310 Tasting Notes
The scent is very much jasmine, very pretty.
The flavor is very jasmine-floral, fills most of the mouth -all except the back of the tongue and throat. The jasmine overwhelms the green tea quite a bit and the tea is quite astringent.
Is not unpleasantly jasmine, like some I’ve had, but it is mostly a jasmine flavor. However, with a bit of food it was quite refreshing. So I would say that this is not a sit-and-sip tea, but rather an eat-and-drink tea.
I prefer sit-and-sips so I’ll not be buying more after this sample is up.
Preparation
The steeped scent is very much a mix of chamomile and vanilla. It’s not cloying; it’s well balanced in smell. Smells darn good, actually.
The flavor is very vanilla with chamomile as the backbone of the tisane. It’s not a sweet vanilla, it’s unsweet vanilla. Just the natural flavor itself.
I’m finding I’m truly not one for herbal or fruity teas, flavored teas or tisanes… but this is another I’d give a thumbs-up on for those that are into them.
I need a few more cups to make a real opinion for myself, as seems to be the case with these fruities and herbies… but so far I like it but wouldn’t buy it (I got it as part of a sample pack).
It would probably be good for a before-bed drink, with the restful qualities of chamomile and the pleasant vanilla mixed in. If nothing else, get a sample of it; it’s worthwhile.
Preparation
I can’t believe there are no ratings for this by me. This is my favorite Assam in my cupboard and the one I drink most often.
Normally I have it hot and it’s wonderful.
Today I’m reporting on the experiment of cold-brewing it.
Just like when hot it’s excellent. But very different.
It’s not at all bitter from a longer-than-expected brew time (I forgot about it, it’s been in the fridge about 20 hrs).
It’s sweeter than hot-brewed. Very floral tasting and feeling through the roof of the mouth with a sweet honey-ness in the back of the mouth and throat when swallowed. The finish is dark under the tongue and a light feeling at the roof of the mouth. The flavor is complex but refreshing, at the same time. I can’t fully describe it. -But I definitely can recommend it.
I’m running low on this and it’s delicious both hot and cold; I’ll have to buy some more!
Preparation
The steeped tea smells a bit like wine, but a bit more like raisins.
The taste is black tea and a overlay of a wine-y taste. The tip of the tongue has a slight sweetness but most of the wine taste is in the back of the mouth. It’s not a strong wine taste, but not too weak.
Not a buy-again, but not bad.
Preparation
Tried this at twice as much tea and a minute longer steeping time. Still just a weak top-of-mouth sweetness and a little darkness in the back of the mouth. No “buttered rum” flavor, mostly just watery-tea taste.
This isn’t for me.
Preparation
have you tried it with a bit of milk and brown sugar? I’m a straight up tea girl myself, and I felt it was watery and blah when I first had it as well, until I put some cream/sugar in it. Wow. It really transformed this tea into something else, I think it must be meant as a creamy dessert tea. if you have any left or feel the need to try to again, i would give that a try! Even a bit of soy milk and agave would take it over the top I bet!
The unbrewed tea smells sweet and of RUM. Strongly rum.
The steeped tea is pleasantly sweet in a vanilla way and a rum-sweet way.
The flavor shows no rum, it is somewhat watery with a buttery secondary taste… maybe a hint of rum in the nose but not really any flavor of it.
I’ll try this with more tea and longer steeping times.
Preparation
The dry tea smelled very fruity and yummy.
The steeped tea is more sedate, smelling mostly of blackberries with a hint of tartness.
The flavor is likewise and balances well with the green tea. Not overly sweet at all, just a taste of fresh berries and green tea. The cranberry isn’t so much tasted as sensed… you don’t get cranberry flavor, you just get a hint of its tartness or redness to hold together the rest of the tea.
Not a must-have for me, but a good solid fruity green. I might get more depending on the store price, as I think it would be good as a cold or sweet tea, but the sample is a one-serving amount and not enough for experimentation.
Preparation
This is one of the personal-designed teas from Design A Tea that I got a sample of.
The pre-steeped tea is cloyingly sweet smelling, so is the brewed.
The flavor only has the barest hints of amaretto and is otherwise ALL chestnut.
Which does taste great in quality. The black tea base fits nicely with it.
I’m rating this mid-to-high based on the chestnut flavoring, but not higher due to the lightness of amaretto and the scent, and because I personally didn’t think it was awesome, for my own taste preferences. For me, the chestnut is too strong.
But if you love earthy, rich, nutty teas, this is for you. As said, the chestnut is Strong in this one.
Preparation
I can never get over how lovely this tea smells when brewed. It’s a strong dark and smokey scent… just lovely and pleasing.
The taste, as I’ve said before, is quite smokey, too. Nothing about this tea overwhelms, it’s a delicious flavor that balances just right in your mouth.
