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The honey flavor of this tea doesn’t seem as strong today. It’s still there, but now accompanied by a very mild floral and a sort of malty flavor. I used more leaves than before, but the steep time was less.

The last time I had it (no logged) it seemed weaker than usual so I deliberately increased the leaf this time.

I’m not quite sure why this tea is being so finicky all of a sudden. The only explanation is that my original batch was in a small sample tin. I liked every cup that I had from that tin. This one is from the larger tin that I ordered when I ran out of the other.

I am going to have to lower my rating on this one just a bit. I still like to drink it, but I don’t know if I’ll order again.

This time, I made my tea before leaving. No amount of cramming is going to help me on this one, but a cuppa tea will make me happier on the way out. Last final this semester!

I have never had Irish breakfast tea before. I’ve heard that a lot of people hate it and a lot love it. I assumed that this was because of its supposed robustness. Well, no stranger to a good dark roast coffee (and I like my coffee as I like my holes, black ;) ) I figured I’d just have to see about this bold tea.

I so wanted to try it first thing this morning, but I couldn’t get myself to break away from last-minute final exam cramming to boil water. So I left without any tea. :( I took an exam and I skipped lunch to study for the second exam and then I took the next exam and then I can home. I was hungry, so I put a bowl of organic canned spaghetti rings in the microwave and boiled water for my tea. Not really sure spaghetti rings are well paired with this, but it works for me. . .

So, about the tea: It’s a good cuppa. smooth, flavorful, but (I don’t know if I should dare to say), I could have done with even stronger. I think I’ll double my leaf next time.

About the descriptors everyone likes to use: “kick in the butt” etc. well I dunno. after a lifetime of dark roast coffee drinking (I only like dark roast), bold is just a default assumed quality of a good brew to me. This tea is not going to make me hustle in a jig out the door every morning. Even coffee couldn’t do that. I should add here that I have never felt the effects of caffeine. A strong tea to me is nothing more than good flavor. Sure it’s a bold flavor, but I don’t associate it with acquisition of butt-kicking super powers (I have those naturally).

I am sitting here waiting impatiently for this tea to cool off enough to drink (frequently tempted to risk burned tastebuds). It smells so lovely! Like strawberries mostly. Like real fresh yummy strawberries. Not like a been-sittin-in-a-teabag-for-a-year strawberry that I’ve had before, but fresh from the garden.

And finally, a taste. Flavor is not as strong as it smells, but just as fresh. I can barely detect the base tea. I’m not sure what hibiscus tastes like so I can’t comment on that. And, honestly, I can’t remember the last time I had rhubarb. So the only thing that really stands out for me is the strawberry. But thats ok! And it doesn’t have a nasty aftertaste like many other fruity flavored blacks that I’ve tried. I might just have to stock up on this one. So sad when limited editions turn out to be good!

And one more thing: This goes really good with Biscoff cookies. Yummy!

Backlog:

Had this tea yesterday. Not much to say, it’s still a favorite. I did brew it cooler this time, though. 165deg seemed to give it a richer flavor than 175deg.

This is a pretty good black tea. Not a necessity for my cupboard, but a likely visitor. It’s a sort of black I might seek out on occasion, depending on my mood.

I’m having trouble assessing this particular cup tonight as I am still recovering from the funky aftertaste of the almond black tea that I sampled. But I have brewed this one before, so I know it well enough.

Finally got around to brewing this sample from my swap with ToiToi

I made it a cup for my husband, planning to brew something else for myself, but I had to make sure to try it at least. All the green hill black teas that I have either tried or smelled have a musky perfume aroma and a strange aftertaste (hence why I have put off sampling more). My husband seems to like this one though. He says it just tastes like black tea to him and that he doesn’t detect the almond.

I’m sure there are some good teas for my from Green Hill, but after the four samples that I have experienced, I now think of it as the “manly tea shop” because of the heavy/musky aromas. :p

I haven’t had pu-erh in a while. This pu-erh is one of the first loose teas I ever purchased (I have since had to refill).

I really like this shu pu-erh. It’s earthy and sweet. A very comforting tea. I just brewed it in my Gaiwan and brought the leaves and a thermos of hot water to my study as I will need lots of comfort as I continue studying for finals.

http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h353/flightysprite/Tea/IMG_0783_zpsdaa03bee.jpg

oh yummy, savory, vegetal green, I would be lost without you <3

And what this? Do I finally detect some of that woody and earthy flavor that others have described. Why yes, I think so. How many more secrets do you hold mysterious green tea?

I think that you have been so aptly named.