97 Tasting Notes

94

I am in the middle of an intense bout of writer’s block. It’s bad. Probably why I am slacking on the tea reviews. But I needed something with a gentle kick in the pants of energy so I figured Killer’s Vanilla would work. It was the perfect jolt of energy with a calming vanilla, minty and lavender accent. I also love the sort of roasty background that the guayusa adds on the finish. I did, however, finish the last of the ounce that I had when I made this iced. So very refreshing especially with spicy food.

Flavors: Flowers, Vanilla

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 15 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
MissB

Boo for writers’ block. I find that it’s been years since I’ve had an issue like that myself (I write full time for a living), probably due to my having an insane to-do writing list that’s years long, and if I do feel a bit of a stoppage, I just continue writing until it eases up. Matcha also helps! Hope the words flow quickly and smoothly again soon.

graceatblb

It’s terrible. This happens very rarely but when it does it takes months for me to kick. I am going to give matcha a try as well as organizing. A to do list is something I should probably have thought of by now :)

Sil

I miss you when you’re not around my friend!

graceatblb

I miss all of my Steepster friends when I am not around as well. I’m a lurking lurker who lurks right now because writing anything is like pulling my hair out and eating it like spaghetti.

Sil

hopefully you’ve been enjoying the reads at least haha

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94

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94

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100
drank Special Dark by Mandala Tea
97 tasting notes

I’m in the middle of my yearly Anne of Green Gables—and Emily and Pat and Kilmeny and Jane —reread. It’s my favorite series of books and I have had a reread every year since 95. I figured this time around I would accompany my reading with a brew or twelve of my favorite tea. Today it’s Special Dark’s turn and there is something special about drinking it while reading my favorite book. It just tasted better when reading about Anne’s adventures.

Flavors: Chocolate, Cocoa, Cream, Nuts

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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92

I made a terrible discovery today. All of my emails from one account were going to Spam and not getting forwarded to my main email.So I have to sort through months of emails. So, if you’re one of those people out there who has emailed me and never heard back, that’s why.

I think this may be my favorite flavored tea. Creamy chocolate, slight nuttiness, orange. Nothing overpowering but so good. The best part of this blend is the base. It’s one of the most chocolaty black teas I have ever tried. I almost feel bad that I just drank the last of this because I will miss it…I sense a Butiki order in my very near future.

Flavors: Chocolate, Cream, Orange Zest

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Anna

Aaah, spam filter horrors. I’ve had that happen to me, too, and it’s so annoying.

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98
drank Milk Oolong by Mandala Tea
97 tasting notes

Lighter teas and I still have a very tentative accord. I like them…sometimes but there are a few that I just love so much. This is one of them. It’s creamy, nutty, buttery and caramelly. And perfect. The final steeps were a bit iffy this time around though. I was hit in the face with floral notes that came out of nowhere and it wasn’t terrible but it made me miss the earlier steeps. I need to get more of this because this was my last bit and I am sad. I also have to order from Mandala again because I haven’t ordered tea in a long time.

Flavors: Butter, Caramel, Cream, Flowers

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 1 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 2 OZ / 59 ML
Sil

Hahaha missed you lady!

graceatblb

Aww missed you too. Have been lurking around Steepster having tea envy. I’ve also fallen off the coffee wagon—I discovered the wonder that is Tim Hortons and all hope was lost.

Sil

Ewwwwwwwww lol

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100

Currently drinking the last bit of my Phatty Cake. It was beautiful and now it is gone and I shall miss it. I added a bit of honey. I have been doing that all the time with just about everything. Honey makes everything better. But it seems especially true for pu’er. It brings out the flavor in the tea with some magic. Honey transformed this normally sort of smoky tea into something a bit nutty. Almost almondlike. So weird. But good.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec
Garret

Alright!! Thanks for writing this up!! I’ve never once added honey to pu’er tea before but your review makes me wanna see what it’s all about. I am so happy that you love this tea. It’s been such a great one for us. I can’t remember if you have tried the follow up to this one (phatty cake II, just pressed in 2013) yet. If not, I gotta get some to you sometime.

Making wishes that you day is splendid, my friend!

Grateful, Garret

graceatblb

Hi Garret!

It’s definitely different and it changes the flavor profile of the tea quite a bit. I was a bit shocked by it. I do have a cake of the Phatty Cake 2. I’m kind of hedging on breaking into it in a tea hoarding fashion. I did love it when I tried it though.

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100
drank Special Dark by Mandala Tea
97 tasting notes

It is almost 6am here in good old New York and I am unable to sleep. The thoughts just keep coming. It’s one of those nights. But what I am doing is sipping Special Dark. I save it for occasions that are particularly stressful because it is a happy place for me. I bought fancypants honey so I decided to add a touch to the first steep and it definitely brought out the creamy notes in the tea. But for me, it adds a little too much sweet even with the little bit I added. This is one of those teas that really doesn’t need any adornments. It’s perfect the way it is.

P.S. I have fallen off the coffee wagon. I was gifted a Keurig for Christmas and it was bad. But good. I can love them both, right?
P.P.S-I blame my hockey team.

Flavors: Chocolate, Cream, Nuts

Preparation
Boiling 1 min, 0 sec
mrmopar

Yes you can love them both. I have this issue also!

boychik

I have Nespresso and cannot live without 1 cup of lungo in the morning. No sugar, no milk. Just 1 cup a day

darby

I only make tea in my Keurig! Tetley makes an awesome British blend

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98

I spent my day in the best way possible…watching hockey on my laptop—Gamecenter is a beautiful thing-I can watch my team play hockey and not break my soul, watching F1 on my TV—my favorite driver wins and he does it quite often, reading a book and sipping tea. I think that’s my own personal version of heaven.

There are just some teas that make you feel joy and happiness. This one is one of mine. It is the most perfect black tea I have ever tried. This is going to sound loopy but it tastes almost like a really good pie crust. It’s sorta buttery but with a nice vanilla and cream flavor. Actually, strike that, it tastes like a custard. A really good custard. Eh, either way it works because it’s perfect. It’s also the smoothest black tea I’ve ever tried.

Thanks to Stacy for sending a sample of this one.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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87

I have missed Steepster so so much. I’ve been drinking tea but writing reviews has been a trial. I’m encountering a great deal of writer’s block—in reviewing books and tea, researching, even writing the odd email. But I think I am back. I think.

Awabancha was a weird experience. And in not a bad way at all. Weird as in it took me a couple of sips to understand. At first the faint taste of pickle-slight vinegarish saltiness— was kicking me right in the face. Definitely strange when you’re drinking tea. But I kept sipping and it kept growing on me. Sure, there is a slight pickle-ish bite but there is also a slight nuttiness on the finish. It’s definitely different and unique—it’s a step up in weird from pu’er. Perhaps not something I’ll reach for a lot but I will have the odd craving for this one. I can tell.

Thank you to Stacy for sending me this (and other) lovely teas.

P.S. Why isn’t this showing up on my Dashboard?

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Butiki Teas

You’re welcome! Glad you got to try this! :)

TheTeaFairy

Welcome back :-)

Angrboda

I’ve had those not showing up on Dashboard troubles as well, and it seemed like most other people if any at all couldn’t see it either. This one is showing up for me though.

graceatblb

Butiki Teas-I will be sending out your teas tomorrow. I keep adding pu’er to it. I hope you like them :)

TheTeaFairy- Thank you :)

Angrboda- I tried to post it 3 times before it showed up. Thankfully, I copy/pasted it or I would have had to type it all over again…and my memory is not the best.

Butiki Teas

Thanks, graceatblb! I can’t wait to try them! :)

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Profile

Bio

Book blogger. Hockey fan. Reformed coffee drinker. Newly minted tea addict. I grammar police myself and no one else. Pu’er lover.

My favorite type of tea is pu’er. I can see myself living in a house alone with just pu’er cakes, a electric tea kettle, my trusty pu’er pick from Mandala and a thermos. I prefer ripe pu’er but love raw pu’er as well. My current favorite is the Special Dark from Mandala Tea.

Black Tea-I also love all forms of black tea. Black tea is where I started and I still love the malty loveliness of a good black tea. My current favorite is Grandpa’s Anytime Tea from Butiki.

Green Tea-Green tea is pretty hit and miss with me. I have never really developed a liking towards it. I have been dying to explore green tea more. Especially matcha and genmaicha. My current favorite is Autumn Harvest Laoshan Green from Verdant Tea.

Herbals/Mate-It depends on what’s in them. I gravitate more to herbs and spices rather than fruit flavors. My current favorite is Fired Up Fennel from Davids Tea.

I love mate (and guayusa). It helped me kick my coffee habit to one cup a day. I will try any blend with mate in it. My current favorite is Chocolate Rocket from Davids Tea.

White Tea-Sadly, I haven’t tried many white teas but I am planning on it very soon.

Oolong Tea-I have tried one or two oolong teas but in blends only. I am dying to try a straight oolong. My current favorite is Milk Oolong by Mandala Tea.

Rooibos-I love rooibos blends but they are very hit and miss with me. I love the woodiness of rooibos. My favorite is currently Oh Canada from Davids Tea.

Flavored Tea-I love flavored teas. I am willing to try just about any flavor combination and the weirder the better. My current favorite flavored tea is Laoshan Black Chocolate Genmaicha by Verdant Tea.

I am always searching for a tea with fig or chili in it.

My favorite tea companies-Mandala Tea (their Phatty Cake was my first ever “Oh My God” tea moment), Butiki Teas, Verdant Tea, and Davids Tea

Location

Staten Island, New York

Website

http://bookslikebreathing.blo...

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