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Random adjectives: suede, burgundy, fruit, mahogany wood, smooth, rich.
Watched the sun rise as I sipped, that just took extra words away.

(thanks to Terri HarpLady)

More than really needed for one cup, but not enough for two…aw, heck, let’s just throw it all in and see what happens.

Figured an attitude like that would get me a bitter cup of citrus flavored mud, but with a 4 minute steep, we’ve got a nice dark toasty oolong with pleasant “show me your citrus peels” flavor. Sheldon would approve, even if it isn’t tangerine.

Wish I’d had the brains to start it this morning, but I have a quart cold-steeping in the fridge with a few snips from a vanilla bean. Anticipation. . . . . . . .

Chocolate candy for breakfast this morning.

The leaves in this small sample were so huge with some big stemmy pieces, that when I stuck this under the spouse’s nose for the obligatory you-gotta-smell-this whiff, he grabbed the pouch, stuck it under his magnifying lamp, laughed, and said, “That looks like what I just cleaned out of the gutters.” Son made “minty hot leaf juice” jokes.

Barbarians. Hmph.

The strong peppermint scent led me to believe that mint would lead the taste parade. Much the opposite. Long steep (5 minutes as recommended) at a lower temp, and it was the smooth, silky white tea that was predominant. The mint was present at the end of each sip, at the back of the tongue.

Which, actually, makes this a very lovely and mild evening sip.

I knew this was one of Terri HarpLady’s favorites, but I didn’t peek at reviews this morning till after I enjoyed most of the first cup…it was so dark and sweet and rich with a something I couldn’t identify, but I could’ve sworn it was toasted marshmallows! So unusual and so good!

Then I peeked. No marshmallow—-so it must be the pu-erh in this blend that is the standout flavor. No matter how your tastebuds perceive this, it is definitely outstanding.

You just can’t mess up a tea that has strawberry in it. This little sample from the nice folks at Nina’s has a bushel of farm-fresh strawberry flavor and is thicker and more velvety on the tongue than other rooibos blends.

…oh my…and with a little sweetener as k s recommended, it turns into shortcake!

Lots of lovely new care package tea under my roof, but all I could grab on this eleventeenth rainy morning in a row was the strongest thing in sight to GET THE FUZZY EYES OPEN.

Some of you would say this is strong enough to be embalming fluid or paint solvent. It isn’t that bad, but it is strong. Softened a little with recycled Tiger Assam leaves (yeah, tigers can do anything)it tastes a little coppery-kettly this morning. Just don’t bang on the kettle. I’m not awake yet.

Speaking of care packages (this will be cryptic so just go with it), one from Nature’s Tea Leaf arrived highly unexpectedly this week…I don’t know who you are, but you know who you are, and if you know who you are, you should know that it is deeply appreciated. :)

Don’t you think A&D should get the award for Best Use of Humor in Tea Marketing?

Tigers, after all, can do anything—just ask Calvin.

There’s not a ton to say about it; I’m not picking up layer upon layer of flavor; but doggone, it is smooth and toasty-tasty.

Wishing that Hobbes and I could spend the day at home playing CalvinBall and drinking pots and pots of this fine, stout, no-fuss Assam. But if I have to be at work, I’m glad there’s a tiger at my desk :)

(thanks to Terri HarpLady for this morning’s flight of fancy)

This is one of the most flavorful unflavored white teas I’ve encountered—had a teeny bit of a sample from azzrian left to enjoy this evening. After cleansing my palate with Braum’s ice cream with caramel topping (sorry, no fancy sorbet available), my taste buds were all vanilla’ed out and I could catch the grapey, fruity tones bouncing around in these big ol’ white leaves. Wouldn’t add ice, but I bet it’d be good chilled.