoa, very much so! Can’t say there is much of a flavor for feijoa though. By the time I have added enough to get any hint of it, it is one very strong and bitter green tea.

a good evening tea, or to beat the 3pm sugar cravings at work.
I like to mix with a little peppermint and honey.