Veronica select Send Message

I can post again! Yay!

I’m working on Saturdays for the foreseeable future, so this is the start of my short weekend. I’ve been wanting to try this for awhile, and I’m not disappointed. Cinnamon is the main flavor, much like Hot Cinnamon Spice, but it’s not quite as strong as HCS. The apple flavor comes at the end of the sip. It’s more fresh apple than apple pie, which I like. All in all a simple tea but a delicious one.

Sad sipdown!

Finishing this off as my morning cuppa . I have enjoyed every cup of the bread-y, cocoa-y, sweet, malty, rich flavor of this lovely tea. Since it was my last spoonful of leaves I decided to be good and follow the brewing parameters Brandon sent. Half a tablespoon of leaves, 212 degree water, 3 minute steep. It was a delicious way to wake up.

Argh. Steepster keeps eating my note.

Short version: Great tea. Happy that it’s kept it body and flavor even after 7+ years in my cupboard. Made a pot today and enjoyed as much as ever.

Another tea that I’ve held on to for years and years because I love it and don’t want it to be gone. Yes, I know that sentence makes no sense one you stop to think about it, but we’re not talking about that right now. We’re talking about this wonderfully rich and malty tea that’s full of raisin, crusty bread, and cocoa notes. It. is. so. good. I made a pot of it to go with breakfast this morning, and I’m happy I did. Even though this tea is 7+ years old, it’s held up incredibly well. I feel like it’s as full bodied as I remember, and I don’t pick up on any dusty notes that sometimes happen with older teas. Thank goodness!

I have enough leaves left for one more pot. I won’t hold on to them for another seven years. Pinky promise.

I have a tin that holds various amounts of various Earl Greys. It’s currently the only EG in my cupboard, so I’m finally drinking it. It’s actually nicer than I thought it would be. I was thinking it would have too much bergamot, but at least this cup is decently balanced between the base tea and citrus flavors.

This is a tea that has stuck in my brain. I received a sample of it years ago, and when I tried it I was enchanted. But it was only a sample, so I went through it quickly. I didn’t write a tea note about it here (silly me), and I didn’t order some right away (silly, silly me), and then I forgot the name of the tea. Even more years (yes, years) later I was drinking another mint tea, but all I could think about was this one. It was so frustrating because I couldn’t remember the name of the tea or the place where it was sold. After some quick google searches turned up nothing I came back to Steepster because I knew it was listed here. It still took some searching, but I found it and immediately placed an order with Samovar. Crisis averted. Thank you, Steepster! I’ve learned my lesson and going forward will write tea notes – even if it’s a very short one – on teas I like.

Ok, the tea. This is a green tea blended with peppermint and spices. It’s not a Moroccan mint, but it’s also not a green chai. It’s something in between, and I really like it. Each sip is a little different. There’s a good bit of heat between the ginger and pepper, but it’s not overwhelming. The clove and cardamom add to the balance and give a nod to all the chai teas out there. The peppermint is a dominant flavor throughout, but it never overtakes the spices completely. It’s delicious, warming, soothing goodness.

I used 1 tablespoon of tea for 12 oz. of water, and I did add some simple syrup. The instructions from Samovar say to use boiling water, but I used water around 185 degrees because of the green tea. I was happy with the results, but I might follow their directions once just to see what the differences might be. I’m not one to usually resteep my leaves, but I did for this one and got three lovely steeps.

Can’t say enough good things about this one. I’m glad I found it again!

This is the best eggnog tea I’ve found to date. It has a great eggnog flavor with a good hit of vanilla. Green/Black tea blends are often a no for me, but it works in this mix. It’s just a fun, yummy, delicious tea – even in the depths of summer.

Tea of the evening.

As far as decaf teas go, this is one of the best. The vanilla flavor is creamy and rich, and the base tea offers a bit of malt and a nice roasted note. Make no mistake, the vanilla is the star, but for a decaf Ceylon I think the base tea is impressive.

Sipdown!

Decided to finish this off for breakfast this morning. This is a tea that comes and goes from my tea cupboard with regularity. I love the slightly smokey flavor. The molasses sweetness, the malt and leather notes are all so good. It’s a go-to breakfast tea for me, so I’m sure I’ll pick up another tin this fall, once the weather cools down. Can’t happen soon enough!

It’s almost 5:00 in the morning. I’ve been awake since 3:30 thinking about the coming months. It’s looking more and more like the school buildings will stay closed and kids will have classes online. I am all for public safety, and if that’s what needs to be done so be it. I’m also exhausted at the thought of working full time (or trying to) and teaching my son full time. The idea of everything that will need to happen is overwhelming, and so I’m doing what so many overwhelmed souls have done for years and years before me, making tea.

Earl Grey is a comfort tea for me. It helps to soothe wounds and smooth away rough edges. This tea in particular has a nice amount of bergamot along with vanilla and lemon. There’s no astringency from the base tea, even with a five minute steep. It still reminds me of lemon pound cake, and that’s not a bad thing in my book.

This is also a sipdown, but this is going back on my wishlist. I have one other Earl Grey to enjoy, but then I’m repurchasing this one. That said, I’m also bumping my rating up (it was an 87). This is a true favorite.

A few sips in and I’m already feeling better.

Also, to any teachers who might read this, thank you. Thank you for doing an already difficult job under impossible circumstances. I appreciate you.