98 Tasting Notes

100

Found five bags of this stashed away in my collection—I had no idea. It was a whirlwind of Christmas 2010, of just-rightness, warmth, and love.

Isn’t it nice when things just work?

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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98

I was lucky enough to win 30g of this from the KaiMatcha contest—thanks so much! Couldn’t wait to try it.

Color-gorgeously green and fresh, vibrant and enticing.
Aroma-deep, rich, and soothing.

I mixed a little less than 1/2 tsp with hot (about 140 degree F) water, first whisking it with a small amount of the water with my bamboo whisk (which really does the job). Next time I will get the froth better, but this time it was pretty darn good. The color, when added to the water, is stunning and deep. It’s a forest I could get lost in.

And the taste…this is without a doubt the best pure matcha I’ve had. It’s thick, buttery, smooth, lush. No astringency or bitterness here—none. It’s fabulous…my only goals for next time are to achieve a really nice froth.

I can’t wait to have another cup—thank you again for your generosity!

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100

First time getting matcha from the legendary Red Leaf! After much deliberation, I ended up picking the Pumpkin Pie because hey, it’s fall.

You can get it here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/pumpkin-pie-matcha.html

My first adventure into this matcha led to me using too much (1 tsp) by accident—although it was incredibly strong (especially in the spicy note), the powder blended more smoothly than any other I’ve tried. It was really easy to whisk and froth with my bamboo whisk. Also, the color is worth noting—this matcha is so luxuriously green!

My first try, like I said, was a learning experience, but the second time I made it, I used about 1/4 tsp, some hot water, and soymilk. Frothed the matcha and water together, added the soymilk, and BAM! This is fantastic. The pumpkin pie flavor is spot on. I would recommend Delicate for this flavor because of the strength of the spices.

The texture of this is worth noting—in other companies’ matchas I’ve noticed a lot of silty residue toward the end of the bowl. Not so for this one; it’s incredibly smooth and blends perfectly, even when I used 4x the amount I should have by accident. Also, the aroma of the pumpkin and spices is intoxicating!

It’s perfect! Can’t wait to have more matcha-y adventures with this one.

Options:
Size : Small
Matcha Quality: Starter (Basic Grade)
Flavor: Delicate

Try some; you’ll be glad you did.

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100

Holy yum. I’d heard good things about this one, and even though I try to stay away from caffeine (I don’t want to become dependent on it like so many other people I know) I had to try it. Come on, just a little bit! Peer pressure! The first 50 grams are free…

(No, actually they weren’t. Just extending the metaphor.)

Anyway, 50g of this flew to me in a box with some other fall delights yesterday. I opened the bag with some fanfare and breathed in the luxuriant aroma of what to me smells like chocolate-covered raspberries (leaning heavily toward the raspberries). I couldn’t wait to try it, but it was night, you see, and I didn’t want to mess with that.

Morning came with its rosy fingers, and I was ready to try some—and as soon as the water hit the leaf, I was intoxicated. I felt like at that point, all the scent notes separated out, putting space between the chocolate, raspberry, phantom banana (I’m glad I’m not the only one), and the roasty mate. This was going to be good, I can feel it.

And oh, was it. Smooth, seamless intertwining of chocolate and raspberry, with phantom banana swirling in. This is truly one of the most fabulous teas I’ve ever tasted, and it’ll be hard to limit myself to 1 cup a day. (Speaking of which, I was intrigued to see how it would affect me. And I could notice a bit of a peppiness difference, but not anything astronomical. Good to know.)

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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100

First time having this tea after a summer of being off teaching in Massachusetts. (Living out of a suitcase and being needed for 16 hours a day is not terribly conducive to gongfu times…) I’m back home at St. Olaf and everything is so right. Including this tea…the lightly caramelized, burnt raisin taste, the centering aroma, the rhythm of making cup after cup, celebrating the fact that my 5 oz glass teapot (thanks Garret!) is out of hibernation.

Some things will always be there.

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93

Ah-yum. This brought joy to my life this summer working out in Massachusetts. Some proper tea in the morning was much appreciated…good basic EB with a toastiness that is really brought out by a splash of soymilk. (P.S. It’s good to be back to Steepster; it’s been far too long.)

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
Spoonvonstup

Welcome back!

potatowedges

why thank you!

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100

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100

Love this. Love this. Love this. I got some in a trade with one of my lovely friends…I’ve been on a quest for a good chai for a while, and I was looking for something that, ideally, didn’t have caffeine. This has the most perfect blend of spices—the smoky peppercorns, the cardamom, the cinnamon that doesn’t taste like red hots (I’m lookin’ at you, Cinnamon Rooibos Chai), and the coconut, which takes it over the top and makes it reminiscent of Adagio’s Thai chai (but a caffeine-free version). I can even get two steeps out of this one—the second one I usually drink straight up (the first one is generally with soymilk).

Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Also, nothing clears up a cold like this one. I’m almost out…

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 0 sec

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100

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Profile

Bio

I’m a college tea drinker.
I cook feverishly.
I draw.
I make movies.
I knit.
Someday I wish to own chickens.

I love tea because of the complete sensory experience it offers me. Clock time fades away as I lean into my cup, watching the delicate cascades of steam waft up from the brew. Peace. Stillness. Feeling centered. It’s my meditation…

To give you a little background on my tea preferences (which will put my ratings into perspective)…

I love teas that are strong without bitterness and have earthy flavors to them, like rooibos or a really good black tea. (A few favorites in this category: Toffee Almond Supreme, Popped Rooibos, Oh Canada, Nutcracker Sweet.) Vanilla, cinnamon, and nutty are some of my favorite flavor notes. After about a year of warming up to greens, I absolutely love them—from the sweet, nutty, green-tea-ice-cream-like to the bold, grassy earthiness of Gunpowder Temple of Heaven. I also enjoy a nice white every once in a while. Fruity teas aren’t my favorite. I do have a few fruity teas that I love though, like TeaSource’s Green Tea with Pomegranate, Lemon Solstice, and Blueberry Fields.

I drink all of my teas unsweetened; if a tea needs sweetening, I usually don’t like it. A couple of notable exceptions: I sometimes sweeten straight green teas and matcha, and I drink my chai with soymilk (but no other sweetener). I sometimes like my black tea with a little dollop of soymilk.

Location

Northfield, MN

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