15678 Tasting Notes
Midweek cuppa.
Smooth enough grass-forward green tea base with soft notes of blackberry and jasmine. There’s nothing particularly disagreeable about the cup itself, but there’s something about how all the different components feel kind of “restrained” that makes for a mug that is a little unexciting? I mean, I drank it all and it was nice. But just nice. I didn’t feel like it elicited any strong reaction in any regards.
Cold Brew!
I guess it was maybe subconsciously a white tea based cold brew kind of week? This was great though. Light and refreshing with a bright tropical pineapple to go alongside the smooth coconut finish. Aside from a ton of off an on rain, it’s really feeling like Spring here in Montreal. Nice weather and green returning to the parks. So something fresh feeling and tasting was awesome.
Plus, to be honest, pina coladas go with rain anyway in some ways. Thanks Escape Song.
Cold Brew!
This was my cold brew this afternoon and it was fine but not really my thing. It did brew a very beautiful, rich blue colour that I know would appeal to some – but I just felt it was a smidge gimmicky. I was more investested in the coconut notes, which are smooth and a bit buttery/creamy but lacking a depth and sweetness or richness to feel… I don’t know… complete!? It’s just kinda thin, and the mouthfeel a bit oily from all the coconut fat. Thin and oily isn’t exactly winning me over.
There’s something else happening flavourwise here too that I find interesting. It’s a bit like there’s a butterscotch or maybe buttered rum sort of undertone/finish? It’s sweet and a little bit boozy, but again not quite rich enough or well fleshed out to feel satisfying. It is interesting combined with the coconut, and something about the two are vaguely ticking a memory deep, deep in the back of my head of DT’s long discontinued Gold Rush tea.
I just want more.
Gongfu!
I was initially surprised by just how much the dry leaf smelled of fragrant, sweet sakura – though tinged with notes of dark, bittersweet chocolate. Once steeped, both of these notes continue to be present for much of the session. The cherry blossom hits the palate first and, though soft, I wouldn’t call this flavour weak or excessively delicate. In fact, it holds its own against a midsip that is much more dense and rich with notes of leather, brandied red fruits, and mahogany wood to go alongside the liqueur-like dark chocolate. In some ways, it gives the impression of what a cherry blossom truffle purchased from a very nice chocolate shop might be like. It’s so smooth, and very different from other floral-leaning black teas in my stash. So far, I’m incredibly impressed by how accurate the name inspirations of Settling Tea’s blends have been with the flavours!!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5082B6udZk/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJdwrthN4K8
Drank this with a splash of milk – though I tried it plain first. To be honest, I think I preferred the tea before the milk addition. It’s a pretty aromatic and especially citrusy and bright bergamot used in the blend, and the chocolate notes themselves also have a fruity lean more typical of European chocolate/chocolate teas as well as that chocolate liqueur sort of undertone that can sometimes read as a bit “Tootsie Roll”. It’s personal preference, but I just think the milk clashes with those fruitier elements. Still a good tea, but now I just know this isn’t how I’ll prepare it in the future!!
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C53o9qqOjEr/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5apw7Zb7G0M
Gongfu!
I’ve been sitting on this sample for a while, so it was interesting to revisit it both to taste how the tea itself has changed but also because I know my own taste preferences have shifted so much since I last steeped it. My snap impression after the rinse was how much the first steeps reminded me of cooked vegetables and leafy greens, though as I settled into the session I tasted much more of a distinct combination of fennel bulb, dried tree bark, and licorice root with an almost gingseng-like coating back of the throat sweetness that lingered post sip. Ever so slightly bitter and medicinal, though mostly devoid of any astringency. The body feeling was wild though. After four steeps, I felt super light and floaty in a way I haven’t felt in quite some time. It’s still not a flavour profile I gravitate towards in my sheng – just too vegetal, though I appreciated the anise-y notes – but it’s definitely a good sheng pu’erh if you want to start the day super tea drunk.Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C56uWTEuXEY/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar0OvXh7jLU
Sipdown (2583)!
I was reorganizing my desk a few days ago and I can across a mug with a couple of these different Adagio “portions” stuffed in that, I’m gonna honest, I had totally forgotten I still had. So I figured I’d brew this one up and put the others somewhere a little more visable where I will hopefully not forget about them…
I’m not at all familiar with the fandom this tea is inspired by, so I’m drinking it and judging it on flavour alone. It steeps up bold and brisk with strong nutty notes of roasted almond. I like that there’s an almost chicory root kind of dark, “burnt” edge to it. Not enough to be, like, bitter – but it’s just so clearly not a sweet amaretto or marzipan style of almond. The finish is a little creamy and vanilla-like in a way that makes me think of coffee creamer. It’s nice, though there’s something about the almond and vanilla combination that feels eerily familiar. I’m confident that I must have had it in more than a handful of other Adagio fandom blends.
Gongfu!
It’s been pretty rainy the last couple of days and, like clockwork, I’m finding my cravings have shifted to darker and more cozy teas like this session of chenpi shou pu’erh!! It’s incredibly smooth with a dense, heavy woody and earthy flavour and a clean, medicinal aged citrus note. However, most striking is the very brothy and savory taste that runs like a current throughout the sip and lingers in the back of the mouth and throat after each swallow. It made for a really calm and grounding session with all the forest-y and petrichor aromas in the surrounding area.
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5yjY9gOsyZ/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzeoOUGvVgU
Gongfu!
Today I’m enjoying some raw pu’erh from a new to me tea company!! This beauty is 2017 Honey Water, a Lincang sheng that settlingtea was kind enough to gift me to try along with several other tea samples that I’ll be tasting throughout the next week. The dry leaf was sweet smelling with notes of honey and ripe fruit. Those notes only intensified after the rinse, really show casing exactly where the name of this tea comes from. In addition to bright, sugary notes of golden honey this tea also has playful red berry notes, floral undertones and a finish that tastes of beeswax candles in the best sort of way. Very, very soft and smooth liquor without lacking in flavour department one bit. As a first showing from this company, it’s very impressive. Cannot wait to keep sampling!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5vsqHWu0xq/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtjuAStxd2o
oday seemed like a perfect day to enjoy some kōridashi (aka “ice brewing”), so I’ve got some tea all set up and steeping!! The wait is the hardest part, but when I’m finally able to enjoy my first sips of that silky smooth green tea with the pop of bright and citrusy yuzu top notes it will be well worth it!!
For my tea friends who more frequently brew kōridashi style tea, have you ever tried it with tea types other that green teas? I’ll be the first to admit this is a method of brewing I’m less well versed in, and I’ve really only ever seen it done with Japanese green teas. However, as most of y’all know, I don’t exactly drink a lot of those – so I’m just wondering before I go and get too experimental if anyone has had success trying a something else!!
EDIT: And, once all the ice had melted, it sure enough was a ultra refreshing and velvety smooth brew with that perfect sunny and complex yuzu citrus flavour. So good!
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5tNkN1Oe5X/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUw3LPM7OBU
