99 Tasting Notes
Oh, Lordy. No one else has reviewed this…
This tea is so fragrant—I could smell it through both the sealed plastic bag and the wax-sealed paper bag. It’s got a citrus spice sort of smell.
I’ve never hated nor raved about rooibos. It’s simply late, I’d like some tea, and I’ve had plenty of caffeine today (five cups of coffee and two 20 oz sodas, my poor body). So, we’re going with this. :) I’ve wanted to try it anyway, but the mood for earl grey does not strike me often.
For a split second, I considered attempting to make a London Fog, but my tea brewing happens in my bedroom, and the milk lives in, well, the kitchen. So. Far. Away.
I broke out my newly acquired tea gear for this—a tea towel since I have a glass desk, bamboo tea scoop, and a new cha he. I’ve always disliked using either my fingers, a metal spoon, or the old “dump and pray” method when measuring my tea straight into the teapot or infuser. What if I put too much? It’s the recipe for a travesty, really.
Enough babbling, the tea should be cooled by now…
This has got to be the best earl grey I’ve ever tasted. Granted, it’s my first loose leaf one, and the first without the ambiguous “natural and other flavors” in the ingredients list. :P
Oh, my. I’m in love.
A London Fog needs to happen with this.
Flavors: Bergamot, Citrus, Floral
Preparation
Ah, the wait for the tea kettle to bring the water up to temperature is torture! :)
Smells so roasty toasty. :3 A bitter bite to the aroma this morning. Hmm. poke
Swirly swirly swirly, round the worldy goes the tea leaves in my pretty glass teapot. Do deeee doooo. My Hufflepuff mug awaits such delicious nectar. Ah, dried plant carcasses, let me bring you back to life!
Maybe I don’t need any more caffeine this morning. O.o
Smells so smoky. I love how the leaves are green. Imagine that. It’s like they came from a plant or something.
Sweetener. Because nothing ruins a high quality tea like fake sugar. I’m sorry tea world. Someday.
Using my ‘gourd’ strainer from Mandala Tea. My cat is not amused. I’M SORRY I’M USING MY LAP FOR LAP-LIKE THINGS. Oh, such claws. Much bleeding.
Oh, the smell of oolong always scares me, but then I take a sip and it’s so yummy! Happy dance! :)
Back to… Tchaikovsky on Pandora and reading His Story.
Preparation
This is rather malty, with a hint of vegetal. Is that a word? Steepster doesn’t think so. :P A little bit of smoke or toasties. Smells fantastic. I steeped it for forever, so it’s really heavy, but not in a terrible way. That’s kind of my go-to-tea-tasting-experience when I’m stove up from the freezer. :)
Flavors: Honey, Malt, Smoke, Vegetal
Preparation
This is easily becoming one of my favorite teas.
It’s a black tea, but it’s not a black tea.
For when I really don’t know what I want to drink.
Temperature was a robust 96.8 an hour after I got off work. Had only climbed to 97.1 in two and half hours after that. Some tea drinking and sweatshirt wearing must be in order. :P
Oooo, it smells so pepperminty, and the hibiscus makes it a bright red color—not like a candy apple dyed red, but a natural burgundy. So pretty in my glass teapot. :) I love the whole chamomile flowers in there. It looks like a tea my sister would mix together (she’s recently gotten into mixing her own medicinal teas).
It’s a little too sour to skip the sweetener… dumps in a an entire packet of stevia
It has a sour medicinal smell, possibly from the valerian root and rose hips. Not complaining.
Not too fruity for me not to enjoy hot—I think that’s the peppermint and lemongrass toning down the hibiscus and rose hips. Pretty darn good.
Flavors: Hibiscus, Lemongrass, Peppermint
Preparation
Oh, I bought some of this after a sample. Yay! Thank you, past me, for delicious tea! :D
I love every bit of this tea. :D
I was home for over two hours before I started shivering. I took my temperature. 95.6. Hypothermia starts at 95. I ordered an extended range thermometer off of an EMS site. I have a suspicion my regular OTC thermometer is just a wimp and gets confused below 98 degrees. Haha! Oh, I certainly hope so. In any case, threw on another sweater, and turned my kettle on. :)
Flavors: Vanilla
Preparation
That sounds scary! Glad the tea was good though :)
The first time I measured my temperature that low, yeah, it was a little shocking. Now it happens so often that the shock has worn off and it’s a part of life. Like that crazy loud noise your car makes ‘cause the muffler’s got a giant hole in it—don’t mind me, just being noisy/cold. lol
Sample! Woot! I made this stove-top. It’s level of spice is perfect. :) It’s not as tea-flavorful as Samovar’s chai, so if I do decide to purchase it, I’ll probably mix in a black tea I have laying about.
Two thumbs up!
Preparation
Oh my. This smells amazing. I’m probably going to need to add milk to this. I suppose we’re about to find out. :P
Still using my color-changing Yoda mug. Turned it around to see the Alliance’s “vector.” Is that what it’s called?
Ooo, this is creamy in its own right. It has a taste I wasn’t expecting… like hay? What? Yeah, hay or grass. Huh. That’s different. It definitely tastes green. And that’s not because my mug has a background of Degobah. Haha!
I don’t think I’ll need milk for this, but I’ll think on it. The coffee doesn’t come through especially strong. I’m not a huge fan of actual coffee taste, so that’s a good thing. “I’d like just a little coffee with my hot cocoa.” :D
Flavors: Hay
Preparation
Got this as a sample a bajillion years ago. :) The first steep went a little long—forgot I’d washed my favorite strainer and had to go fetch it from the drying rack. I’d forget my head, but it’s attached.
The smokiness just rolls off of this—I feel like I’m sitting in the log cabin I grew up in, stoking the wood fire. Ah, nostalgia.
Drinking this in my new color-changing Star Wars Yoda mug. “USE THE FORCE” :D Yoda is kind of my idol, so I’m going to admire his crinkly, determined face as I let this cool. Haha! No, I haven’t seen the new Star Wars movie, yet, and that is simply not okay. My family wants to get together and have a marathon of the first six movies, then go watch it in theaters together. Working nights, I’m not so sure how that will go. I might actually have to take a day off, since I have a split weekend (no two days off in a row).
Okay! Tea time!
Woah, so sweet! Totally not what I was expecting based off of smell alone. This is also very smooth. Probably one of the best oolong/wulongs I’ve had. Hmmm, this may have to go on my wishlist. ;P
Can’t wait for the resteeps!
Flavors: Honey, Smooth, Sweet
