TeaNecromancer select Send Message

Can we just all take a minute to acknowledge how much Khamul the Easterling sucks. You know the Nazgul that is sniffing for the Hobbits and completely misses them (maybe he had a cold that day) that is Khamul, the only Nazgul that Tolkien names. No, the Witch-King doesn’t count since that is his title. He failed to catch Hobbits, failed to attack Lorien (three separate times), was beaten up by Ents, slapped around by Thranduil, and lastly pummeled by Eagles. One wonders why the Witch-King keeps him around. Ok, ok, enough geeking out and on to tea.

Today’s tea is Vanilla Green Tea by Adagio Teas, blending Chinese Green Tea with Vanilla Flavorings for a sweet and creamy treat. And let me tell you, the aroma is certainly sweet and creamy! It smells very much so like a bowl of vanilla ice cream with slight vegetal tones. A hint of artichoke with my creamy ice cream, it is a little odd but not unpleasant.

Once the leaves have taken a nice bath and the ice cream melted (or it would if it was actually ice cream) the aroma becomes more green and vegetal with notes of spinach mixed with vanilla sweetness. There is a tiny, almost indistinguishable hint, of citrus as I pull the leaves away from my nose. The liquid is fairly mild, mostly having notes of nuttiness, creaminess, and sweetness with little else.

The taste is sweet, creamy, and mild. This is a flavored tea that does not overpower, more like tucking you into a warm bed with a cup of warm vanilla milk and a plate of cookies. With a side of vegetgal. This is still a green tea afterall, and the aftertaste is mildly vegetal, so mild I cannot really tell what vegetable it tastes like, just a general green, veggie broth, aftertaste. As the tea cools it becomes sweeter and the vanilla becomes richer, certainly a tea that does not need any help from sugar to get your sweet kick.

For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/adagio-teas-vanilla-green-tea-tea-review.html

The weather is deceptive! I looked outside and saw the sun shining and a complete lack of wind…perfect weather for a stroll to the thrift store (hunt for a new teacup!) but the minute I stuck my head outside I yelped and slammed the door. COLD!! I was under the impression that it was going to be warmer, but it seems I was deceived. At least I didn’t have to go out, unlike Ben who came home and icicle after his bus was late. I need to think about something warm and exotic, like this tea.

Today’s tea is Jungle Monkey Chai by Tea Xotics, a spicetacular (it’s a word now) blend of Rooibos, Cocoa, Bananas, Coconut, Chai Spices, and Flavors. The aroma is intense, mixing chocolate, banana, and coconut for a sweet and creamy taste. Toss in the earthy aroma of rooibos as an afterthought and a pleasant undertone of spices and you have a crazy, mouthwatering blend. The aroma reminds me of an ice cream that I ate tons of as a teenager (it also had monkey in the name) but with the added bonus of chai spices.

The brewed leaves still have a very clear sweet creaminess reminiscent of ice cream, but the chai spices and rooibos earthiness become much more distinct. It does make the aroma seem a little muddy since there is so much going on, but it is still pretty mouthwatering. The liquid is very sweet and creamy, with notes of earthiness and strong spiciness. At the end there is a kick of rich chocolate.

After the aroma of this tea being nothing short of a decadent dessert, I have high hopes for the tasting. As is typical with chais, I have this with a copious amount of Half & Half, but I did not add my usual sugar since Rooibos is pretty sweet on its own. First impression: Sweet! Bananas! Chai! ICE CREAM TEA!! This tea tastes so much like the ice cream I used to eat that I am practically dancing around with happiness. The chai spice taste is distinct, but it does not overpower the tropical goodness of coconut and bananas. The mid to aftertaste is earthiness and chocolate, which is a nice finish for such a sweet tea. I do wish the chocolate had been stronger (but when don’t I?) but other than that, this is an awesome tea.

For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/tea-xotics-jungle-monkey-chai-tea-review.html

Guys, I think I have to replace my favorite teacup. Yes, the adorable small, clear glass one that I use all the time, because it has developed a white film around the rim and NOTHING I do will get rid of it. It is a mystery since none of the other glassware I use has this problem, I assume it was the dishwasher’s fault. Maybe sticking my 50 cent possibly from the 70s teacup in the dishwasher was not a good idea. Live and learn and off to the thrift store for a new one!

Today’s tea is Standard Gyokuro Tea from Yunomi.us and the Kurihara family, it is grown in the Fukuoko Prefecture in Southern Japan. Gyokuro (Jade Dew) is considered to be the finest of the Japanese Green teas and is grown in the shade, giving it a more delicate, balanced, and sweeter taste than teas like Sencha. This specific Gyokuro, also called Netsuyu Gyokuro, is shaded for a shorter period of time and so is not a premium Gyokuro. I figure this is a perfect place to start since this will be my first ever Gyokuro. The aroma is very green, like fresh grass and moisture, an odd description, but it reminded me of the way cut grass smells after a brief rain storm. There is also a touch of nuttiness and sweetness with an end note of sweet peas.

Once the leaves are steeped the aroma is still very green and sweet, but now there is a very faint kelp and sea air aroma as a delicate undertone. I can also detect delicate chestnut and fruity notes. Everything about the steeped leaves’s aroma is delicate and refreshing. The liquid a paradox, it is both delicate and rich mixing grass, kelp, and chestnuts while also being heady. I have never described a tea that was not floral as heady, but the way it knocked me off my figurative feet was certainly a heady response.

Even though the tasting notes from this tea are quite old (poor neglected notebook) I can still recall the bouncing around I did as I was waiting to taste this tea. Fun fact, Gyokuro has been on my ‘must try’ list since I was in high school (a decade ago, it doesn’t seem that long ago) and I could barely contain my excitement. The taste is a bit grassy and sweet like stone fruit, there is a touch of fresh kelp and a touch of spring dew. The mouthfeel is incredibly smooth and as it cools it becomes honey sweet. The flavors are incredibly subtle while being distinct.

Steeping a second time brings out more of the kelpy and grassy aroma and is not as sweet. The taste is milder, with notes of sweetness and a touch of kelp with a finish of fruit. The fruit taste reminds me a bit of Asian pear (my personal favorite pear) and has the same juicy mouthfeel.

Traditionally you can eat the steeped leaves with a bit of soy sauce like a tasty salad. Before I doused the leaves with sauce I nibbled them and the taste is quite good! Like a mix of seaweed and lettuce with a hint of kale bitterness. Adding soy sauce makes it even more like seaweed salad and leaves me craving sushi.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/yunomius-kurihara-tea-standard-gyokuro.html

And so it ends, Winter holiday that is. Yes, my sweetheart is returning to his classes and I am left home alone all day. This of course means I can go back to listening to (at times really bad) loud music without my taste disrupting other people. I decided that today was 90s Grunge and 80s New Wave day in contrast to yesterday’s 60s-70s Classic Rock. I wonder what tomorrow’s music will be?

Today’s tea, Caramel Apple Oolong by 52Teas represents a staple of Autumnal festivals. Oddly I am not a huge fan of caramel apples, I had an accident involving an apple and a tub of caramel which ended with me having a strong dislike of caramel. I have since gotten over my aversion to most caramels, though I still cannot stomach the caramel dip for fruits. This tea is a blend of Fujian Oolong and Fuji Apples, which is a great combination of ingredients, especially in the naming department. The aroma of this tea, oddly, is nothing like caramel or apples, the aroma is strongly of melons. I hate melons, there are few foods that illicit a grimace from me like melons. It is sweet, cloyingly so. The aroma of the tea is pretty off-putting, but I am willing to try it out…sometimes aromas can be surprising.

The brewed leaves still have a bit of melon, but I am also noticing the sweet yet tart aroma of apples and the burnt sugar aroma of caramel. The liquid is rich and sweet with notes of apple and melons. Why are there melons?

I am going to start this by saying I like the Oolong base, it is rich and sweet with caramel notes (ok that actually could be from the caramel) and a bit of of a woodsy flair. However the flavorings added to the oolong fall flat for me. I think the apple flavor is sour and artificial (apple is one of those flavors I tend to be really hard on though, so it could be me just being picky) and there is that taste of melon that snuck in from somewhere. The finish is sweet and caramel-like, which is good, I am glad the aftertaste is not melon or sour apple. This is definitely one of those teas that I can tell is a good tea that I just didn’t like, so I will recommend it to people who like sour apples and inexplicable melons.

For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/52teas-caramel-apple-oolong-tea-review.html

I set Ungoliant free today. Yes, Ungoliant the jumping spider that I found at the beginning of Winter in my bedroom, he had happily lived in a jar being fed various insects that I found. Sadly I run out of bugs and figured, since it was warm, time to let nature be nature and put the spider outside. I miss my little hoppy desk companion. Ben saw how sad I am over my friend going out into the wide world, told me that in the near future he will get me a LARGE desk companion spider. Yes dear tea friends, I will be getting a tarantula, a spider truly worthy of the name Ungoliant.

Organic Sencha Whole Leaf Teabag by Den’s Tea came onto my radar thanks to their extremely awesome Green Tea Sampler for Novices which is not only a great introduction Den’s Tea’s products, but also an introduction to Japanese Green Tea. The aroma of the tea bag is like a little bag of spring time, there are notes of sweet grass (not to be confused with Sweetgrass, the aromatic herb native to North America and North Eurasia) and the tiniest hint of fresh lemon zest. In simplest terms the aroma is deliciously green, the idea of what Sencha is supposed to smell like.

The aroma of the brewed tea bag is quite refreshing, clean and grassy like a spring field. There are mild sweet notes, like cane sugar, with a finish of fresh hay.

The taste is initially sweet with a delightfully grassy greenness. The taste is very fresh and clean, evocative of new growth and springtime. I swear that the half an hour I sat outside soaking up psuedo-spring sunlight has nothing to do with my fixation on this tea evoking spring time so clearly. To me the mark of a really good sencha is how strongly it evokes growing things, and this tea certainly does that. The tea has a slightly citrus aftertaste, like a hint of yuzu zest. As the tea cools it gets sweeter and the mouthfeel goes from being smooth to creamy.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/dens-tea-organic-sencha-whole-leaf.html

I have had a really rough couple of days which has left me drained and frustrated. But don’t worry, I won’t be boring you with all the details, I will be writing about tea. It is what I do best. I do want to offer a brief apology for my lack of posts the last few days though.

Today I am reviewing Light Flavor Ti Guan Yin number 17 in the 20 tea sampler from Red Leaf Tea. The aroma is very mild, slightly vegetal, with very subtle notes of orchid along with a very delicate hint of roasted aroma at the end. It is a very typical Ti Guan Yin aroma but much more subtle.

Once brewed the aroma becomes much more intense, the orchid becomes sweet and heady and takes on a subtle hint of honeysuckle, it is quite intense. The liquid is sweet and floral like a wonderful mixture of honeysuckles and orchids.

The taste is initially chestnutty with a hint of vegetal that fades to orchids, until the aftertaste. The aftertaste is intensely sweet, like honeysuckle nectar, it leaves the mouth feeling clean and full of nectar sweetness. It was surprising since the initial taste is not very sweet or overwhelmingly floral. As the tea cools the orchid headiness becomes more intense. This tea was full of surprises, the initial aroma was nothing to jump up and down about but after it was brewed it intensified. The initial tasting was nothing spectacular but it faded to sweetness. I certainly enjoyed the surprises in this tea.

For photos and blog:http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/red-leaf-tea-light-flavor-ti-guan-yin.html

Maple and Plum with a base of Oolong tea. The aroma is kinda boozy, like mulled wine with aftertones of maple sweetness. There is a slight hint of plum that is so faint it took several sniffs before I noticed it hiding. Once brewed I can certainly tell it is an Oolong, it has a slightly nutty and toasted aroma that fades to maple sweetness and a touch of plum. There is still an underlying note of mulled wine as well.

The aroma of the liquid is warm, mild, and sweet. It is a very welcoming aroma. The first thing you notice when sipping the tea is the sweetness of maple with a hint of nuttiness. There is an aftertaste of plum that becomes more of a midtaste as the tea cools. Not bad, but not outstanding.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/design-tea-tea-review.html

Zabaglione and Amaretto with a base of Black tea, the aroma is very mild with notes of sugar, almonds, citrus, and a tiny hint of liqueur aroma as an after thought. Once brewed you can really smell the bright quality of the Ceylon black tea base, it takes center stage. There are also notes of pepper and vanilla cake with a slight hint of almond.

The aroma of the liquid is quite nutty and sweet with an undertone of brightness. The taste is not much of a taste, the Ceylon base is brisk and quite tasty with oaky and slightly citrus quality, but the flavors of the tea are only a ghost. Adding some cream and sugar brings out the nutty and liqueur flavor of the amaretto, but sadly I am not getting much of the creamy sweet Zabaglione taste. Overall I can say this one is just kinda ‘meh’.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/design-tea-tea-review.html

I have a serious case of nostalgia today, reminiscing with my mother about places I visited and adventures I had when I was a wee thing. I wish I could go back and give my younger self a camera, not really to capture events (not really my thing) but to capture places. So many of them have changed dramatically, I wish I could have captured them for my older self. Enough nostalgia, time for tea!

Today’s tea is Pure Endurance Yerba Mate Tea Bag by Guayaki Brand, it is a blend of Yerba Mate, Orange, Acerola Cherries, Eleuthero (Siberian Ginseng) and Natural Electrolytes. The aroma is herbaceous, similar to sage but with a sharper quality, with a sweet, fruity aftertone. The aroma is a bit hard to describe, Yerba Mate has a very distinct aroma that is all its own and I have not found anything that it smells like to compare it to.

Once steeped the tea is sweet and citrusy with a definite note of cherry. There are also notes of earthiness and delicate floral tones, all of these notes are accompanied by an herbaceous and sharp aroma of the Yerba Mate.

The initial taste is quite good, a blend of sweet cherries and oranges with a slightly floral note. The midtaste is still sweet but it starts to have a woody, herbaceous quality that becomes stronger until it becomes an odd aftertaste. The aftertaste is very herbaceous and fairly strange, but not unpleasant. With each sip the Yerba Mate taste grows on me, also the little boost of caffeine also grows on me. I am curious to try more Yerba Mate, I find the taste fascinating and have very little experience with it.

For photos and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/guayaki-brand-pure-endurance-yerba-mate.html

The weather of the Midwest never ceases to amaze me, yesterday and today has been unseasonably warm with a high in the 60s. Even though I am stuck in bed I can have the windows open and enjoy the fresh air. Tomorrow however, it is supposed to drop down into the colds again, when I checked yesterday they were predicting snow but now the weather reports sun. I miss the reliability of East Coast weather.

Today’s tea is Fireside Spice by Della Terra Teas is a wonderfully spiced seasonal tea, that I am reviewing past its season again. I seem to be notorious for logging the tasting notes in my journal and by the time I get around to reviewing it on my blog, the season has passed. This tea is a blend of Chinese Black Tea, Vanilla flavor and Vanilla bits, Ginger bits, Chai Spices, and White Cornflowers. The aroma is powerful, a real kick of spices and sweetness. It reminds me of a heavily spiced snickerdoodle cookie with citrus pomander undertones. The aroma is deliciously sweet and tantalizing.

Once brewed the leaves take on a malty tone, it is still cookie sweet with notes of vanilla, spices, and caramelized sugar. There is still a very faint aroma of oranges as an afterthought. The liquid has such a sweet aroma, the vanilla and spice notes really make it feel like I am sniffing a freshly baked cookie.

The taste is spicy and rich, the notes of vanilla blend with the spices for a sugary sweet treat. I know I keep going on about cookies, but I really feel it is the best description. The tea tastes like warm, freshly baked, snickerdoodles but with extra spice. The cloves and cinnamon give a tingly mouthfeel that fades to a smooth mouthfeel. I prefer this tea with cream and sugar, the additives really cause the vanilla to take center stage and mellows out the spices just a bit. It is a perfect tea for a cold or dreary day, when you need a warm and sweet pick-me-up.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/01/della-terra-fireside-spice-tea-review.html