106 Tasting Notes
This is a good tea to introduce coffee lovers to tea. It has enough caffeine kick for coffee lovers and is smoother than most coffee, I think. I like the hints of vanilla, and coco. I find myself reaching for this tea when I need a jolt in the morning.
Flavors: Cocoa, Coffee, Creamy, Vanilla
Another sample from the Beginners puerh box. The first three steps were lovely, smooth tobacco smoke flavor, no bitterness. If Lapsong is like campfire smoke, this is your grandfathers soothing pipe smoke. Subsequent steeps had too much bitterness that overwhelmed the dwindling smoky taste. I’ve added this to my wish list because I am wondering how it will age in the next 5-10 years.
Flavors: Bitter, Smoke, Smooth, Tobacco
It’s flooding today in Houston, so I am working from home and brewing up some tea from the Beginner’s Puerh box. This one is creamy with hints of vanilla. Definitely earthy, but that’s what makes it tasty! Not the best ripe I’ve ever had, but certainly one to keep in mind.
Flavors: Creamy, Earth, Vanilla, Vegetal
Preparation
This is a very smooth oolong, no bitterness at all. I am guessing that it would still taste good if over steeped, and it’s a good candidate for grampa style brewing. I’m getting malty cinnamon drizzled with honey. This would be a great afternoon treat, or a tea to share with folks who don’t like bitter tea.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Honey, Malt, Sweet
The leaves in this tea were huge, it seemed to me, once they opened. I brewed this gong fu the first several steeps (maybe 5, I lost count), and thought there was a bit of an earthy medicinal taste to these steeps. Still rich and smooth, but with an after taste. Then I put the large leaves in my go cup and steeped for 20 minutes on the way to work (removed the leaves when I got there, I’ll see if there is another steep in them yet). Is this a different tea? Now it is mellow with a smoky campfire note at the end. I’ve had this kind of different brew experience with one other puerh when I brewed it grandpa style in a different go cup.
Flavors: Earth, Medicinal, Smoke, Smooth
I picked up a bag of this at the Houston Tea Festival last weekend. It reminds me of yellow tea, or maybe nettle leaf with more of a caffeine kick. This light roast is toasty, grassy, and tastes like sweet hay. A bit of a nutty caramel aftertaste at the end too. I think there might be too much caffeine for me, but I might try blending this with nettle, hojicha, or maybe cinnamon.
Flavors: Caramel, Grass, Hot hay, Toasted
Lots of malty goodness in this tea with hints of chocolate and Carmel. Very smooth tea even though I used too much leaf the first time I brewed it, no bitterness in the cup. I have a feeling this won’t stay in my cupboard very long!
Flavors: Chocolate, Malt, Smooth
I really tried to like this tea, but the vanilla just leaves an aftertaste I can’t get used to. The black tea seems average, and the vanilla makes it floral, but not natural tasting. I do like the other teas I got from Ku Cha, so I won’t judge this tea house by this one tea I don’t like
Flavors: Artificial, Floral, Vanilla
Chocolatey malty smoothness in a cup. I am only on my first steeping and I am very impressed by this tea. Thanks Beelicious for this in my Secret Pumpkin box!
The second and third steeps are good too, just a bit less intense, still smooth and malty.
Flavors: Chocolate, Malt, Smooth