149 Tasting Notes

86
drank Rhubarb Vanilla Ale by Butiki Teas
149 tasting notes

Yum! I really like this tea. Rhubarb-y tartness with smooth vanilla and some flavour I don’t know how to describe that seems to be from the hops. The malty keemun base pairs really well with the flavourings; I can taste it but neither the base nor the flavourings cancel each other out and complement each other nicely.

I think I prefer it cooled down as opposed to piping hot, which makes this a nice tea to drink while concentrating on homework, when I sometimes forget that I have tea in my mug until an hour later.

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87

Sipdown!
I’m going to miss this one. Toasty chocolate deliciousness. May have to add to my ‘restock after more sipdowns’ list.

Flavors: Chocolate

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85
drank Lychee Oolong by Butiki Teas
149 tasting notes

This is a really lovely lychee tea. Tastes and smells very much like the real thing. It’s fruity and juicy with a lightly floral undertone. Resteeps well, too.

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86

Sipdown. :(

I’m going to miss this one.

Terri HarpLady

I’m hoarding a small supply of this one myself :)

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78

Sipdown!

Dry leaf smells smoky and chocolatey. Strawberry scent comes out when steeped. It’s nicely balanced in flavour, but the smokiness can eventually overpower everything else when oversteeped. Overall, an enjoyable tea that is very reminiscent of Sherlock and Irene.

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88
drank Coconut Oolong by Zen Tea
149 tasting notes

Sipdown!
I really love this. It’s creamy, sweet coconut with a hint of floral. Yum. I might need to restock it.

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79
drank Crimson Horizon by Butiki Teas
149 tasting notes

Quite bold, but still drinkable without additions. I think I prefer the Grandpa’s Anytime Tea as a morning CTC, though. This one’s a less bread-y, and I seem to enjoy that flavour in my breakfast teas. It’s ‘brighter’ than Grandpa’s Anytime, if that makes any sense.

Something tasted a bit… green, or something. Like a hint of some savoury vegetable. That was rather unexpected.

I brewed this at a bit below-boiling for about a minute and a half, and didn’t get any astringency at all. Pretty impressive.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 1 min, 30 sec

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80
drank Grapefruit Dragon by Butiki Teas
149 tasting notes

Wow. This is just… it’s unbelievably good and real-tasting. It really does taste like grapefruit at the beginning and end of each sip, with the middle being rounded out by the buttery dragonwell. There’s even a lingering tartness that tingles on the tongue. Wow.

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86
drank Earl Grey Cream by Zen Tea
149 tasting notes

Sipdown!

I’m not a huge fan of Earl Greys, but I really enjoyed this one. The bergamot isn’t too strong but still packs a punch and the cream is very sweet and creamy. The two flavours balance each other out so nicely. I may even reorder this, once my tea box is under control.

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drank Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha by 52teas
149 tasting notes

I’m not sure if it’s me or the tea, but it tastes really odd to me. The first time I brewed it, it came off as chemical-y. This time, it tastes like cardboard with a green tea background. I’ll put it aside and give it one more try in the future, but if it doesn’t work out, I may have to bin it. :(

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Profile

Bio

I have far too many interests. Tea is one of them.

Background in bioethics, medical anthropology, and evolutionary biology with aspirations of eventually going into a medical field. I also have strong interests in theater, computer science, and food (which shouldn’t be particularly surprising).

Brewing
Brewing method is usually Western style for black teas (2-3 minutes at near-boiling), “grandpa style” for shu pu’ers and longjing, and gongfu (with a gaiwan) short steeps for sheng and shu pu’ers (two 5-second rinses, then 5, 10, 15-second steeps with a gradual increase in steep times to taste). The gaiwan is also used for oolongs though I sometimes use a brew basket if the gaiwan is occupied and I’m taking a break from pu’er.

Preferences
I enjoy black teas, pu’er, and oolongs (leaning towards aged, cliff/Wuyi, or roasted/dark), depending on my mood. I don’t usually drink green tea but do enjoy a cup every so often.

Ratings
My rating methods have changed over time and as a result, they’re very inconsistent. For the most part, as of 11 November 2014, unless a tea is exceptional in some way (either good or bad), I will refrain from leaving a numerical rating.

The final iteration of my rating system before I stopped (note: I never did get around to re-calibrating most of my older notes):
99 & 100: I will go to almost any lengths to keep this stocked in my cupboard.
90-98: I’m willing to or already do frequently repurchase this when my stock runs low.
80-89: I enjoy this tea, and I may be inclined to get more of it once I run out.
70-79: While this is a good tea, I don’t plan on having it in constant supply in my tea stash.
50-69: This might still be a good tea, but I wouldn’t get it myself.
40-49: Just tolerable enough for me to finish the cup, but I don’t think I’ll be trying it again any time soon.
Below 40: Noping the heck out of this cup/pot.

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