4371 Tasting Notes

99

additional notes: I haven’t had this one in so long, I forgot how much I loved it. I forgot how rich it could be with only a base of dark oolong and houjicha! Truly one of my favorite blends of all time. The flavor is holding strong. FOUR solid steeps this session. Amazing.

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58

I was hoping this was a deeper, darker tea!  This gets fairly high rating from other tea fans, so I gave a sample a chance.  Maybe the harvests have changed it.  The leaves are fairly small, but the brew is so light.  The scent from the mug is very brassy though.  The flavor mostly reminds me of Ceylon — grassy hay.  Not something I want to reach for…
Steep #1 // 1 1/3 teaspoons for a full mug // 22 minutes after boiling //  >3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 min steep

Flavors: Brass, Grassy, Hay

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83

I wanted to try this one as it reminded me a few of my fave no-caff blends from 52Teas in the past.  And really, the inclusion of the marshmallow root made it a sure thing buy.  It’s great!  Exactly what I expected it to taste like.  Citrusy!  With a pillowy marshmallow sweetness, if that makes sense.  Then a hint of lavender.  Not as good as my beloved ‘Peachy Keen’ but that is a high high bar that I will never shut up about.  Also, now that I think of it, not really trying to be the same thing… Also, I got super sleepy, super quick, so I think this works as a sleeper tea.
Steep #1 // 1 1/4 teaspoons for a full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep

ashmanra

I have a sample of this one! I need to try it soon!

tea-sipper

I hope you like it, ashmanra!

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61

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – June 2025 Tea #3 - A tea swap tea or a sample

Happy to finish this tea, as I’m not really a fan.  Glad to know this though!  This was tangy in a way that I wouldn’t say I would usually associate with mandarin.  The black tea isn’t anything I would gravitate towards either.  But it’s sometimes a great thing when I don’t feel the need to stock up on a type of tea…
2025 Sipdown total: 36
2025 unique tea sipdowns: 29

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94
drank Pink Earl Grey by Fusion Teas
4371 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – June 2025 Tea #2 - A flavored green tea

Not quite a sipdown yet, but I love this one.  Rhubarb!  Light and sweet bergamot!  Rose!  A buttery green tea base!  It must be melding together even better with age.  It’s mostly a sweet, light flavored tea at this point. I would definitely keep this tea around.

TeaEarleGreyHot

Sounds wonderful, tea-sipper! I noticed that Fusion Teas recommends steeping at only 175°F, and I wonder if you have deviated from that, or followed their suggestion?

tea-sipper

No idea on the actual temp, but if it’s a green tea I’m steeping, I usually wait a half hour after boiling the water to steep.

AJRimmer

Ha that feels like the most chaotic way to steep tea vs a variable temperature kettle or looking at the bubbles to judge temperature

tea-sipper

chaotic is one way to put it. ha :D

TeaEarleGreyHot

Sometimes I look at the bubbles, and sometimes just let the kettle simmer on a low flame. If preparing a tasting note, I use a digital thermometer and a timer.

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94

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – June 2025 Tea #1 -  June 1 – In homage to the birthstone and flowers of June, drink a dragon pearl tea, rose tea, or floral tea!

It’s a good thing I checked the new prompts this morning before choosing teas for the day.  I just happened to like the idea of this one today anyway.  Always a more pleasant day with some jasmine tea. :)  Not quite a sipdown yet, but soon.

ashmanra

I agree! Jasmine is so soothing! That is why it is important to me to have one with a base that I really love.

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78
drank Assam CTC by Utopia Tea
4371 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2025 Tea #2 - A cold steeped tea

I’m cheating here, as I didn’t really steep this cold.  I steeped half a mug hot, stuck it in the fridge until cold, and then added some Simply Raspberry Lemonade.  I usually go for the plain Simply Lemonade, but they were out of it at the store.  I’m Not Not a fan of the raspberry!   The tea kind of got a bit lost in the delicious lemonade, even though it’s a strong CTC… but it was tasty enough! Maybe I should try 3/4 tea / 1/4 lemonade. This lemonade couldn’t be more LEMON. Not complaining about that!

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81
drank Myrtle's Tea House by 52teas
4371 tasting notes

From my order a few months ago!   I was intrigued by this mix of flavors.  Sadly, I can’t tell there is much strawberry here.  But otherwise, it’s slightly spicy with plenty of bergamot.  Spicy as in cloves. The 2016 base was Nilgiri, Yunnan Dian Hong and a bit of Ceylon (not sure if the reblend is the same) and just as long as the Ceylon stays to a minimal for me, the base here is quite delicious.  Overall, it’s a mouthful of flavors.  Possibly the strawberry just can’t compete and gets lost.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep

Flavors: Bergamot, Cloves

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74

Thank you Cameron B for a couple of these adorable teabags! Looks like I didn’t write a note for the first one I had, so here we are. I have been reading ‘The Summer Book’ by Tove Jansson who created Moomin. Right when I turned the last page of the book, I realized I had some tea in my stash with Moomin wrappers. The tea is quite good for having so little in the teabag! It definitely tastes like a chocolate truffle, and that is good enough for me. :)

Martin Bednář

I have read that some of her “adult books” were translated to Czech. I should check my library if they have them / going to have them.

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89

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – May 2025 Tea #1 -  May 1 – May Day: Drink a floral tea!

I forgot to log the prompt yesterday.  I did indeed have a floral tea, and it might be my favorite floral tea.  And this stuff is not fading at all yet.  Yum.

ashmanra

Such a good one!

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Profile

Bio

Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.

Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
shop.Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea.com
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandalatea.com
verdanttea.com

Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas

My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.

Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!

I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.

My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors

My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again

I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)

Happy sipping!

Location

USA

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