I know that I’m supposed to be drinking swap tea right now, but I had to make something to accompany an exhausted me to physics the other night and I couldn’t risk bringing something that could be potentially bad. Enter Royal Garland.
This tea is simply fantastic. I sat there through lecture, and going over our latest exam, but in my head I had visions of tropical vistas with the scent of thickly humid flowers wafting about. It was delightful. Sweet, floral, delicate, sugary, but with a buttery, almost starchy component that keeps it grounded and gives it substance and dimension.
I want to add that I am totally noticing that plantain flavor now. It’s light, and more noticeable on the aftertaste for me, but definitely there. I rather like it.
Also, I wanted to add [and I think that sophistre commented that this made her think of a white tea] that during my visit to Samovar, Jesse mentioned that this was actually a white tea processed as an oolong. Not only do I think that that is fascinating, but it totally explains the flavor profile to me.
Royal Garland continues to remain high on my list of favorite teas. If it’s not careful, it may climb higher.
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So I haven’t had any Samovar teas yet, but after re-discovering the magical land that is Steepster, I ordered a few different teas from the online store there; I’m glad that this tea is one of them! Can’t wait to give it a try.
…I…feel…so…VINDICATED. I said there were black oolongs and green oolongs, and this was, to me, a white oolong.
So, I can retire from tea tasting now, obviously. I will never do any better than that ever again. Especially not while everything TASTES LIKE SALT. ;.;
@Rob Yaple Fantastic! Looking forward to the log!
@sophistre HAHAHA! Well done! Though, why does everything taste like salt now? Did I miss something?
I don’t know. :( I will apologize for hijacking the comments for this note about a delicious and most worthy tea and just say that suddenly everything tastes like SALT. I can’t even drink tea. I thought it was my water…but…I think it’s my tongue freaking out!
Completely serious: that happened to me for roughly a week this past winter. Auggy may remember me freaking out to her about it, but I was considering going to the doctor about it at one point because it was worrisome. At first I thought my water heater was just dirty, but I cleaned it and that didn’t fix it. Then I noticed I could taste it on anything that didn’t have heavy enough flavor to mask it. I have no idea what caused it or what made it go away, but eventually it just disappeared. The next time I’m at the doctor I’ll ask them about it, but I hope it disappears for you soon. It’s thoroughly obnoxious and strange enough to be unnerving!
I am positive that this happened to me around the end of the school year last year. I wasn’t into tea then, but it was so frustrating. I had just gotten over swine flu, so the whole school was oinking at me when I returned after a week away, and to top it all off, I could only taste salt. I was slightly panicky, thinking that the swine had permanently damaged my mouth or something like that. But it went away after maybe 2 weeks. How strange.
I have some of this coming in on my Samovar order tomorrow. Yay! Can’t wait to try it!!!
OMG, I am so glad you guys have had this happen! I mean, not glad that it happened but…you know what I mean. I actually did find that thread, AmV, but most of it looked much more severe than my case. I kept worrying it was my Zojirushi…like maybe one of the elements in it was melting, or something horrible like that. This is all very reassuring, though.
i think the post nasal drip mention might be worth a look – have you ever had allergies?
I have, but this year has been the easiest on me that way in recent memory…probably thanks to all of the cold rain and cold air despite what few bouts of sunshine we’ve had. I may try some antihistamine stuff anyway, though!
@AmazonV Thanks for the linkage! I don’t remember stumbling across that page, but I do remember reading theories of that nature.
@Erin BIZARRE, right? And maddeningly frustrating! With as many people as this has happened to, you’d think we’d have all heard about this before… The power of the internets, I suppose!
@sophistre I’m sending some of my best brain waves your way. Keep us updated!
@LENA Yay indeed! I hope you like it! [I think you will!] !!!
Tea (due to theine= caffeine) may cause dehydration and salty taste in mouth.
http://www.health-nutritionblog.com/salty-taste-in-mouth-lips-causes-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/
So I haven’t had any Samovar teas yet, but after re-discovering the magical land that is Steepster, I ordered a few different teas from the online store there; I’m glad that this tea is one of them! Can’t wait to give it a try.
…I…feel…so…VINDICATED. I said there were black oolongs and green oolongs, and this was, to me, a white oolong.
So, I can retire from tea tasting now, obviously. I will never do any better than that ever again. Especially not while everything TASTES LIKE SALT. ;.;
@Rob Yaple Fantastic! Looking forward to the log!
@sophistre HAHAHA! Well done! Though, why does everything taste like salt now? Did I miss something?
I don’t know. :( I will apologize for hijacking the comments for this note about a delicious and most worthy tea and just say that suddenly everything tastes like SALT. I can’t even drink tea. I thought it was my water…but…I think it’s my tongue freaking out!
Completely serious: that happened to me for roughly a week this past winter. Auggy may remember me freaking out to her about it, but I was considering going to the doctor about it at one point because it was worrisome. At first I thought my water heater was just dirty, but I cleaned it and that didn’t fix it. Then I noticed I could taste it on anything that didn’t have heavy enough flavor to mask it. I have no idea what caused it or what made it go away, but eventually it just disappeared. The next time I’m at the doctor I’ll ask them about it, but I hope it disappears for you soon. It’s thoroughly obnoxious and strange enough to be unnerving!
http://www.steadyhealth.com/What_is_causing_salty_taste_in_mouth__t53857.html
I am positive that this happened to me around the end of the school year last year. I wasn’t into tea then, but it was so frustrating. I had just gotten over swine flu, so the whole school was oinking at me when I returned after a week away, and to top it all off, I could only taste salt. I was slightly panicky, thinking that the swine had permanently damaged my mouth or something like that. But it went away after maybe 2 weeks. How strange.
I have some of this coming in on my Samovar order tomorrow. Yay! Can’t wait to try it!!!
OMG, I am so glad you guys have had this happen! I mean, not glad that it happened but…you know what I mean. I actually did find that thread, AmV, but most of it looked much more severe than my case. I kept worrying it was my Zojirushi…like maybe one of the elements in it was melting, or something horrible like that. This is all very reassuring, though.
i think the post nasal drip mention might be worth a look – have you ever had allergies?
I have, but this year has been the easiest on me that way in recent memory…probably thanks to all of the cold rain and cold air despite what few bouts of sunshine we’ve had. I may try some antihistamine stuff anyway, though!
@AmazonV Thanks for the linkage! I don’t remember stumbling across that page, but I do remember reading theories of that nature.
@Erin BIZARRE, right? And maddeningly frustrating! With as many people as this has happened to, you’d think we’d have all heard about this before… The power of the internets, I suppose!
@sophistre I’m sending some of my best brain waves your way. Keep us updated!
@LENA Yay indeed! I hope you like it! [I think you will!] !!!
Tea (due to theine= caffeine) may cause dehydration and salty taste in mouth.
http://www.health-nutritionblog.com/salty-taste-in-mouth-lips-causes-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/