Featured & Popular Tasting Notes
Ok. It’s 2:30am.
Do I want more tea? Pfff, of course I do.
I want Bi Luo Chun Yunnan Black. I can have it if I want to. I still have a little bit left and I’m expecting more soon.
Cause ya know…I’m kind of addicted to a certain tea co. that makes delicious tea.
(That’s his fault, the Tea Whiz of the Woods).
So it all started the day I bought WP BLCYB. I like this type of tea, I have supplies from other brands.
So now, BLC from WP, why should I make YOU my BLC of choice, the one and only, the absolute best I’m now going to keep in stock and make me say farewell to the others?
I’m already addicted to several other little friends of yours. Ailaoshan Black, Golden Orchid, Port, and now Elderwood… You should know that technicaly , I don’t really need you…
…But, but… I WANT you!!! You taste so good, damn it!
I see myself writing the following, and I quote «This is like having candy».
Uh??? But, I don’t like candies all that much…so what does it mean?
It means that this tea is MUCH better than candy…that’s all.
There. That was my review.
If you really want to know how it tastes like, see previous notes ;-)
This morning was a busy one…I was under a lot of stress and had to run around for several hours.
When I got home, the only thing in my mind was…TEA!
If you’re like me, you try to match the right tea for the right moment. Sometimes it takes me forever to decide. Not today. I wanted comfort, and I knew exactly that good old Earl would take care of me.
I say “Good old Earl” but thats not accurate. This Earl is the next generation.
Yes people, TNG Earl!
What makes it so special? Well, first let’s talk about the base tea found in earl grey teas in general. There isn’t much to talk about, right? What I’ve noticed is no one seems to really care…cause…bergamot. What I mean is, if you’re like me, when you need a bergamot fix, you’re not looking for some fancy black tea…you only care for the bergamot cause you know it pretty much overwhelms any kind of base anyways. So why bother right? That’s the impression I get from what’s available on the market. We get some generic black tea and what makes or breaks it is the quality of the bergamot. What I want is an earl grey that will provide a good balance of the bergamot flavor. I don’t want that overly parfumy and soapy taste they sometimes have. Luckily, I found a few brands that made me very happy over the years and just stuck to them.
When I saw Earl Gold, I said…really Brenden? You’re gonna “waste” some snaily yums on bergamot?
And then I tasted it…and said…damn it Brenden, must you succeed at everything?
Apparently, the answer to that is yes!! He truly is a master blender.
I already love Golden Snail a great deal on its own. But I was so sure everything I love about it would vanish under the oppressive bergamot. Turns out they both complement each other perfectly!
Malt, caramel, chocolate and bread? Please meet citrus and candied orange peel.
A very bright, sweet and warming cup of tea with a big kick.
It is suggested to drink it gonfu so I did try. Surprisingly, the bergamot oil doesn’t rinse off on first steep, it actually stays present through the whole session.
But I must admit, my personal brewing preference for earl grey tea will remain mug style. I just want a huge big fat mug of it and hold it and slurp it slowly while I read a good book. That’s what this tea is to me…a hugger :-)
I’m so happy I’ve got four ounces in the cupboard. It will definitely be one of my favorite comfort teas of the winter!
P.S. When you get this tea at home (cause I know you will, you MUST) please don’t skip the “inhaling protocol”. Beleive me, your nostrils will thank you.
Flavors: Bread, Caramel, Chocolate, Citrus, Malt, Orange
I have some waiting in the cupboard. I can’t wait to set some time aside and enjoy it. It smells amazing!
@missLena, I promise, it’s amazingly good!!
@Skulleigh and @TeaExplorer, lol I have that rule too!!! But this one was worth breaking all the rules for :-)
Your review is forcing me to try Earl Gold again. Most I’ve tried are bergamot overkill, like you mentioned in your review. I love bergamot, but I love black tea more, so can’t wait to try this.
@pixel : I feel it’s probably the most balanced earl I’ve had and the only one that truly lets the black tea shine :-)
@TeaExplorer: Haha, what are you talking about, that was MY voice ;-)
@TeaExplorer: Hahaha! Laughing hard here!! I don’t have the voice of Captain Picard, that’s true, but I AM the voice of tea enabling :D
MAKE IT SO!!
Lol, had to Google the meaning of “poster child” (I’m French and some English expressions must looked up at times!) So after finding out what it means, I fully endorse the title, thank you! :D
Squeeeeeeees! How much do we LOVE the Earl of Gold?!!!? This review makes my smiley face ENGAGE! Love it!
2016 harvest, sealed sample packet from Leafhopper!
Dry leaf is pungent! chestnut, cacao, an impression of cherry pie filling. The look of it reminds me of Laoshan green. I’ve had this as mini-bowl tea 1g:100mL and teapot 2g:190mL, 3/4min. Prefer the bowl.
Let’s see… lemony, roasted chestnut, pan-fried green beans for sure, steamed escarole, gentle floral-powdered sugar high note, underlying umami. Vegetal, salty-nutty-brothy-sweet ending brisk and tart with a light bitterness on the swallow. Aftertaste is at first metallic, turning into a salted citrus rind tingle then apricot to a subtle impression of violet and lavender.
It’s not extremely vegetal or too robust, has a range of flavors that are well rounded. Pretty dang good for 5 years old.
Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Bitter, Broth, Cacao, Cherry, Chestnut, Citrus Zest, Escarole, Floral, Green Beans, Lavender, Lemon, Metallic, Nutty, Powdered Sugar, Salty, Sweet, Tart, Umami, Vegetal, Violet
I initially read this ‘turning into a salted citrus rind tingle…’ as ‘turning into a salted circus ring tingle,’ and said to myself-Damn! derk has really outdone herself with this tea note!!! Needless to say, I was most disappointed upon re-reading. Ah! The joys of dyslexia.
Oh, I don’t think you make notes up. It was fun to take a break from scrubbing the floors, drink seltzer and try to imagine if you were tasting peanuts, sawdust, cotton candy, grease paint, tiger dander, high wire sweat, clown wig fibres or a combination of all of those.
There’s nothing like the pungency of hungover carnies. I love the way the combined scents of cheap cigarettes, sweat, body odor, horse manure, deep fried twinkies, malt liquor, unwashed clothing, crystal meth, and bottom shelf vodka just roll off of them as they emerge from their carnival trailers into the July heat. It’s magical.
I am thinking how tastes salted citrus rinds; never had it!. And all others comments me laugh; much needed!
Derk, I almost didn’t include those green tea samples because they were so old. Glad you’re getting something out of them.
Eastkyteaguy, your comment made me laugh!
Yeh, Leafhopper, I was surprised. No worries, I try anything that lands in my cupboard through the kindness of others :)
Now that you mention it, I really do have circus in my DNA! My great aunt and uncle weren’t performers, but were on kitchen and setup crew, traveling on a real circus train. Wish I knew more. I was an afterthought, a decade behind elder siblings, and by then, I guess it was just assumed everyone had already heard all the good family stories.
Moral to you young’uns: WRITE THIS STUFF DOWN. IN A BOOK. WITH REAL PAGES. THAT WILL NOT BECOME OBSOLETE TECHNOLOGY.
(rocking chair creaking) Pull up a chair, honey, and I’ll tell you about how Grandpa won the money for Grandma’s wedding china in a craps game in the attic of their unfinished house and hauled it back from the train in the buckboard…
I don’t think there were any circus folk in my family but there are definitely some stories I wish I knew more about. Certain family members were considered embarrassments for things nobody would bat an eye at now and asking anything about them would get you a “don’t shake the family tree, a bunch of nuts will fall out.”
Figured I throw a link here in this old note.
South of Tampa, FL, is a carnival museum that’s well worth a visit.
Oh look! Steepster is behaving :-)
Let’s post a review!!
This was one of very few teas I hadn’t tried yet from WP.
I was curious, cause although Keemun are sometimes not my favourite teas to drink when too heavy on the smoke, the taste profile of Pine Peak seemed very different.
Well I agree: definitely not your usual full bodied keemun.
It’s much lighter, and I had to steep longer (for my tastes) and add a bit more leaves to achieve a satisfying cup. Once I did that, it was super tasty.
No trace of smoke or strong earthy notes here.
This is the fruit and grain keemun type. I get raisins and barley mostly. It is sweet and a little malty.
There is some kind of light pine taste to it, a little woodsy especially as it cools down.
I see myself drinking this on a regular basis, as a very nice everyday cup.
It’s raining this afternoon, took out my happy ladybug teapot, girly tea time!
“Peak” of the session:Wow, I didn’t know that you hadn’t tried this. I love this one, possibly the most of any of their teas! Unsung hero. ;)
Oh! But steepster IS back again!! Thanks for “fishing” me out though mj :-)
Cameron, I agree, it is kind of an unsung hero ;-)
I’m skipping the queue with this one because THE TIME HAS COME! I have opened the tin. I have sniffled it. Happy birthday to me! (I thought that would be an auspicious day to try it, don’t you?)
I should make some preliminary introductions to this one and tell why it’s so extremely special to me that I had to have it, shipping fees be damned. This tin right here was the very thing that made me order from JW at all. Everything else that I got to taste from the company was purely coincidental and taking advantage of the fact that I would be paying shipping charges anyway. I’ve been looking at the unopened tin of it for weeks now, simply just enjoying that fact that I had it. Petting it now and then and enjoying looking forward to it while waiting for the right time to taste it for the first time.
As you all know (or ought to know at this point!) I’m partial to a Chinese black, and if it comes from Fujian, it simply cannot go wrong. Fujian is my most favouritest tea growing area in the world and has been for a number of years now. My very very favourite tea is Tan Yang. It is the benchmark of fabulousness to which all other black teas must measure up. Another favourite type is Keemun, usually grown in Anhui. Life-giving and delivering a solid cup of tea every single time.
What we now have here in this tin is both a Keemun and a Tan Yang, and it is not a blend. It was grown near the Tan Yang village in Fujian, but the bushes are the Keemun variety transplanted there from Anhui. The very idea of this awesome on an epic scale!
The leaf smells both Keemun-y and Fujian-y. It has the Fujian cocoa note and the Keemun-y grain. Mind you Fujian usually also has a lot of grain in it, but I tend to find it more prominent in Keemuns. There’s something else in here that reminds me vaguely of some kind of tart berry or something. Perhaps one which has been dried. Like dried cranberry, I think, but not nearly as sweet as those are. If I take a little leaf in my hand and breathe on it before sniffing, I get a strong note that reminds me of when Husband makes beer, just at the point where he puts the hops in.
Okay that it, I can’t wait for Husband to start cooking breakfast (full English, yay!). I need to make a pot of this NOW!
After steeping it doesn’t smell so beer-y, but rather more like freshly baked rye bread. Courtney understands this note fully. I suspect Marzipan does as well. It’s grain-y and dark and also somewhat sweet. There is some of the Fujian cocoa notes there as well, but they are under the grain and so I have to really look for them.
I’ve started sipping way too soon. It’s far too hot still and I can barely taste anything. I did, however, pick up the fact that it’s a strong tea we’ve got here. It even seems to have a rather smoky note to it, which ♥♥♥♥♥
I can sip a bit more now. It’s quite cocoa-y with grainy notes underneath and a fairly large amount of smoke and then finally quite sweet on the swallow. I can definitely see the characteristics of both types in this. It’s like the best qualities of one combined with the best qualities of the other. It’s hard for me to even come up with anything to write at this point.
Oh yes.
Mind = blown.
kisses tin
I have a funny rugbrød story! My husband misses it terribly, so I decided to make some for his birthday. I contacted one of his sisters, who is trained as a cook, and she sent her recipe. I started converting it to English and non metric, and found that the ingredients were just CRAZY – ten pounds of rye flour for example. So, I broke down and asked Karsten for help.
I had converted it correctly but it was a recipe that made many many loaves. We cut it down and I started making the bread.
It was still huge. But what I wasn’t used to is that it doesn’t really rise at all. The mass that you have is pretty much the mass that you bake. Most of our bread wishes until it’s double so I was pretty worried about the malty, slightly sour enormous mass of dough I had. It turned out fine and he loved it. Reading this it isn’t as funny as I remembered. Now the story where I tried to find hjortetaksalt and thought I was going to get arrested…..that was funny.
Then you are intimately familiar with the way it smells just as it comes out. :) My mother would bake some for Christmas but during the rest of the year it’s just store-bought. :)
I know how you feel. We can’t get baked beans here for scratch. Heinz is the only proper brand, but it’s hard to find. We’ve tried a number of other ones that are available but they all range from meh to nearly-if-you-squint, so… :/
American/Danish birthday song. Happy fødselsdagen to you, hurra hurra hurra! I dag er Angrboda’s fødselsdag, tillykky med birthday to you! ♥ ♥ ♥
Happy birthday!! I’ve been looking forward to reading your review on this – I’m glad it skipped the queue for your special day!
Thank you. :) I was looking forward to writing about it. :p
I’ve had three (Western-style) steeps on these leaves so far and am wondering if a fourth is worth the bother. The third steep was a bit on the thin side.
Maybe best not to do a fourth then; it could just be disappointing. Three steeps is great though! :)
Although…for experimentation sake, it wouldn’t hurt to try the fourth steep just to see how it turns out. :)
This is SO GOOD as a cold brew. So. Good.
I need more.
Yeah, I’m buying 100g. Most of my cold brew standbys have strawberries and oranges, and I’m avoiding those for a few weeks. :)
cough….. i might not have been as conservative. lol. but still, budget watching always. and i do need to cut my caffeine down, so i grabbed 3 herbals and this was one of them!
i don’t even have 100…. and i try very hard to sipdown or i have a hard time looking at my wife, lol. my tastes change a fair bit too… and if they change then i hand off to fellow students who are more poor than me, lol.
I have SO MANY SAMPLES. People are so generous, and it takes 3-4 cups to drink the whole thing down.
okay, maybe that’s cheating on my part? i do not count swap samples among my supply. mostly because i wouldn’t share them, lol. nope.
Yeah, I have about 100 samples. Still going through them, trying them, tossing some in a (new) box for my brother. Oh Sil, he LOVES the Wild Purple Buds Puerh from Butiki.
http://zentealife.com/ , Dexter… End of season sale.
MYSELF i do not count samples. i have a huge mug i use (16 oz) so a sample is often only 1 cup. i only list if i’m going to share, otherwise it makes me look like a jerk. OMGsrsly…. such a temptress, lmao, and to dexter who’s been drinking. not nice! =0D
I’m learning from the best cough James and MissB cough. I add them because I like the random tea generator. :) It helps me make up my mind!
I was kidding, I CANNOT buy more tea. I bought a bunch from Zen during the BF extravaganza. Those are still in the box amongst several other boxes in a pile that I haven’t really even looked at yet. (Still I’m wondering why I didn’t buy any of this blueberry in that order…..?)
Heh. Dexter, I just sent you a HUGE box of tea – you too JustJames! I also add all of my samples/swaps into my stash, for the same reason as OMGsrlsy. Love the random tea generator!
Also, fellow Vancouverites, did you see this? http://zentealife.com/tea-quiz
I was just gonna sit with this tea , enjoy it and be happy.
But it has put a spell on me and I feel compelled to write another review.
Ever since I’ve been using my Vanilla Dream yixing pot, this tea keeps getting better and better. Having this gives me the same warming feeling a good quality sheng does. Yes, it’s as rewarding. Any sceptical tea purists in the house? Well let me tell you how much you are missing on if you’re a non believer. This tea is a “whoa” inducer, goes straight to your senses.
This blend is innovative and completely unique. It almost creates a new flavour that doesn’t exist, making it almost impossible to describe. Sweet, savoury, salty, spicy, but not quite umami. The vanilla bean renders a rich and heavy mouthfeel. To make things even more complex, a fresh eucalyptus finish emerges at the end of the sip…mix that with the minerals of the clay pot, and you get a taste that lingers in the mouth forever, just like any good oolong or sheng pu’erh would. Complexity at its best…
Although I don’t drink much heavy liquor, I would compare Port to a fine aged whisky…something you can’t put a price on cause every time you drink it, you feel lucky you got the chance to experience such a gem.
The vanilla yixing makes all those Vanilla Dreams teas so much better and they are already amazing to start with. I’m not having vanilla this morning (yet) I’m having an excellent post-Dark Beauty cup of Jabberwocky
Great review! It made me think of this song haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwXai-sgM-s
The Jabber really “wocks” missy, as I like to say :-)
Lol, Mj, good call and thanks, and I always loooved that song!! Have you ever heard the Nina Simone’s version?
I will have port one of these days. Brenden recommended I not go for port just yet, and thought I’d like cocoa amore better (LOVE IT!) although I did decide to go with jabberwocky this morning when I was debating between the two.
There’s an amazing remix with Nina’s vocals and an upbeat track. It’s amazeballs. I couldn’t find it on the YouTube. :(
OMGeeee! Found it!!!
http://val.fm/feeling-good-joe-claussell-remix-nina-simone-mp3/
Cheri, I think I understand why Brenden told you to start with some other VD tea. It’s so different from any other tea I have ever tried, it kind of surprised me the first time I had it.
And yo, cocoa amore!!!
The remix is awesome Sarsy, thanks for sharing!
Mj, So happy this made you discover Nina!Sinnerman is the most popular remix I think…it played in movies and commercials, maybe you’ve heard it without even knowing it was her voice…
I have been excited to try this since my favorite Teacret Agents: TheTeaFairy and MzPriss, posted their reviews from the samples they received. So here we go…
Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 200 degrees, 3 minutes, brew-in-mug strainer & Dr. Who mug
Dry Leaf Aroma: I do not work for WP and I am telling you the honest to goodness truth – this smells EXACTLY like those gooey chocolate covered cherry candies, specifically the ones with the cherry surrounded by cherry goo and vanilla goo, then covered in chocolate. I brought the bag of tea into the living room, and I’m sitting on the couch, opening it and smelling the tea, then closing it to let the aromas accumulate again, then sniffing. It’s like a cherry-vanilla-chocolate heaven.
Brewing Aroma: Oddly, this just smells like tea, with a light creamy note. I don’t smell cherry. I start to get a little sad.
Flavor: I take a sip. Tastes like black tea, with a lovely sweetness, but WHERE’S THE CH…
Ooohhh. There you are, sneaky monkey. The cherry is hiding on the end of the sip, and it’s not on every single sip. However; when it’s there, it’s just lovely.
I have a feeling that this one may even get better with a little age. I have about 8000 lbs of pu’erh to keep me busy for awhile, so I’d like to try not to drink this, let it sit just a couple weeks, then see what’s what.
Even though I know this isn’t scented or flavored with cherry, my mind doesn’t seem willing to believe it. What tea magic is this??? :)
Preparation
All of the vanilla teas with real vanilla beans get better with a little age They get smoother and even more lovely. I am enjoying a cup right along with you right now.
Yep, that’s what I was thinking, schmoopie. I know that my GO improves with a little time, so I hoped this would be the same. Not that it’s bad AT ALL. I just think it’s the sort to mellow nicely and get smooooooth, like buttah.
(It’s subbliminal cherries!!!) Yay, glad you like this one….I like it so much, I ordered the poster to have it framed in my kitchen, lol. (And I would love to get me a few beans of that tahitian vanilla!)
I have some sort of vanilla beans… I wonder what kind. I will have to look!
I gotta try this with some fresh cherries. Or dried cherries. Or cherry pie. Or some of that coconut cream.
Pics, pls. And speaking of, I posted my pu haul for you on the Today’s Mail post, but here it is again.
https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/photos/124304184@N02/14672325832/
Also, picture, in your mind, my new shelf on the wall above this table. It’s white. And it will have my cute little yixing gaiwans when they arrive from far away lands. Can’t wait!
Lord…I’m in awe. Best “starter kit” ever!!!! Actually, this will not only start you, it will last you for the next five years!!!
There’s a saying: Go Big or Go Home. LOL I went big!!!!
I really do need to stop now. For realz. I have a few things I want if the Butiki sale happens, and then I want some sleeping bear and jabber. But that’s it. Two orders. Then NO MORE TEA.
I know I am (sort of) a grown up, and I should show some self-restraint, that’s not really my thing. Moral support will be appreciated!!! Whatever it takes! Dex: please drive to PA and hip check me if I even LOOK at a new tea! :p
Got it – Butiki sale and TWO teas from WP… and then no looking – but for how long? What’s the goal?
I think there are a bunch of us who should be stopping, and we should be supporting each other – not that I would complain about a trip to PA for a little enforcing… ;))
Good questions… At least 2 months. Hopefully more. The goal, beyond not buying more than I can drink, is to be happy with what I have. That’s more of a personal Sarsy goal.
Also, I am going to stop enabling all of you! Instead, I think we should find new ways to enjoy our existing teas, either by mixing, icing or mixing and then icing.
Maybe we need to do a google+ Teahab Support Meeting once a month or something.
I know it’s going to be hard for all of you but you HAVE to stop reading about tea and looking at websites and seeing what everyone else is drinking. I didn’t have a problem as big as yours might be, but it was a problem. I was spending money I didn’t have on tea. I mean if I had the cash maybe I wouldn’t have worried. But I was borrowing money (credit card) to buy tea. So I kinda stopped looking around at all the tea I didn’t have. I read steepster notes but without focusing on the specifics. So “oh my god, that sounds so good, what tea is THAT?” turned into “that’s nice, she’s having a good time”.
I made a purpose of not looking up websites of tea companies. Cause once you’re there the pictures are pretty and they show juicy cherries or something equally colourful.
there’s always gonna be tea and no matter how much you try, you can’t drink all the tea because the tea makers just blend new stuff all the time. So just forget that. But hey, keeping up with the jones’ is an old, old habit. And if you do have the money, I don’t really see a problem with pleasuring oneself :)
I know, it’s unsolicited, but your chatter was inviting.
Good thoughts, Nxtdoor. I’m not going into tea-debt or anything, but I do (just as part of my personality) tend to go overboard on things in life, not just tea.
I have a good selection of teas now and I think it’s time to focus on enjoying them, which is what I plan to do. :)
I get high both on buying and drinking :-o
Seriously, I totally understand what you are saying nxtdoor and thanks for bringing that out of genuine concern..,
I joke a lot about it all but things are not as out of control as they seem…oh, they are in the sense I could totally put that money somewhere else, but I don’t have kids and have pretty much only myself to take care of… But it is definitely an addiction, not gonna lie…
Totally agree, TTF. We have quite a few parallels.
I am guilty of retail therapy and I like shopping, but I genuinely love tea. I also joke around about my tea addiction, but I haven’t taken out a 2nd mortgage or anything. :)
Also, no kids, so no one is impacted by my little sprees!
I go back and forth with these attitudes:
-Life is short! Spend it all! Have fun!!!! Wheeeee!
And
- I am an adult. I will behave with decorum. Look at how grown up I can be.
What LTF said. I could do other things with the $ nand really I have too much tea – but it’s GREAT tea and I really am figuring out what I love and getting rid of the things I just HAD to try and now I have some and don’t LOVE it. And I got more mail just now. I got some HOT COWBOY and a pot. But SHOULD I slow down? Absolutely.
These days, and I mean by that in the last 2 months, I hardly bought any tea I dislike. That’s why I keep writing raving reviews, cause I pretty much only drink the teas I love. I’m also getting rid of all the stuff I don’t like and buying those allowed me to figure out what I definitely DON’T like.
And HOT COWBOY…and that pot…lol, thats all it took to get me going again.
(P
You know that’s me too – I’m just drinking stuff I don’t LOVE. I’m rooting around for last little bit of SB
I think I’ll make that in the AM, HoneyBelle. Last time I had it, I felt happy and serene. Seems like a great way to start my day!
I only have enough for one little cup because I only had a sample and I didn’t know how awesome it was and by the time I did, this month’s was already sold out.
I got a sample today. But I did talk to Brenden about it. He gave me the timeline, so I’ll be sure to get some of the August harvest. That’s one of my pre-approved purchases. :p
If you change your mind and still want me to send you some just say so:-)
I’ve been having it almost every night, that’s why I need a monthly subscription…
So, Sil is safely on the other side of the country, so what better time to do the Great Earl Grey Tea-Off Competition!
I have A&D’s Mount Gray, Hugo’s Grey Line and Justea’s Kathyrne Earl Grey… who will win as the best EG? Will I even notice any differences? Let’s find out!
I started by pouring ½ a perfect DavidsTea’s spoon into 3 different color coded cups. The I poured in roughly 6oz of 205F water, and I steeped them for 4 minutes.
Initial impressions:
I had to re-pour them into different cups because I realized they needed to have the same color inside for comparison. Whoops! So now that they are all in white cups I can tell that the Hugo tea is a much darker colour than the other two. It’s a reddish orange, while the other two are yellow-orange. Justea’s is probably a bit more orange than the A&D.
I sniffed them and they all smelled pretty much the same, except for Justea which was a bit earthier.
First sips:
A&D’s – smooth EG. Nothing to complain about. Bergamot lingers but doesn’t quite cross that too perfumy line.
Hugo’s – not quite so smooth – feels like there’s a little more going on in this cup, although it’s hard to put my finger on it. Bergamot is not quite as present as the A&D cup. I almost get peach or something with it.
Justea’s – this is quite a different animal! It’s musky and dark and the bergamot is fairly strong. Not a subtle cup!
Finishing the cups:
A&D’s seems to be the least complicated of the three. It’s an EG and it knows that and it’s not going to mess around. The base makes me think of a Yunnan black with the subtlest of honey notes, but maybe that’s because I’ve had the other two to compare it with. Overall? A solid EG that I’m guaranteed to enjoy! I know that this one re-steeps well but I’ve only re-used the leaves once.
Hugo’s almost has woody notes to it. At least after trying it after the A&D, that was the most obvious thing I noticed. It smells like lemon too! Along with the woody notes, I still feel like there’s a peach or some kind of fruit note in there. It’s a complex cup. Apparently it’s good for 3 re-steeps too!
Justea’s tea is better once it cools. It loses some of the musk (or whatever it is?) and mellow just a bit. I also can really smell the lemon and it makes me think of lemon cake because of the richness. I definitely enjoy this cup the more I drink of it, but the base tea is one that I’m still not completely used to and it distract me a little bit until I’m at least 1/3 done the cup.
OVERALL: Hugo’s Grey Line seems to be my favourite, although A&D’s Mt Gray is nothing to dismiss. Justea’s Kathryne Grey is enjoyable but one I crave less often due to the base.
Preparation
(part of me feels obligated to say “ewwww blergamont” on Sil’s behalf)
Nice comparison though. It’s interesting when you try similar teas together, because the differences suddenly really stand out. :))
I’m still watching you….I almost picked up the EG you wanted from out here today too but then I couldn’t remember what else we wanted if anything….
I definitely want the Grapefruit EG because it was surprisngly good. I’m not sure what else is available becasue their menu isn’t up to doate, but basically any of the chocolate blends I am interested in. The fruit blends were not as good as other tea companies, but Divine Temptation and Creme Brulee are good. I think those are the two that OMGSrsly blends together as a custom mix.
@Marzipan – I got it from Bayswater in Vancouver: http://www.bayswatertea.com
There website is really out of date but they will ship if you email them. Maybe they can send you a current menu as well?
I asked them today. Their website is only missing about 20 of he their teas, the prices are wrong (though not by much supposedly) I tried to get a new menus to take home and the woman seemed offended I would ask…. “Well just go to our website” me: oh is it up to date now? “Well no.” Me……..
Sil, does your real name happen to be Karen and were you friends with my friend, also Karen, who lived in Minneapolis?
Sil – Um. Wow. Omg.
Y’know, I wouldn’t be that put out if you never went back there. That’s just awful.
Cavo…naw I liked the walk. It was all good. Plus I’ll likely pick up divine and creme….maybe one other. Then it’ll be off to steam :)
Do you know what you want from Steam? I didn’t see anything, but I don’t think I’ve had anything from there before. When I went into their store I wasn’t super impressed because all the prices were hidden/hard to find and I wanted to stealth browse without talking to anoyone.
If you see any great chocolate ones, grab me 50g of that from Bayswater!
Heh. Awesome! I find JusTea’s really, really easy to oversteep and overleaf… when I brew it “correctly”, I really love it (and blergamot is so not my thing).
NP mj
Cavo – after dark is the one I must get. Omg sent me some and I really enjoyed it….I think there was at least one other but I can’t recall yet…just woke up after a 12 hour nap
Oh, that one does sound really good! I’d split it, unless you’d rather keep 100g of it to yourself! The Hazelberry Puerh sounds good too!
This is mighty good.
I’m inaugurating a new bright yellow and blue Gaiwan, I love it!
I don’t drink Dancong as much as I should. I like them only Gongfu style. They are so full of nuances and surprises, I find it all gets lost in a large cup.
This one is super fruity. Roasted bittersweet citrus notes are the stars here, at least during the first 3 steeps.
Have you ever grilled Ruby Red grapefruits on the BBQ? You caramelize them slowly and brush them with honey. They get sweeter, but they remain bitter at the same time. This is what is tastes like.
The taste lingers and lingers…
Then it gets more roasty and woodsy, I get incense and sandalwood notes, that’s even more present in the scent than in the taste itself. It also becomes spicier and richer, but the finish is a nice floral. Told you it was full of surprises!
It also gets sweeter, my lips tastes like honey after each sips…(it’s not my lip gloss, not wearing any!)
I made up my mind, this is the dark oolong I’m choosing to season one of my yixing pots this week end…
It is totally worthy!
Cheri, I cut them in half, and brush them with just a little coconut oil, then I put them face down on the grill, indirect heat. When they are well caramelized, I glaze them with honey face up otherwise it would stick all over your grill. It’s a quick dessert when you have people over during summer and it makes you look really smart even though it’s so easy! I serve them now with Terri’s coconut whipped cream instead of vanilla ice cream. yum, I think I’m gonna make some now, lol!
Beautiful description, & so spot on! I need to have a session with this tea, it’s been awhile.
I almost made coconut whip cream today. I picked blackberries, & really wanted to use my almond flour pancake recipe to make little shortcakes, with the berries & whipped cream, but I didn’t really have time to do all that, so I ended up just eating them instead.
Thanks Terri..and that cream is so NOM!!! My CocoTerriWhip :-)
Haha! Here it is just for you Sarsonator…
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/14322089098/in/photostream
I would like to add that I discovered grilled watermelon this year and it is fabulous as well. Especially if you use it in a caprese salad with mozzarella basil and a little balsamic omg!!
And figs! Grilled figs – also with the coconut whip or with vanilla ice cream.
New gaiwan??? Oh! Pretty! It’s other Mandala one besides the pink one right? I oogled it too :)
I have some of this tea too. Maybe tomorrow morning. I had kind if forgotten about it.
Lol, i love how these threads turn into food fest! Great suggestions everyone :-)
mzPriss, I came so close to buy the pink one!
Beautiful Gaiwan!
Grilled watermelon…never even considered that! I have several sugar babies in my garden, so I might have to give it a try, although I can’t have the mozzarella, but I have some kickass balsamic!
Those two tigers are head to head and create magic in my cup this morning!
Thanks to the wonderful and very generous Terri Harplady, I finally get to experience what Devotea is all about.
I chose this tea first cause with the name, I assumed it would be a good tea of the morning. If this stuff is an accurate representation of the company, well I am impressed!
The smell first. My grandfather was a farmer and worked really hard. At noon, he would come to eat lunch and my grandma always prepared a nice pot of strong black tea with sugar for him, just the way he liked it. The aroma took over the whole kitchen and I loved it so much as a child. My grandpa would let me have a few sips, winking at me.
The smell of this tea just reminded me of those special days, and I am already thankful for that…It’s super fragrant.
It says “a blend of Indian and Chinese teas” in the description…Assam for sure, and I am assuming Yunnan cause this tea offers boldness and mellowness at the same time.
First I taste a “bang” from the Assam and a light astringency, but I immediately get some comfort and softness from the earthiness and sweetness of the yunnan, (if that’s what it is).
There’s a very light touch of smoke in this tea, and though I’m not a fan of that usually, in this case it’s not offensive, it rather brings all the flavours together.
I am delighted I got to try this wondrful tea, thank you so much for choosing it for me Terri :-)
this story is beautiful. My grandpa has a special place in my heart.
Im in love with this tea. Do you know that AmazonV decided to make it tea of the month because of my constant whining.
Haha! Didn’t know it was a favourite of yours, now I’m gonna read your review…
Plwa
Please excuse my lack of knowledge but what is AmazonV? (Lol, I’m Canadian, remember?) Is that a special place for tea on Amazon that I’m unaware of???
Lol, the minute you said Amazon, I was like, OMG more tea available to me please!! I know who you are talking about now :-)
Cameron B.: Hahahah!!!
pls read the comments of my note TheTeaFairy. you, Canadian friend is cracking me up (good laugh only);-)
http://steepster.com/boychik/posts/245567#comments
“OMG more tea available to me please!! " you are priceless ;-)
you need more tea???!!!!i can send you some. i now have an experience
Boychik, I read all the comments, lol, it’s good to be persistent :-)
Noooooo!!!! I don’t need more tea!! (345!!!) I just want more all the time, it’s a curse!!!
teafairy… i WAS at 205…aiming for under 200 by this weekend… bonny put me back up at 231 lol boychik…yes but sometimes sip downs are solo tiring…especially when you have like 131 small cups to drink hahaha
…and uh i might have one more swap, two travelling tea boxes and uh two orders still on their way bwahahaha
(i also really wanted to place a WP order tonight but i’m still sick and so sleep is taking over lol)
Thanks TeaTiff, it’s a wonderful tea…
Teabrat, I got it from a swap, but read the comments on boychik’s link just above.
One of my requested free samples from Angel at Teavivre. I was very surprised when I saw this tea. Usually when a tea is called golden tips it means there are golden tips included. This one looks like it’s almost all golden tips! It smells malty and there is a strong apricot scent along with some honey.
First time, I did a 4 minute steep at about 190 degrees. The aroma is very malty with honey and a light stonefruit note along with some raisin. It tastes like yummy toasty bread with some honey over the top. Maybe a tiny bit of peach or apricot jam. Very tasty!
I saw that a lot of people had mentioned sweet potato so I tried a 3 minute steep. The flavor is definitely lighter, but it’s still primarily malt. I can see how it might be a little sweet potatoey. The honey is still there but I don’t really taste fruit anymore. Overall, I think I preferred the longer steep, especially with a touch of sugar. And it doesn’t seem to be astringent in the least.
Thanks again TeaVivre!
Edit: I forgot to mention that I also received a sample of this from TeaTiff! Thanks lady! :)
Flavors: Bread, Honey, Malt, Raisins, Stonefruit
Preparation
I just requested samples to review as well: http://www.teavivre.com/contacts/free_tea_tasting/
Marzipan, yes they allow you to pick five teas to try, and the only stipulation is that you post reviews for them. They send super generous samples too! I was shocked!
No kidding! And some of the black teas I ordered were fluffy, so it ended up looking like a giant amount when I emptied it into a tin!
lol fluffy tea! Did you get black teas mostly?
I’ve only opened the larger packet. I can’t drink any of them for the next day or so because my nose is stuffed xP Aroma is one of the best parts and I hate missing it.
I actually got all black teas. :) I opened them all and transferred them into tins since the packages aren’t resealable.
Marzipan I hope you enjoy them! :)
Funnily enough I saw someone mention that Teavivre does samples but didn’t link that link so I just contacted them separately asking to receive samples in exchange for reviews, and they responded back with 5 teas they said they could send me. I didn’t even think of picking out the specific ones I wanted. They should be here soon and hopefully they’re all good anyway (:
Mandy, I don’t think I’ve seen a negative review for any of their teas, so I’m sure they’ll all be good quality. I just hope they’re all types of teas that you enjoy. :)
Cameron B That’s what I meant, good tasting to me, haha. They’re sending me an assortment of greens and oolongs since I mentioned in my email that that’s what I prefer. Wish I would have requested some black now though, since in the last couple of weeks I’ve been starting to fall for them too.
This is what they’re sending me:
Premium Tai Ping Hou Kui Green Tea
Lu Shan Yun Wu Green Tea
Huang Shan Mao Feng Green Tea
Anxi Monkey King (Ma Liu Mie) Tie Guan Yin Oolong Tea
Taiwan Oriental Beauty (Bai Hao) Oolong Tea
I’m sure they’ll do a great job picking out. It’s probably a good thing I didn’t pick mine because I would have gotten over whelmed by all the choices, and the ones they picked all sound like something I’d like! (;
If you have enough left pls do gongfu. You don’t need gaiwan. 1 tbsp 4 oz rinse 5/5/10/15sec etc. you will notice more flavors including sweet potatoes ;)
boychik I have a ton! Ha ha. I was planning on trying some pseudo-gong fu this week with a couple milk oolongs and I’ll be sure to try some of these blacks as well, especially this one and the Fengqing pearls. I’ll jot down your parameters. How long of a rinse would you recommend?
I have only gotten sweet potato a couple of times from Yunnans/Dian Hongs. Everyone else seems to get it a lot more than I do. I usually get a lot of malt in the ones I like and not as much malt but added smoke in the ones I don’t care for as much. :) Everyone’s taste buds are different!
Nicole I’ve only gotten smoke from one Yunnan so far, and it was extremely mild smoke. Enjoyable smoke! :)
Georgia Tea Company sent me a little bit of this and I’m eager to try it because most weight loss teas I have tried thus far have been very herbally tasting to me. Let’s see what this is like, shall we!?
First I must say – it smells WONDERFUL! :) The Papaya and Mango really MAKE it! Tea-wise I can smell the Oolong a little more than the green as far as the actual tea aromas go.
It’s medium brown in color.
WOW! This is nice! It’s hard to describe because everything meshes together so well. The Green Tea, Oolong Tea, Papaya, and Mango all come together to form it’s own taste, really. It’s just enough fruity and wood to notice both…it’s sweet and refreshing.
I really like this especially because it tastes good AND it’s for weight loss!!!! NICE!
Preparation
Er I should say the teas don’t annoy me- it’s the companies that try to get ignorant or gullible people to cave into the hype.
Hey gals,
I completely understand where you’re coming from on then name. I don’t like ‘hype teas’ either. The reason we came out with the health line with teas like "Cancer Fighting Tea’ and “Weight Loss Tea” is because we get nearly daily emails and phone calls from people who just read an article about tea and want to know which ones are good for weight loss or cancer or digestion or what have you. We decided to blend together a line that would take the guess work out of it for them. There is quite a bit of very reputable research done on green tea and oolong tea to show it’s abilities to aide in weight loss. In a study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a measure of metabolism), plus also had a significant effect on fat oxidation. The article went on to say, "The researchers indicated that their findings have substantial implications for weight control. A 4% overall increase in 24-hour energy expenditure was attributed to the green tea extract, however, the research found that the extra expenditure took place during the daytime. This led them to conclude that, since thermogenesis (the body’s own rate of burning calories) contributes 8-10% of daily energy expenditure in a typical cubject, that this 4% overall increase in energy expenditure due to the green tea actually translated to a 35-43% increase in daytime thermogenesis. "
As with any ‘weight loss program’ it all has to do with a balanced routine of exercise and proper diet. Replacing high carb/calorie drinks like sodas, with green tea with no sugar, you are not only lowering your carb intake, but according to research, boosting your metabolism. I don’t believe in ‘diets" but only life changes. If someone, over a number of years, replaced their sodas and drank green tea with their meals, that should see a slow and gradual reduction in weight. The tea isn’t meant to be an instant weight loss supplement, but to aide in a life change.
VERY well said Daniel! :) Either way…I’m very happy with this tea…it was tasty! I Enjoyed it! LOVED that someone put together a tasty flavored – non-medicine-E-tasting Green and oolong tea tho!!! Thumbs up from me…no complaints here! :) Cheers!
Rabs!!!!! You will NOT be disappointed!!!! Daniel & Crew over at Georgia Tea Company are AWESOME!!!!!
hahaha, Rabs I totally had the same reaction! Because, you know, being articulate and well spoken = good tea. (proven by science!) I am also impressed with the concept of a non-herbtastic, tasty weight loss tea. My relatives in Poland used to drink these horrific uber concentrated herbal monstrosities that were supposed to help with weight loss and I’m afraid my perception of weight loss teas has been colored by that precedent ever since.
Yea know…I was thinking about Steepster Selection…let’s network folks!!!! Let’s get The Steepster Gurus and Daniel from Georgia Tea Company to chat about a Steepster Select SOON!!! :P
How does the Steepster Select work? Is there a particular process that the tea must go through before it’s featured?
Daniel, send a PM to http://steepster.com/jason or email [email protected]
The only way I like matcha and dairy together is half OJ and half milk (I use Smart Balance milk). I’m sure I’d like matcha, milk, and chocolate- just haven’t found the right formula yet.
Half OJ and half milk? I would definitely want to put some vodka in that! Heh. Speaking of which, just to let you guys know, we’ve been working over the last 2 months on making tea alchohol recipes. So far we have found some really good mixes. One of my favorites has been Rooibos Rainbow and Dissarono Amaretto. Yummy! Rooibos Belgian Chocolate, milk and Kahlua, very good. Also Vodka and Cherry Kiwi is yummy, we are trying to finish the recipes and will be posting the list on our web site soon.
Definitely already had the vodka idea- just need to get some- matcha dreamsicle or matcha screw driver (if you forgo the milk) shots.:) I wonder how a dirty matchatini would taste? I’m thinking the olive juice would pair well w/ the green grassy, vegetalness of the matcha.
Thank you Stacy (Butiki) for this sample tea!
(I’m Whispering…
…..we all know how good Stacy is at creating tea’s that
are…
not nasty and artificially flavored…the really special tea’s that we love! Shhhhh, listen up!…..
…..This one is my favorite Butiki Tea Flavor of all!)
I want a pound of this tea already. I ONLY HAVE A SAMPLE! STACY!
The wet leaves had the softest aroma of green beans and sweet grapefruit as though the clock had been turned back and Spring was here once again.
I had just enough tea leaves for one precious mug full.
I took a sip of the pale yellow liquor and was amazed at the restrained taste of the grapefruit next to the more robust but smooth savory bean flavor. This was a juicy tea.
I added a little sweetening (as Stacy suggested) which brought more of the grapefruit flavor to the forefront, still perfectly complimenting the savory base flavor of the tea.
I used to make a grapefruit salad years ago with ruby grapefruit, carefully removing segments of ice cold fruit from it’s membrane, then mixing it with chopped avacado, salt, olive oil and lemon. The acid and sweetness of the grapefruit with the smooth creamy avacado were perfect compliments to each other. (It was an 1980’s popular California salad.)
This tea embraced that idea of combining crisp grapefruit and the creamy savory tea in a similar way. It worked really well!
There was that Umami thing happening in my mouth when I added some sugar (but without the bitterness, and the sour was just the normal grapefruit tang).
Yes, this was/is the best flavored tea in my Butiki book! It hits all the marks for me! Bravo Stacy!!!
oh man this makes me SUPER excited to get my teas already!!! Stupid living in canada taking forever! I’m so ready to place another order with Stacy but since I know i’ll be picking up larger orders, I want to try and get them all in one go…plus i really shouldn’t order anything more until i get back from vacation with the timing of shipments.
I couldn’t even tell you WHY i’m so excited about grapefruit tea….it’s not my favourite fruit but the idea of grapefruit tea just makes me happy…
Nice review, Bonnie. That salad you’re talking about is still very popular here in the Maplewood area of St. Louis, at least in this house! Grapefruit and avocado were made for each other!
So glad you are enjoying this one Bonnie! Mmmm, that salad sounds amazing. Avocados are one of my favorite foods.
Lot’s of people taking certain medications can’t have much GRAPEFRUIT, it increases the potency of the med. ME for instance. And I’m allergic to BEANS! This tea allows me to indulge in two! favorites without worries or illness!!! So wonderful! Yeah Tea!
Yes, I’m drinking this again! It’s my birthday, so I can drink anything I want! Of course, I can drink anything I want any day of the year, but this seemed like a perfect start today, & it was.
And Dag, after giving it some thought, this is from the spring harvest
Dear Terri, for you’re birthday, I am offering you a performance. I have re-written the famous song “it’s my party” just for you. Here it goes: «It’s myyyy birthday, I can drink what I waaant to…drink what I waaant to….drink what I waaant to…..Laaa-o-shan Black, you’re my favourite to-daaay!!!»
Thank you, thank you very much… ( good thing Steepster is not in 3D sound just yet, lol!)
I’m drinking this today basically because cats are jerks. Mine woke me up 5 times this morning by meowing in the hallway. Every time I came out she ran into our room for purrs and cuddles, and then an hour later she was at it again.
So I picked this tea. I bet Tigers are jerks too.
My cat’s a jerk too. I finally caved and bought an electric mat to put in front of my bedroom door. I feel terribly guilty about it, but it worked miracles overnight. I hear tell there are air blasters which have about the same effect.
We have 2 cats, & by ‘we’ I mean Leif & Ari. Gizmo, Leif’s cat, is fairly innocuous. Squishy, on the other hand, likes to do things to intentionally piss me off. I do not allow cats in my bedroom, ever, because I can’t stand to have cat hair on me, & for some reason cats always want to piss on my pillow. I guess they want to mark my room as their territory (none of the current cats have ever actually done that, but previous ones have). So neither of our cats have ever been in my room, although Squishy tries, regularly, to get in there. Not ever gonna happen!
Terri – that sounds like quite the challenge. Are they boy cats? I’ve never had to worry about her peeing, thankfully!
And she is totally allowed in our room – we even sleep with the door open (so the cat and the toddler can both wander in), but the cat mist be playing hard to get or something as she cries outside for attention. (Stupid cat – just come in and cuddle! )
I love those names, by the way.
My cat is Mika, aka Meeks, or Mika Mikerson the Third if she’s bring particularly royal.
Terri – If it makes you feel any better I had a cat pee on my feet while I was sleeping once. I was sleeping over at a friend’s house. The cat made it clear that I was not welcome to invade his space.
Stephanie – His cuteness is the only reason my cat hasn’t been kicked out on his furry behind a dozen times over. Also the fact that he’s an awesome cuddler.
On a related note, has anyone seen My Cat From Hell? I think it’s a TLC show, but it’s also on Netflix now.
A good book is ‘How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You’.
Also my cat peed on my mom’s duffel bag that she lent me. It probably smelled like her dog and so my cat was marking his territory. Another time though he got mad that I took away his food (he overeats sometimes) and peed where his food goes.
cats and i agree to not get along. my dad used to tease the neighbourhood…uh NM lol so yeah… cats and i. we don’t mix. except for the one cat that followed me up the mountain that one time…
Once upon a time I had a friend named Suz who raised silver persians. She really wanted to give me one of her kittens, which were very expensive. I told her no thanks because I wear black to gigs all the time & the silver fur would show on my clothes. The truth is, I didn’t want a cat. She had farmed one of her cats out for stud service, & a gal who raised black smoke persians owed her a pick of the litter. Next thing you know, Suz gives me a black smoke kitten for my birthday, who I named Opal. I didn’t really want a cat, but what do you say? “Thank You”. Opal was beautiful & dumb as a post. Except she was smart enough to figure out how to get out the doggy door before I had a chance to have her spayed. End of part I
Part II
Opal had a litter of kittens, & we found homes for 4 of them, but Leif begged to keep Gizmo, so we did. Opal disappeared.
Ari’s cat Squishy is a cat she got for her son, but then she moved into an apartment that didn’t allow cats, so squishy moved in with me. Now Ari & Ky live at home too, & so really, I guess he’s Ky’s cat.
Part III
Gizmo is a boy. Squishy is a girl. I don’t hate cats. I’m just not into them. They tend to irritate me, I can feel their hair touching me. The cats I have now don’t pee on my things, but in the past I’ve had cats that did. I’m a dog lover, especially big dogs. I don’t have a dog right now, but I love dogs. They are awesome.
My cat keeps head butting me off my pillow at night… He hooks his paws over the bed rail things, and heaves. And his name is Princess Shadow. He came with Shadow, and I added the Princess! :)
sipdown(183)! I needed a tea to cleanse my tastebuds but wanted to try and get another sipdown in. So i picked this one since the flavouring feels very natural. While not a huge fan of oolongs, this is one that i can get behind whenever i’m craving that strawberry flavour that isn’t artificial. This tastes like the strawberry aftertaste of freshly picked garden berries :) Always love this one from teavivre!
Lol – that posted without me.
I meant to say great multi-tasking! Cleansing your taste buds and another sipdown. :-)
teafairy yea it helps the samples dexter sent me are fairly small considering i drink double cups most of the time. :)
:)) I sent you a “taste” of all of them, rather than quantities of a few. If you would like more of any that you liked, just let me know.
Sorry I didn’t mean to imply that you were complaining – I was trying to say “my cupboard is your cupboard” – if you would like more :))
haha just making sure you didn’t think i was upset :) i’m sure i’ll be poking you at some point for samples of things heh
i haven’t quite figured out what i want to do about tins…i bought clips from taiwai tea crafts that i like for bags that you cut. I just want figure out what i want my cupboard to look like. Tins = harder to figure out what is where for me…so i like bags. but samples from friends = little mini tins i found when teaopia went out of business..small enough to hold things and keep flavoured smells from mingling, but they all fit in their own bigger container heh.
I like the color coded ones from Davids. As long as the correct type is in the correct color all is well. I leave most teas in the resealable package – unless it’s permanent in my cupboard, then it will have a tin. The box I got today has a lot of “quantity” tea in zip bags (that’s fine we split orders). I can’t just leave them like that considering I might not get to them for a few months. I’ve bought cute little spice jars from the dollar store with colored lids – those also work for me for smaller quantities – but I haven’t taken the time to paint them, so they have to go in the cupboard to prevent light exposure. Uggg – I need a month vacation to organize and do all the projects I have planned….
i like the David’s Teas tins too. but i use whatever tin i have and color code using magnetic labels. i’ve bought some of the colored ones, but also use the plain ones they send free. old pic, but you get the idea http://instagram.com/p/Uh6GZyIc-N/
i love organization discussions!
Shmiracles – I need to hire you to come and organize my stash….My house looks like a tea store exploded…
LOL this is what mine looks like right now…
http://s1308.photobucket.com/user/Dexter3657/media/IMG_2732_zps064ab7cf.jpg.html?sort=2&o=30
hahaha my other half took one look and went YAY! someone else that makes a way worse mess than you ever do!
I’d love to have those teas in my house though..
Sooo…I could reach for the cognac bottle early in the day, but I don’t do hard liquor much. If you guys want to know why, just read passed the line.
I really need something powerful. Wicked good. Must also smell heavenly. Please.
Golden Orchid, sorry to pick you at such an irreverent moment, but I need you.
This tea…please, really? I dare anyone not to like this. For real, if you don’t like this tea, I’ll take it personal.
Don’t be fooled by the fact that this has vanilla. This is not just vanilla. Nope.
This is high end vanilla and fudge ice cream mixed together. It’s creamy velvety and gooey fudgy.
This is vanilla/chocolate perfected to the 10th power with soft notes of cherries and honey.
Can I be more clear? I don’t think so.
Have this and be happy. Life will be good again.
__________________________________________________
So this was my 5:00am ordeal:
Doggy needs walking, it’s early morning.
Leash unnecessary, obedient doggy.
Beautiful day, forest is calm.
On our way back, dog takes the lead.
See from afar, black and white critter.
Is it a cat? No time to think.
Dog is now running, I stand there frozen.
Eww, I can smell it, this was no kitty.
Sprayed by a skunk, doggy now crying.
The end.
That’s what people. This was his second time. You’d think they’d learn, but noooo, doesn’t work like that apparently.
Good thing I now keep a few litres of peroxide around. After spending nearly one hour washing him, the smell is now all over ME!
Beautiful fragrance, really. I call it “Skunky Fairy Funk”, a mysterious and pungent musty-earthy-woodsy scent that lingers and lasts for-everrrr…we guarantee it.
OMG – poor Dexter! Poor Fairy! Maybe Dexter needs glasses so he can SEE what’s chasing. That is not the way to start the morning. You might night to drink the GO ALL DAY LONG! And I’m with you – I defy anyone not to adore the GO – the vanilla fudge bomb.
@TeaF just keep your snoot in the GO tin til the bad smell goes away – then you will be high on vanilla fudge smell and it will be all better…
Thanks you guys, feeling much better already…scrubbed myself to death with my best shower gel and drowned myself in lotion. Hope I smell better now :-)
Isn’t it? And that new vanilla makes it even more decadent if that’s possible. I couldn’t do a side by side cause I was out when the new version arrived, but do you see the difference or is it in my head?
NO I totally can tell a difference. This cup is among the last little bit of my “old” vanilla and I still love it a LOT, but I love the new one a little bit more. I just called the vet – we got an early appointment – in a HOUR from now, so that’s good as it won’t take a chunk out of the day later.
Yay! Seems like both our dogs need lots of attention today….just wish they could have found a better way!!
Yeah. Sigh. At least she LIKES going to the vet. My older dog hated it and I mean HATED. He shook and shivered from the minute we got in the car of he thought we were going that way. Bess his little soul. These girls LOVE the vet. I need to finish up this cup of GO and then get them ready to go.
Oh no! That happened to me with my cat. Couldn’t wash him outside. Washed him in the bathroom and it took a week and 20+ cleans of the bathroom. He ended up with 4 or 5 baths and he’s a persian that hates baths and grooming. My nerves were frazzled that week. My heart goes out to you. Nobody else except those who’ve gone through this know what it’s really like.
Oh, so sorry you had to go through that with your cat Ubacat. You are right, it’s such an awful experience. Thank god for the peroxide/baking soda solution though, it really helps. At least, I was able to wash him outside, but yes, it will take some days and a few more baths before it’s completely gone!
Oh NO Mr. Bill! Skunky Dexter & “Skunky Fairy Funk”!
Perhaps these links may offer some additional ideas:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=skunk+smell+removal+peroxide
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=skunk+smell+removal
Lol, looseTman :-) and thanks for the links, will check them out.
Thanks TeaTiff and Cheri, we feel better already :-)
I fad animal problems today yet I have no cat and no dog and an SO who is very Very allergic. SO this am I was rushing out (for an extra workout long swim before starting the week) I opened the door an a cat ran in the house. Its a beautiful looking orange cat with cheetah like spots that kept jumping on things a yowling at me. Eventually I got it out of the house with a tuna bribe (which means it will come back no doubt) then had to vacuum everything before rushing off! Not as bad as your black and white kitty but I share some of your pain!
Drinking this “Laoshan style”… I used to drink only my Dragonwell this way, but a certain Tea Whiz of the Woods mentioned that method worked with pretty much all teas.
For those who are unfamiliar with the method, this is how I do it. I use a tall glass preferably, and poor low temp water on the leaves. When they sink at the bottom, I start to drink. When the glass gets 2/3 empty, I refill. If you are using good quality tea, it NEVER gets bitter.
I like using a crystal beer glass cause I don’t burn my fingers this way. Here’s a few pics:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/14565779587/lightbox/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/14751914512/lightbox/
Now the tea. It’s such a lovely pretty tea. (Aren’t WP teas all pretty? What’s up with that?)
The taste is so friendly, it’s smooth, not overly vegetal nor grassy. It’s got sweet tender buttery green beans notes.
It’s got that marine breeze saltiness I like so much, I’m eating macadamia nuts and it just goes so perfectly with that taste.
If you shy away from green teas because of their ususal grassiness, this tea is for you. Oh, and please don’t throw out the brewed leaves. They are so good and tender. Add them to green smoothies, stir fries or salads. They are delicious, not bitter at all!
Now, a long Story…skip if uninterested.
My dog Dexter has been a little nervous at night lately. We’ve had a possible beak in attempt a few nights ago…while I was in the house. The alarm company sent the police over, big commotion, could not determine what really happened.
My dog is a big baby, but he can be such a bad ass mofo (this word is a courtesy of MzPriss)
The police told me he does a better job than any alarm system will ever do. They say if a doberman lets you in…it won’t ever let you out.
So the next night, when I heard him growling at the same door from which the supposedly break in attempt happened, I got scared.
So I did what any bad fake blonde actress in a lame B horror movie would do. I did it people. I opened the door and got out on the deck. (Fake dumb blond reenactment) «Hello? Hello? Someone there?» Silence. Pitch dark, I don’t have city lights in my neck of the woods…but then I heard alien noises…hmmmm…was I about to have an encounter with the third kind? Flashlight time, pointed it towards the noise source. This is what I found:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/laafeevertee/14748863064/
Awwww…. Little baby raccoons feeding off my bird feeder!!! They froze and stayed there. I had time to go grab the camera, put it on night mode and get this amazing shot.
Now, was this dynamic duo responsible for the break in attempt? They would not tell me. But I’d like to think they were…and I’d say that’s a guilty look if I ever saw one!
Eww, raccoons. Not a fan after seeing coons larger than dogs in the city boosted by human food growth hormones. Nice post about the tea, however^^
Aaaaww they are so cute! Remind me to tell you about Mr. Peepers sometime.
I had a break in once, while I was in the house. Now I have 3 dogs and I’m armed. I used to have an alarm, but that just went off for no reason. If anyone so much as breathes outside this house, the dogs let me know.
Oh how horrible Sars… Good thing you are well protected now. And yes, I’d love to hear about Mr. Peepers :-)
I’m glad you have Dexter, even if he’s a big baby, as you say. He still undoubtedly has impressive hearing and the fact that he probably LOOKS scary goes a long way!!!!
Hahaha! So sorry about that dexter…don’t change your name please, maybe i should just call him DeDe around here like I do at home ;-)
Sars he his a big baby, but don’t underestimate him: he can flip into serial killer in no time! Two years ago, he came back with a peeping tom’s piece of ass in his mouth…good boy :-)
ROTFL!!! Omg, I guess that’s why some people don’t like them…But they are just hungry little fury balls, poor things.
We had one that visited the well where we keep the garden hose in the front porch. One day I lifted off the cover only to be greeted by a furry face. The poor thing was only looking for water. It had been very hot, but it made me jump back a little.
Yikes! I hope it turns out the little robber raccoon were responsible for the whole thing, how terrifying!
Lol, boychik, How do you survive the whole summer over there??? Now you must have critters all over the place no?
Suziqzer, dunno if they are guilty, but it reassures me to think they are, that’s for sure :-)
Yyz, I guess they can be surprising, no matter how cute they are!
Amanda, yep, I sure hope so….
I saw coyote last week. He was running to my neighbors drive way. Needless to say I run to the house. I think he got scared as well;)
Omg, they’re sooooooo cute!! I love raccoons :) I hope they were the guilty party for the attempted break-in. They’re easily distracted by shiny things :)
Oooh, coyote…they can be dangerous though when they are hungry…but you’re right, most critters are more afraid of of then we are of them!
mj, they were just the cutest thing ever!! i do hope they were the ones playing with my door nob, haha!
They probably smelled you brewing tea and wanted to come in for a tea party… They figured they could jiggle the doorknobs and get your attention. It’s a little known fact that racoons can’t knock on doors.
I hate it when a picture is missing from a tea, so I always try to do a screen capture and add one. This time, it seems a bit messy. (Boo). Hopefully when Frank gets a chance he can change it.
Anyway. This is my second attempt at steeping one of Frank’s SBT blends. I really, really wish they came loose so that I could parse out the amount I wanted, as there are few 2-quart containers in my neck of the woods. I will definitely message him to share this, as I think I’d buy more if I could measure it, instead of getting one huge tea bag.
Anyway. Steeped it exactly as shared on the bag: 3 minutes, then added cold water to fill my Teavana glass pitcher. I found it a bit weak, and am going to let it sit in my fridge overnight to really cool. I did notice that as the small amount that I poured for myself cooled, the black base was less apparent, and the orange took over. Initially, all I got was cream and black base.
Also, a question for all you experienced SBT-ers, or at least those experienced to cold steeping: should I leave the tea bag in the water overnight, or use it again for another steep?
Preparation
When I make it, I cold steep the bag for 15-16 hours. However, I only every cold steep them so I am not sure how the flavor would change using a bag that has already been hot brewed and then iced.
I’m blanking out as to which one I made, as it was a while ago. We left it in the fridge too long, so it was icky by the time I got around to drinking it. :(
Oh no. I am trying the last of my SBT teas tomorrow morning and then I will be placing an order for more. I figured I should try what I had so I knew what to restock.
LiberTEAS cold steeps overnight, then hot steeps to get the most out of them. Check out their reviews. :)
OMGsrsly, I was going to offer to add some to my order for you and then realized that may not be the most effective plan given we don’t live nearly as close as you and MissB. However, if you are only looking to get a couple to try some, they are pretty flat and could probably pass as letter mail and therefore not really cost anything for me to send them to you. I will probably be ordering tomorrow evening so if you want me to add anything, just let me know :)
Haha. I was tempted by that too. But I don’t know if I want 2 oz of it. Mostly because I don’t know if I would like it. Although, no one does honeybush like Frank.
Heh. I’ve got a LOT of Frank’s stuff on the way from the Kickstarter, plus the new ones. One just showed up now, it was somehow held in transit for weeks. I grabbed eggnog, and will pass along some to both of you if you’d like. :)
I’d really appreciate that, MissB!
I have to admit the cart I built (Malted Chocomate!) is only $40. Tempting to just buy. Are all the SBT caffeinated? I don’t see any honeybush ones.
And I just wish someone had reviewed the eggnog honeybush so at least there is something to guess how the tea tastes. I may just cave and order it anyways. I have a nice balance on my paypal account that can go towards my order.
I am also debating the Pineapple Angel Food Cake. It was so tasty the first time I had it but the second time around I was not that impressed. The fear that I won’t be able to have it again is pushing me towards getting it even though I am not sure that I would want so much of it.
Too much! LOL. Rootbeer Float, Butterbeer, Strawberry Zabaglione, Honey Ginger, Almond Milk (?!), Gingerbread Smoke, Eggnog Honeybush, Malted ChocoMate. Oh boy, oh boy. :D
Haha. My cart right now is sitting at about $50 and that includes 13 diff SBTs (multiples of a couple) and the Pineapple Angel Food Cake. I made the mistake of looking through the Available Now and I am currently debating the Eggnog Honeybush, the Cinnamon Roll Honeybush, and the Frankenberry (but only because I saw it has Marshmallow root). I think I have a problem…
I have not had any SBT yet but have wondered for a while if you could just cut the tea bag open and get what you needed and repackage the rest. Is there a reason this would not work?
I don’t think there’s any reason why that wouldn’t work. They’re just a little more expensive than the loose teas – $12/2oz rather than $8.99. So if there’s a flavour offered loose, I’d probably just get it that way.
Thanks, that is a good point about the difference in size/value. The main one I would get is sold out in loose & ya’ll are funny
I have a huge amount of Cinnamon Roll Honeybush, I love it that much!
NayLynn, I could easily cut the bag open, I just think I’d enjoy it more/more often if I was deciding how big my container is to cold steep, and then going from there.
OMGsrsly, sounds good!
Yeah, I wish I could cold steep smaller amounts also. I don’t even want two quarts. Because hello! I need to cold steep in my mason jar!
I’ve been boring for what feels like months now, where I just want to dwell a bit on old favorites every day and rediscover why I fell in love with them in the first place. Means a dearth of logging but wonderful tea time as some I feel I almost appreciate more upon revisit. This is a good example. What an excellent tea. This morning was slow going for no good reason at all, and one of those where you wake up having to do approximately a billion little tasks before you can even make your first cuppa. When I finally had a second to do so I wanted it to be failproof satisfying and this fit the bill and how. I’ve had something like 6 cups—I figured I’d waited so long I deserved to do this in the gaiwan and set myself free for 15 minutes, whee—and it’s still going strong, smooth and sweet and clean but rich bordering on hearty. Present but refined. Delicious. Teas that offer so much flavor and depth in a matter of seconds when it comes to steep time still amaze me.
oh you! i love the idea of “fancy” becoming an injoke. :D
i am amazed someone who sees me prattle on on FB about hair buns and cat puke can say such a thing. but grateful too. <3 goodness knows it’s quite a shock coming from a lady who jetsets and gets her hair did splendidly and can talk theory and feminism with the best of ‘em. it’s been a pleasure running into you on the internets. (:
oh, my heart ate my comment. this is what text cache is for!
oh you! i love the idea of “fancy” becoming an injoke. :D
i am amazed someone who sees me prattle on on FB about hair buns and cat puke can say such a thing. but grateful too. (heart) goodness knows it’s quite a shock coming from a lady who jetsets and gets her hair did splendidly and can talk theory and feminism with the best of ‘em. it’s been a pleasure running into you on the internets. (:
…ok. internet group hug with bouncy curls. ha!
In case you can’t see my profile picture, it’s one of my furry kids. In fact, he’s the pukey one. I know all about cat puke and cat puke jokes.
just last night i found out something i kind of wish i could unknow, that all those bouffanty ‘40s hairstyles were accomplished with the use of something known as a “hair rat”—women collected their shed hairs and made them into a little sponge like filler for their up ’dos! i mention this weirdness because now i’m imagining cat puke as a result of one finding one’s hair rat and taking it as a snack. eugh.
cat puke. it’s what brings people together. that or an immature/gross sense of humor.
Our two share the pukey duty equally it seems. Luckily they don’t do it very often. Mostly during shedding season.
ours share it too. unluckily all the time during shedding season. and worst of all, their favorite time of day to do it is while we’re asleep at night at like 3am, either right on the bed or right where i put my feet when i get out of bed. :b the first time that happened, husband was in the shower and heard a loud curse word from the bedroom when half awake i stepped in it. now i know to check before getting out of bed. oh cats. “you’re lucky you’re cute!” i only-half-jokingly tease at them.
Our pukey one is majorly pukey. The others do it much more rarely. We took him to the vet and the vet said there’s really no medical explanation. I suspect bulemia.
A friend was just telling me that she read somewhere that if you raise up their food bowl up about 6" or so, so that they don’t have to bend over all the way to eat, and it helps with the puking. She said it worked for her. I’m thinking about trying it. Pukey Penny was puking only occasionally for a while, but he’s back to puking a lot again.
It could be over-eating, maybe. Luna has done that when she was younger, eating far far too quickly and then the whole thing came up again and you could easily see how some of the pellets had just been swallowed whole. They have a ‘food maze’ now, where I pour both their portions in at the top and then they have to use their paws to get the food out. Slows down the eating pace a lot and entertains the cats. It’s a bit noisy while they eat, but it’s cute to watch.
“Good for you you’re so cute!” Oh I know that statement well. It was directed at Luna when she attempted DIY surgery by removing all her stitches two days after having been spayed so that we had to go and have her re-stitched. By the emergency vet. On a Saturday evening. In the next town over. By taxi. And pick her up again the next morning. By taxi. (We didn’t have a car then and public transport would have taken three times as long) That little adventure cost almost as much as the intial spaying and ear tatooing of two cats!
2022 sipdown no. 23
I really love green oolongs, particularly when I’m studying. They seem to really help my concentration. This one will most certainly be reordered!
I have planned out a CS green oolong cart, but does anyone have any other spots they would recommend? I thought about Mountain Stream, but with the exchange rate, it’s a bit much for me right now, so I’ll have to go back to that one later.
Preparation
Cha Yi has some nice green oolongs if you want to stick with Canadian companies. I really liked their Alishan, and their Cuifeng and Shan Lin Xi were also good. Sebz Tea had a floral Li Shan several years ago that I enjoyed.
Thanks! I had the Shan Lin Xi in my CS cart as a new one to try, so that’s exciting that Cha Yi also has it. I was also considering the Li Shan (though a bit prohibitive with the price).
I like the Shan Lin Xi from Camellia Sinensis, as do a lot of other people. :) I’d say it provides more value than their Li Shan, though that’s also a nice tea.
I enjoyed the Shan Li Xi (winter harvest) I tried from CS too! I tend to like it (and Ali Shan) a bit more than Li Shan, but all are good green oolong!
What-Cha has some great ones, and an especially affordable Li Shan. If you want quality ones, Wang Tea and Tillerman are good.
I second What-Cha’s affordable Li Shan, and their Jade Oolong is great for the price. I haven’t had any other green oolongs from What-Cha. Tillerman has free shipping to Canada, though I got dinged by customs and had to send in some paperwork to get my money back. Wang’s teas are fantastic, but their free shipping threshold is $150.
This is all so helpful! I’ve made a note of the tea companies I hadn’t heard of yet, and the teas you’ve all mentioned! It does seem like these green oolongs from CS would still be a good call too. I have some decisions ahead!
What-Cha’s Long Feng is superb too as well as their Wenshan Baozhong. I haven’t had their Shanlinxi in a while, but it’s good too. It was a little bit more texture than flavor forward the last time I had it, but the newer reviews seemed promising.
You also can’t go wrong with the Jin Xuans, though the Jade Oolong is spades higher, but again, I still think the Li Shan is the best for price and quality.
Yes, you can’t go wrong with What-Cha and all the ones Daylon & Leafhopper named (haven’t tried the Wenshan Baozhong though; need to remediate this asap)! Just polished off Long Feng and I’m still sad about it; it’s usually top tier for me. What-Cha’s usually such safe, consistent bet that I’ve been hesitant to explore other vendors lately.
The Shibi oolong I picked up from Taiwan Tea Crafts left a good impression too, but I’ve no clue what “lot” I purchased anymore; it was like a tropical dream.
CrowKettle, I’m glad there seems to be a consensus about What-Cha’s oolongs. I recently had two nice Baozhongs from other vendors, so it’s great to hear that theirs is also good.
The Shibi oolong from Taiwan Tea Crafts is another favourite. They have a lot of green oolongs, some of which I’ve liked better than others. “Tropical dream” is a good description. :)
I’ve always wanted to try the Shibi. I never have because I get confused about which lot and have seen a lot of variability.
Ooh! I have a package of Shibi from winter 2020 (or is it spring 2019?). I’ll open it up and give you a sample, Daylon!
Camellia Sinensis is having a 15% off sale this Thursday. I will not buy more oolong… I will not buy more oolong… I will not buy more oolong! (But their Shan Lin Xi is really good!)
I got the email as well! I may place my oolong order haha. I’m trying to convince myself against it.
LOL, that makes two of us! I know that next month all the spring 2022 teas will start coming out and I’ll want them, too.
Guess what I found in my tea museum: around 300 g of tea from Camellia Sinensis from about four years ago! I was thinking of getting at least two of these things in today’s sale, but maybe that’s not such a good idea. Still, that Shan Lin Xi is calling… I never have any of that left!
Tea museum and 300g had me laughing!
I just placed an order this morning XD (50g Si Ji Chun, 50g Jin Shuan, 50g Shan Lin Xi, and of course 250g Earl Grey Cream, plus my first gaiwan)!
It is my favourite as well! I just order the 250g quite regularly haha. I drink at least one cup per day, but often more!
Glad you were able to place an order for all those green oolongs! Maybe you were the one who snagged the last of the Shan Lin Xi. :P I hope you enjoy your gaiwan!
I had a session with my four-year-old Feng Huang Hong Cha and it’s still surprisingly good, but the new black tea harvest will be ongoing for the next couple months and I! Don’t! Need! More! As my spending on oolongs goes up, however, I do want an everyday black tea that I like, but I don’t think this will be the one. It would also help with my nonexistent “supply issues” if Canada Post would actually let me have the packages from TheTea and Martin.
Oh no! I placed the order at 6:30 MT, so it’s possible haha! I noticed that the Ali Shan was gone by the time I was placing my order, so I wasn’t the only one looking to stock up. :)
I understand the daily black! Aside from the Earl Grey Cream, I love Yuchi Wild Mountain Black from TTC (but with the shipping costs now, I am savouring what remains in my stash).
Uggghhh, Canada Post. I do hope your parcels clear and are delivered soon!
I know I can’t expect blissful happiness everyday, but I can expect blissful tea every time I drink Wild Monk 2012.
I recently bought a beautiful yixing clay pot from Mandela and of course, I had to season it with Wild Monk today.
It’s late in the night, and I decided to drink just that. Cause why shouldn’t I?
This tea puts me in a meditation state every time. It invades all my senses, and gives me the inner peace I seek so desperately. The fragrance is made of dreams and wishes…
Smokey campfire scent that mixes with fresh morning dew, humid grass and moss.
Sugarcane sweet, earthy and musky notes, fresh menthol with just enough smoke to remind me how wood could taste like…nature’s “ingredients”.
This tea makes me see bright colours. Tonight, it’s a warm yellow.
Thank you Mandala, I cherish this tea.
Pics:
Concisely described with poetic clarity! With exceptional tea inspiration “is included at no extra charge.”
Kirkoneill1988 you should check out our puerh thread on the discussions page. Lots of good stuff about puerh.
Here ya go, kirk
http://steepster.com/discuss/5496-pu-erh-of-the-day-sheng-or-shou
You know when you place an order, there’s a point when and you realize your cart is really getting full and you need to slow down…but there are so many good ones that you just can’t leave behind, right? Then you think sample size. Yes! Yes! That’s the answer, give yourself the illusion you’ve got your act together, you’re NOT out of control, not at all. You suddenly feel much better about adding 10 more teas, seems like the reasonable thing to do. (Not!!)
That’s how I came to order this tea. I should have been less reasonable and order a larger quantity…That’s the other thing about large orders. Somehow, the full size pouches are the ones I wish I had ordered in sample sizes, and the sample pouches end up being the ones I should have ordered in full sizes. Ugh???
Not a secret, I love pretty much all types of oolong, and the aged ones fascinate me.
Don’t let the Ginseng part keep you away from this if you’re not a fan, (coughDexter) this has nothing to do with regular ginseng oolong. If it wasn’t for its name, I wouldn’t even know it’s supposed to be there.
This is not smoky at all, but roasty and caramel like. If you’d smell the infusion without knowing it’s tea, you would think it’s a dessert, very creme brûlée, custard like. There’s that faint mineral taste in the background I have come to appreciate. The ending has a cooling effect in the mouth, fresh, but not in a minty kind of way, just like when you inhale and it’s cold outside. That might be the ginseng part. But it has non of the eucalyptus notes traditional Ginseng oolongs have.
I had to basket brew cause there wasn’t enough for me to use the gaiwan. It will be interresting to try short infusions when I get more of it.
And yes, I will definitely buy a larger quantity next time.
Dexter was drinking EG earlier and is trying to be open minded to all the teas that you sent me. :))
The answer to your “the full size pouches are the ones I wish I had ordered in sample sizes, and the sample pouches end up being the ones I should have ordered in full sizes” issue is to just order small sizes of everything and then place later orders of the ones you really liked. Just saying….
Lol, I so give you A++++++ for effort, I do put you to the test, don’t I!
As for your suggestion, if I was normal, that’s totally what I would do…but I’m “tea-challenged”, my neurones just don’t function adequately and rationally when it comes to ordering tea!
Me ordering tea: “but what if I only get a sample, & I love it so much, & then I found out it’s sold out?”
Haha! Terri: EXACTLY!!!!
Sil: I checked your cupboard, me think you do need every incentive you can get ;-)
hey! I’m doing well! only 6 more teas to finish to have a cupboard that’s only 6 months old! (and that’s within april)
Lol, well… maybe I was tea drunk and had a cupboard hallucination, but I could have sworn I ‘ve seen your stash at 140 not that loog ago…
(psst…there’s a rumour circulating that machiavellian but very nice and generous Steepsterites are trying to sabotage your cupboard…beware!)
haha it was UNDER 140 like a week ago lol I’ll get there though! I won’t make my March goal BUT, I did stick to NO orders during a month where i didn’t hit my goal. So that’s good :)
Teafairy, every box we send each other barely closes. Actually, the last box I sent to Sil was 2 boxes, hahahahahaha
3:40 am here. I was hoarding my last little bit of this. But I have more coming, so I"m having this as middle of the night tea as well in solidarity. It’s sooo good
I haven’t yet placed an order with or tried many of Brendan’s teas….I really need to not order tea after the house things we need to replace… You are making it had to resist!
Are you sure you girls aren’t musicians?? Hahaha
Hard to believe, but I actually went to bed before midnight for once!
Sil, I was thinking of ordering samples, & sharing them with you :)
I gotta have something to put in your next box!
Not musciains (well I’M not anyway) we just don’t sleep much. @Sil – WP is pretty excellent and once you get started – it’s a slippery slippery slope…
Terri – I’m pretty sure you have about 300 teas that you could put in the box LOL We overspent by picking up the couch and chair this month so i’ve got to be good and try to save money until we get back. I was thinking of trying to not buy any tea in July…which in a way is the suck because it’s my birthday month lol
MzPriss, your 3:40 was already 4:40 here, I was getting my beauty rest, at last…otherwise, I would have been your tea-body of the night (or early morning?)
Sil…ORDER!!!!!! JUST DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!!! :-)
I’m a musician wannabe, I know it’s in my genes, but it’s been hiding for a loooong time…doest that count Terri?
I agree MzPriss….SLIPPERY!!! I keep falling :-)We’re falling together. It’s hard to mind it though when we get to drink such great tea
I swear, I don’t pay these two! :-P
MzPriss, you’re right, I was never this happy to spend my money :-) plus it’s making me decide on stuff in my stash I realize I just don’t want anymore…why have that if I can have this???
Haha! That last comment of mine does sound like an infomercial…sorry about that!
AND NO, WE DON’T GET PAID TO HAVE THIS AWESOME TEA EVERYDAY AND TRY TO TELL THE WORLD ABOUT IT !!!!
haha Brendon – the few that i’ve had from you via swaps have been nice. Now i just have to wait for a sale or something so that i can take money from my “clothes fund” to place an order lol
Brenden – maybe you should start paying them commission, hehehe
They’ve sold me on several teas so far!!!
Sil, if you can’t order in July I’ll just send you an extra awesome birthday present box. You’ll be drooling over it, looking around suspiciously, & whispering, “My precious…”
You should pay them! lol
Awesome good tea, i want some now :)
WHAT THETEAFAIRY SAID!
@Sil – I would send a birthday box to Canada…
And also, like TTF – I find myself getting rid of tea that I don’t LOVE as much as the things I LOVE
A sale? Hmm…well, Sil, you might find it useful to know that I offer the 15% off coupon code “sip-inspiration” to all first-time customers :)