New Tasting Notes
This tea is very elusive for me. The first two steeps were a mess of epic proportions. This did not do well (at all!) in my tea ball. Mostly because it did not seem to let the chocolate bits melt well and this tisane is incredibly fine, so tea ball or not this was determined to fly around my glass. The temperature also has to be closely watched. I steeped this at too high of a temperature and really kills the flavor.
On to my first “successful” cup, it was just ok. I think what this lacks is a notable chocolate flavor. It smells of chocolate, but the flavor is just not there. I’m half tempted to throw chocolate in there, just to see if it’d help! It’s pretty much one dimensional in the flavor department. It’s very roasted tasting and the nut flavor is really there. I can’t tell if I could drink this on a daily basis, but the smell keeps calling me back. Overall, I’d say I would stick to the sample size. I’m starting to think that mate tisanes are just not my thing.
Preparation
Monday Mar. 28, 2011
1st Steep of The Day
This is gonna Sound Boring, Just Like Last Workday.
Took this Spoon Simple Tea to Work today.
Easy to Prep and Easy to Drink.
Water just under Boil but let it Steep a Little Longer.
Great Day Startin Tea.
Keep on Steepin
Here Is the Daily “Boring” EARL GREY Tea Cup I Use At Work
http://imgs.inkfrog.com/pix/Plum/Polar_Jar_Tea_Cup_1.JPG
Preparation
Thoughts on this store aside, Teavana sells some nice, quality matcha green tea. This tea, done in traditional 1-2tsp:6-8oz water ratio came out slightly astringent (good for matcha), wonderfully vegetal (as you have guessed, good as well), and ever so slightly sweet. Not as sweet as some matchas I’ve tasted if this is what you are after. Of course, make sure you NEVER have anything sweet before drinking your matcha. This (sometimes) highly expensive and (sometimes, but more rarely) high-quality green tea is drunk communally, and served with either savory treats or after drinking, sweet treats. This is a great example of the tencha green tea leaf harvested after spending its life under the shade and processed either by hand or mechanical means. I would definitely buy my green tea from Teavana again (especially in the larger 3.5 oz. size).
Preparation
So here’s why I didn’t give this tea a higher rating: 1) Matcha should be fresh tasting, smooth, slightly bitter, immensely vegetal, and FRESH tasting, this tea simply was not, 2) the tea was delivered in a tin with the green tea pouring out of the tin when it arrived (of course the tea was “sealed” with a plastic wrapper, 3) the tea was not hermetically sealed which, for matcha green tea, is a big no-no. Now onto tasting note: this brew was a ratio of 1 tsp to 6-8 ounces. The tea aroma was moderately fresh smelling, but on the slightly flat side. The tea liquor was granular/powdery forest green in color. Usually, my other matchas are more of a lighter green than this with the same ratio. The taste of the tea was VERY bitter, the kind that you associate with drinking dish-washing soap, not the good kind of astringency normally found in quality matcha green tea. I honestly don’t know what to do with this tea except dilute completely in colder water and try it that way, or put on food as one might use culinary-grade matcha. I feel very sorry, however, that at the cost of imperial (ceremonial-grade) matcha, I now have a small tin of low-grade culinary matcha. For a better quality matcha buy from Teavana. I rarely tout this “tea” store for anything, but they must be commended for their high-quality, ceremonial-grade matcha.
Preparation
I truly love this tea…Why has it taken so long for someone to come up with a Rooibos Matcha!!! THANK YOU PURE MATCHA!!! I am now complete. This taste just like Rooibos, but its more intense, its fothier, its more robust. It smells like Rooibos Heaven. The taste is unreal. You must try this Red Matcha!!! i created a steepster account just for this review!!
Preparation
Another direct from India tea. For those wondering about the “Orthodox Full Leaf”, it really does say that on the package; probably to differentiate it from the other Assam in the package, which is “granulated”. This tea brewed slowly, full 4 minutes/boiling water, to a clear brown (fruitwood more than walnut). I was expecting a heavy, harsh, tannic tea. Didn’t get that. Its definetly a more full bodied tea than say a Ceylon, but not a bit harsh or tannic. In fact, the notable feature is the lack of notable features. It didn’t have any particular earthy or musty smell/flavor when brewed. The dry tea smells like dry tea (surprise!). Over all, a good every day tea that you could serve to your mother without a worry.
Preparation
This tea is yum!!
It really tastes like an orange creamsicle. In fact I think it may be a little TOO sweet for me. The stevia overpowers the orange somewhat.
I also don’t get the usual scratchiness that I often find with green teas, nor the jittery caffeine buzzzzzzzzz, which is great for me.
One word of advice though, and I am sure it’s already obvious… but don’t buy this tea for the Green factor. I don’t get “green tea” from it at all. No top notes, no finish… the only green thing about it is in the name. A very simple flavour if you ask me. (and I love complex teas, just sayin’)
Would I buy it again? Maybe-but not for the purpose of tea drinking. I may save it for when the weather warms up and make ice cubes or popsicles… which would be a refreshing treat and diabetic friendly (not me, but I have family that is). OR… how about in a martini? yes I think that would be fun, assuming the alcohol doesn’t interact oddly with the stevia.
So for that purpose… maybe I would buy it again- but I wouldn’t be heartbroken if they discontinued this one either.
A mixed review, but then I have mixed feelings about it to!
Preparation
Well, I definitely need to achieve some clarity today, so this seems like the perfect tea. I am enjoying a cup of this with a bit of Chai Tea & Cashew Brittle from Morning Glory http://morninggloryconfections.foodzie.com
The aroma wafting from the teacup is amazing. I love the smell of the citrus, vanilla, black tea and other ingredients (lavender, tulsi, neem) all together in one cup. It’s almost intoxicating.
This is a bold black tea. The vanilla comes through quite aggressively, and sweetens the palate immediately. The bergamot is a very soft flavor with this blend, but it isn’t completely overwhelmed and I like how it sort of peeks through. It’s an interesting change from the typical Earl Grey… or even the typical Earl Grey Creme.
A very nice blend, indeed.
So delicious! Just smell it’s like a cafe moka. I had to give up coffee but was addicted to Starbuck’s mokas. I discovered this tea and it’s awesome. I call it my Monday tea :) I steep it strong and like it with a bit of milk.
Preparation
Nice! The Assam base is bold and pleasantly malty. Delicious! The flavor is sweet and berry-like, and because of the currants it does have a definite wine-like quality to it. There is some astringency at the tail that is slightly dry. Like a fine wine! This is really quite yum!
Last sample from SimplyJenW… so much fun to trade with others! She threw this one in because she knows that I like chocolate… Well I absolutely loved the smell of this from the bag… it was a deep warm vanilla,chocolate, earthy smell. I almost wanted not to steep it because it smells so delicious.
After steeping the liquor is a really really dark amber color almost coffee color. The smell still has really earthy smell and not quite as sweet smelling now, more of a true dark real unsweetened cocoa smell with bits of cinnamon.
The first taste I was kind of disappointed… the smell is so much better than the taste to me. The earthiness comes out… I have never had a Puerh before, so not sure if this is how all of these teas taste but I feel as if this tea has to many flavors in it. You can smell the vanilla, and cinnamon, can even taste those a bit, but you also taste the unsweetened chocolate and then the earthiness… For me this mixture does not make sense.
After letting it cool a bit the flavors seem to meld a bit more and they are not so bad but I have to say that I think I won’t be buying this tea. I loved trying it though!
Preparation
Pu erh is kind of weird….for my first cup of straight pu erh, all I could think of was a barn…..it really tasted like a barn. I am guessing it is an acquired taste. I did think this one was unique, though.
I have heard that often times it tastes or at least smell like barn… which I think is pretty funny considering I grew up on a farm… so I am not to sure if I could drink a tea that smelled like that!
My daughter rides horses….and it tastes like the barn smells for sure!
Shu (cooked) Pu Erh definitely hasa an earthy quality to it… and more so than sheng (raw), but the chocolate is nice and strong so most of it is masked. I love this one, although I steep it hotter and longer. Great w/ milk. I had to laugh at your “too many flavors” comment. I normally love blends (mom calls my creations “kitchen sink teas” and never drinks them because she likes simplicity), but I think this would be better w/ just chocolate as the flavor.
Cofftea, I too love blends so much, but I guess you can have too much of a good thing!
A blend of Keemun and Ceylon…so I´m gessing, is this the new version of Twining´s Traditional Afternoon?
For some rerason Im not finding the Traditional Afternoon to add a tasting note…maybe they´re not carrying it any more?
Anyway, would love to try this one. A blend of black by Twinings can´t be bad :-)
Can’t believe I haven’t added a tasting note for this tea yet. I have been drinking a lot of TGYs, from Anxi and from Taiwan, when I crave a deeply-roasted oolong, but today only DHP would do. Sweet, earthy, fruity, mysterious, perfect. Ahhh.
