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“This was nice and warming for my throat today. It’s been neglected by me, too, so I figured it was about time it took a turn. The cinnamon is a little milder than I remember, but I think that’s at...” Read full tasting note
“How does this tea have no notes yet?! It’s sold out so certainly it’s popular! I don’t think I’ve ever had the first note for a 52teas blend before, how exciting. The magic of tea of the month...” Read full tasting note
“SPOILER – This is the first tea from the 12 Teas of Christmas 2013 box from 52Teas. I have Smaug in my collection anyway so this is not a new tea for me, it is however very delicious. Enough in the...” Read full tasting note
“Yay! I finally got to try Smaug! Thanks RogersCK :D I’ve been sampling a lot of cinnamon teas lately, it seems. This is the very first green tea with cinnamon though! I really appreciate the...” Read full tasting note
This week’s tea was inspired by a twitter conversation with @princeofdorknes and @joe_hill. Thanks for the suggestion, guys!
We had some discussion about what base tea would be used in a Smaug tea, but clearly it had to be a DRAGON Well. For those unfamiliar, Dragon Well (aka Longjing, aka Lung Ching) is a green tea from the Zhejiang province in China. Legend has it the tea derives its name from the beneficent dragon said to live in a local well.
Our Smaug tea is a blend of Dragon Well, cinnamon chips, a hint of lapsang souchoung (I only used a single ounce in five pounds of Dragon Well, just enough to give it a little smoky character), some cayenne pepper and organic flavors. It’s a fiery feast for your tastebuds!
Our Tea of the Week for the week of December 31, 2012
At 52teas.com, you will find unique, hand-blended artisan loose leaf teas: a new limited edition creation every week of the year. We pride ourselves on offering truly unique, one-of-a-kind tea blends that you won’t find anywhere else.
Drank it earlier, and it went down smoothly. Too smoothly? If it’s supposed to be all spicy and, y’know, stuff… well, it wasn’t. Very little heat in this one, but still nice. Far from fantastic, but glad I finally tried it.
1.5 tsp, 12 oz. 4 minutes in 185 F
Flavors: Cinnamon, Spicy
The cool weather has returned, and it looks like it might rain for the next few days. Perfect time to break out this sample. It’s definitely got a substantial cinnamon spice kick to it, nicely warming and a little bit sweet. The cayenne makes it rather different from the typical cinnamon flavor. The green tea base is initially vegetal, and develops some of that preserved-plum quality I’d found in my curious unknown green tea (which is probably also Longjing). The overall effect is like a hua mei rolled in spicy-sweet cinnamon powder. While it’s not something I’d reach for every day, it’s nice for colder weather and fills a niche usually occupied by black teas and chais. Thanks to beelicious for the sample!
PTS TTB
Oooooh, this is interesting! On the sip it is cinnamon without the bite, but as I swallow it the spice kicks in and lingers in the aftertaste. It seems really well balanced with just the right amount of smoke to even things out while heating up my throat. I like!
Additional notes: I tried this one with two teaspoons as opposed to one and WHOA the flavor is amazing! Of course, this one in particular is a little costly with two teaspoons, but it’s a green tea and I have a big pouch of it from one of the mystery grab bags. The cinnamon is the perfect strength — two types and also like those cinnamon candy hearts. Hints of smoke as well. Not enough cayenne to notice, but it might not have been mixed in well enough. I really like this one with two teaspoons so I might as well do that every time. Raising the rating from an 80! It’s just a really well thought out blend.
Steep #1 // 2 tsps. // 30 min a.b. // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // ?? min a.b. // 2 min
I ordered this tea along with a few others from 52teas. I had begun rewatching Lord of the Rings (extended of course) and was waiting for this tea to come in.
This tea is excellent. I let mine steep a little too long and as such the pepper was stronger than it should’ve been but I enjoyed it. This is what I imagine a dragon’s breath would taste like… Hot, peppery, and with a bit of smoke.
Right now, I have some of this cold brewing in the fridge. I’m hoping that it’s excellent cold brewed as for some reason I prefer cold drinks to hot drinks. I’m wondering what it will taste like considering the pepper gets stronger the colder the tea is.
I love this tea! Prepared using 1 tsp per 6 oz. It’s a perfect combination of cinnamon and spice. The Dragonwell base fits in just right. Re-steep #1: boiling water for 3 mins, retained good flavor. Re-steep #2: boiling water for 3.5 mins, still good.
