Cameron B. select Send Message

259 Followers / 238 Following

90
drank Fengqing Dragon Pearl Black Tea by Teavivre
1578 tasting notes

Morning everyone! I’m trying this same tea again today because I felt like I didn’t really get all it had to offer when I tried it before. scribbles gave me some steeping parameters to try (thanks!) so today I’m trying a 4 minute steep using 4 pearls.

I really love the smell of this tea! It’s very honeyed and has a nice raisin or fig note. I would be in heaven if it tasted exactly like the smell! Sadly, that is almost never the case with tea. :P

Today it tastes quite malty with maybe a touch of honey in there. I maybe get a little bit of cocoa? But it’s definitely bitter cocoa with no sweetness. In fact, I’m getting a little bitterness out of this tea today… That honeyed dark dried fruit that was in the aroma is also there in the aftertaste, yum.

In other news, my boyfriend and I are going to have a new roommate soon. His good friend from California recently graduated from college and my boyfriend managed to get him a job at his workplace. So he’s going to be living with us for a bit at least, which I don’t mind. However, our spare bedroom is full of boxes of shit, basically. So my boyfriend has to go through that and sort out what needs to be tossed, etc. Which means now there’s a humongous pile of empty boxes near the front door, which I will have the pleasure of breaking down and taking to the recycling room today… Hooray? :P
Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML
3 comments
Show 1 previous comments...
Cameron B. 11 years ago

I really hate it when I underestimate the amount of tea left in the cup and dump it all over myself when I go to down it… Just saying. :P

TheKesser 11 years ago

My husband and I had a friend live with us too last year. I really hope it works out for you. My only advice, set a deadline of when they need to move out. That’s something my husband I didn’t do, and unfortunately we basically had to tell him to leave at a certain point…

Cheri 11 years ago

I agree with TheKesser. Set a deadline or you will have a roommate for forever.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

People who liked this

Comments

Cameron B. 11 years ago

I really hate it when I underestimate the amount of tea left in the cup and dump it all over myself when I go to down it… Just saying. :P

TheKesser 11 years ago

My husband and I had a friend live with us too last year. I really hope it works out for you. My only advice, set a deadline of when they need to move out. That’s something my husband I didn’t do, and unfortunately we basically had to tell him to leave at a certain point…

Cheri 11 years ago

I agree with TheKesser. Set a deadline or you will have a roommate for forever.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-year-old software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, bento, baking, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is collecting hobby related-things… ;)

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I will often sweeten iced tea. I brew Western style, and fluctuate between using mugs or teapots with small cups depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I also use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Current Subscriptions:
52teas
Bird & Blend
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Sips By

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, and oolong varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially mango and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura and chamomile. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Purveyors:
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Kusmi
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre
Yunnan Sourcing

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age.

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/cam...

Following These People

See More