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I had a few 2018 Nepali teas from What-Cha once upon a time. I’m pretty sure this was my least favourite, and the only one not to disappear almost instantly upon arrival . That’s not to say it’s a bad tea; it’s actually pretty awesome!

Aroma of liquid: browned butter, wood resin, brown sugar, chocolate, malt, and weirdly enough, veggies (Togo’s Bell Pepper Note is spot on).

The smell gave me the impression that this would be a bright but woody/dry tea, but it’s surprisingly creamy and liquid sweet to taste (liquid honey, brown sugar, or the creamy sweetness of processed malts). the astringency does build with each subsequent sip but it’s quite pleasant.

For beer lovers, this tea’s profile is a close approximation of a rich stout.

(2018 fall harvest)

Here’s another tea that’s gone on practically untouched since buying it back in 2018, despite loving it a lot. I just stopped drinking it as a got more and more stressed over the last year and a half? Some teas are meant to be savoured and not chugged in sleep deprived desperation, I guess.

Since I ordered some of the 2020 harvest I figured now is the time to drink up and enjoy this batch.

Aroma of steeped tea is lovely as always, invoking both a delicious and hot chocolate caramel fudge brownie as well as dusty cocoa powder. First steep is brisker than the the second and third, with a bright pine or citrusy orange peel finish more apparent (this is a nice note if you like chocolate orange-like desserts). There’s a bit of pepper and cinnamon too, I swear. I don’t remember tasting all of these notes in my earlier harvest batch from yesteryear (sweet potato and chocolate were my main takeaways).

Also, it’s a shame steepster doesn’t allow us to remove the old broken images. This is a pretty tea. Edit: and the broken image is gone! Hurrah!

Steep Count: 3, plus a short rinse

(spring 2018 harvest)

Today I debated on whether I should take a break from caffeine in the vain hope that it would reduce my wonderful inflammatory flare-up symptoms or drink this tea. This tea obviously won. Mental Health won. Seriously, this tea is balm to my soul some days. It has made bad days manageable and already awesome days stellar. This all may sound cheesy, but man do I love this tea.

Steep Count: 4

How did I forget that I have 100g of this sitting in my cupboard? Shame.

I’m bumping up the rating on this one because, while it’s flavour profile is not dynamic, it’s one of the most consistent and trustworthy teas in my arsenal. There aren’t many teas that I can resteep all day without a second thought (besides Milk Oolong and friends, + puerhs).

Steep Count: 3

(spring 2018 harvest)

April 2020 Blend

I didn’t do an overnight cold steep until I reached the end of my sample. Big Mistake. Hot, this tea is a pleasant enough warm cocktail punch with a mildly brisk and bright malt base (I’d rate it an enjoyable 75 maybe). Cold, this is a summer carnival fruity cocktail dessert full of all the fruit magic (+A iced tea). I now wish I’d ordered some (curses, terrible exchange rate and COVID-19 related financial uncertainty preventing me from binge ordering all the tea).

Super refreshing.

April 2020 Reblend

Imagine pairing this savoury grilled pineapple tea with your cheesy pineapple pizza. Maximize the hot, steamy pineapple to 200%. My father and all savoury pineapple haters out there just cringed right now but the rest of us are golden! Pineapple golden.

This April 2020 blend appears to be a close relative of my much loved and coveted Lime Marshmallow Salad (I still have some of that blend from years back and it only comes in second for being the oldest green tea in my stash. The honour of such an infamous prize goes to Butiki’s With Open Eyes).

So, yeah, This and Lime Jello Salad… Most of the similarities are in the aroma of the dry blend. The two types of Yerba Mate used create a roasted earthy profile base whereas the Jello is bit more of a raw veggie base. Both are good and spark joy. Both are also being consumed cold right now. Life is solid.

I’d probably order more if I see it as a large pack on 52tea’s website (love the flavoured yerba mate and guayusa blends).

Hello, Steepsterites! I wish I was back under happier circumstances but you know there is nothing like Covid-19 temporary layoffs and chronic illness flare-ups to get one back to the basics and appreciating the little luxuries in life (hello, tea).

The floral traits of the tieguanyin smooth out the tangy dark berry notes. Blackberry is the dominate berry flavour here but the flavouring can also go in interesting directions, like blueberry or black currant. The cream note rounds this tea into the pastry-like category.

We will see how it holds up to re-steeping.

I’m a sucker for hints of cedar in my less oxidized teas, especially when vanilla is in the mix. It’s the reason I bite the bullet and buy blends like Bellocq’s overpriced White Wolf. It’s also why I decided to order from Whispering Pines again, one month later. I’ve been meaning to try this tea for years. Also, no one told me WP carries Taiwanese Assam and Wild Mountain. Hello again, long lost friends.

It’s been a while since I read or watched LotR, but isn’t Rivendell essentially a spa retreat hidden away in the middle of misty mountain wilderness (with elves)? That’s this tea to a “T” (although, possibly minus the pretty elves). This cup and hot springs are meant for each other.

Main flavour notes are vanilla, cedar, fruity pear, vegetal somethings, floral fruit blossoms, cedar, citrus, frankincense (sort of like eucalyptus/mint but sweeter/muskier and with more tree resin). Floral berry aftertaste like cherry and/or pear blossoms and chocolate.

I oversteeped the second steep just a tad and now it smells a little like banana runts. Still good though.

Steep Count: 3

This is a fine oolong and I wanted to have a proper reflective sitting with it, but life often doesn’t go as planned, eh? I tried drinking it at the office (nasty water and not worth bringing nice teas there), at home, and now here. I’ve stretched this last serving over the course of three days, hoping I’d have time to savour it (nope).

First steep: grassy, orange blossoms, citrus, silky, almost creamy. Honey-fruit notes to finish that become more apparent as tea cools. (I got to here).

I guess I’ll just have to order more. Life’s tough.

Steep Count: 4-5, usually