Nina's Paris

Another from VariaTEA, and since she suggested I try this and Caramel-Toffee one after the other, I figured I may as well. She has yet to lead me astray.

I must say, I really appreciate the average steep time and temperature feature. When I couldn’t find directions before, sometimes I would go through and do a quick average myself and now it’s already there. However, I also see the tea measurement is still rounding down.

Perhaps this is due to VariaTEA’s feelings on this as well, but I am slightly preferring this tea over the last. The base seems to work a bit better with the flavouring here. The caramel seems softer, perhaps due to the vanilla. I’m excited I have some of this en route to experiment more with.

Thanks VariaTEA!

Sipdown (197/201)!

Yeah, I took the easy sipdown. I’ve been in lots of mouth pain all afternoon and just wanted something toasty, roasty, and creamy to washdown the pain medication with. I know that I’ll meet this tea again, whether that’s sooner or later, so why not make it this one?

I brewed it up like Stacy had suggested ad used boiling water for a minute. Honestly? It doesn’t really change the delicious taste a whole lot for me. I’ll have to try her steeping suggestion some other time for a more proper/traditional Genmaicha and see if there’s a noticeable change.

I also went and pulled out all the teas that are currently my favourite black blends, and either tomorrow or the day after will be a day for just my favourite black teas, since I’ve been drinking a whole lot of everything lately. That sounds like a good way to spend a day!

Scary close to a sipdown on this one. There’s enough left for one cup – so I’m really going to have to postpone/draw that out, despite the easy sipdown being tempting.

It was about 2 AM when I decided that I just had to drink this and I don’t got a second regret it because it was a warm, smooth comforting cup of caramel, vanilla, and yummy puffed wheat. I’m not sure if this has ruined Genmaicha for me nearly as much as it has for VariaTEA but it certainly has done a number on me.

Now, what I do regret a little is deciding to make peanut butter cookies at the same time as I made this tea. 2 AM baking is not necessarily the best or brightest idea.

…And so concludes yesterday’s backlog.

Today I am being a tea pushover. Why? Because VariaTEA told me to drink this, so I did. Yup – you can call me the whipped one in this tea drinking relationship. Which I of course mean in the nicest way possible. I don’t think it needs to be said that I got this one from her as well – she’s the Nina’s Japon dealer to us all.

Anyway, I could probably go on to great length about this one but it’s all been done before. I’ll just summarize by saying: yes, I’m on the Nina’s Japon loving bandwagon. I taste roasty toasty Genmaicha followed by delicious and smooth caramel and vanilla. Amazing – though I honestly had no doubts it wouldn’t be. Well, onto the shopping list. I need more!

What else do I need to say? It’s good. Damn good.

This cup came from Jennkay: thank you! I’ve really been wanting to try some Nina’s teas and this will be my first one.

As it brews this smells like…breakfast cereal? Kind of odd but it’s not a bad smell. Maybe that’s what happens when you mix rooibos and berries, because I noted something similar with the Provence Rooibos I got from MissB. The taste is like freeze-dried strawberries, and there’s a creaminess to the mouthfeel and the flavor. I’d be interested to taste the other zodiac blends! I wonder if my favorite would be mine (Cancer)? :)

ETA: This is now a sipdown as I gave the last cup to mom.

Sipdown #3(11) = 380
I really want to like this tea, because it tastes delicious!
Sadly, I only took a few sips, because unexpectedly my tongue started it’s reaction, & I don’t know if it’s a chemical thing, or an allergy, but I could feel my tongue & lower lip puffing up a little, & the start of an unhappy sensation all the way down to my gut.
I really hate being overly sensitive sometimes.
But I’ve learned that no matter how tasty a tea is, I will regret drinking it if I don’t listen to these cues, so down the drain it went…sigh…
I’d still like to thank Lala for the sample. :)

Another sipdown! This is a sample sent to me from Lala, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to try this one. The main flavor I got from this is apple, & it was lovely & juicy.

Thank you VariaTEA for sending me a sample of this one. I know it’s one of your favorites, and it is so kind of you to share it with so many of us.
LOL this isn’t quite what I was expecting. I really need to read up on the description of the tea BEFORE I decide what it should be. I really thought this was going to be caramal, vanilla, genmaicha. Ummm Dex, the first ingredient is black tea – RIGHT got it.
Regardless of what I thought it was going to be, this does not disappoint in what it is. Caramel, vanilla, dessert black tea. I’m not getting any of the toasted rice, or sencha notes.
I really understand why VariaTEA is so excited about this. It’s a really good one. Thank you so much for sharing. :))

Sipdown (204)!

When I had tea with Lala earlier this month, she brought a whole bunch of extra samples for me, including several from Nina’s Paris that I’ve been excited to try. I decided to make my very first Nina’s Paris tea this one. It was gonna be Nina’s Japon from VariaTEA except I realized I really was in more of a fruity black mood today, and this was in my sample drawer calling out to me.

Dry, I don’t get a whole lot from this. Maybe a little peach/apricot but nothing crazy distinct. My steeping parameters were the whole sample (a little more than 1 1/2 tsp.) steeped in boiling water for four minutes. Steeped up, the smell is very aromatic with thick, fat juicy notes of peach and apricot – though not a ton of apple. very excited to be trying this out.

Mmmm, the taste is definitely a very rich fruit tea like I was wanting. Again, I’m not getting a whole lot of apple (maybe a little) but I do get a very smooth vanilla/peach flavour with a brilliant black base and some milder notes of apricot. There’s not even a touch of astringency or bitterness – and despite a seemingly absent apple that feels well balanced with enough dimension. I honestly think if there was a strong presence of apple that might be a little too much going on – that or it’d be like a fruit cocktail.

Heh, it was even sweet enough to make my teeth sore again. Which is the first time they’ve severely acted up since getting my pain medications from the dentist. So… More pain killers for me!

Also, if it weren’t for the fact the pain killers I just took were the first ones all day then I might think I was pretty severely tripping balls because my landlord’s daughter and girlfriend are upstairs right now very loudly making animal noises (I’ve heard cat, rooster, bear, and dog noises so far). You know, if Maria – his daughter – was like under the age of 10 it might be a kinda cute bonding thing (they don’t get along well), but she’s 20… So, there’s that.

Not sure if I want to know the context of the animal noises.

Anyway, to conclude my thoughts on the tea:

This is definitely delicious and I think a great introduction to Nina’s Paris. It makes me very excited to try the remaining Nina’s Paris samples that I have. However, peach is a flavour that I am often quite fickle about and typically do not prefer or crave so I don’t think I’d go out of my way to acquire any more because I just don’t think it’d be worth the effort. There are more attainable peach teas I can drink instead.

I wouldn’t turn down another cup, though ;)

Am I cranky tonight? Hmmmm I don’t think so… Am I being too fussy tonight? hmmmm trying not to be.

Sorry VariaTEA – I seem to be striking out tonight with your teas. I really appreciate your choices, and even misses are learning experiences, but it’s always more fun to write I LOVE IT tasting notes. I don’t love this.

This is the first Nina’s tea that I’ve tried, and while I can appreciate that this is a quality tea, it’s not to my taste. It’s not that I dislike citrus, it’s just really finicky for me. I often find it too acidic – flavors that are strong and “real” citrus, often cause me to feel like the acid is burning my tongue. If that makes any sense to anyone other than me. This is one of those. To be honest, I often prefer citrus when it’s more “candy”. This did get better as it cooled – so I put the last of the sample in some cold water and tossed it in the fridge. Will see how I do with it cold steeped….
ETA: I like this better cold steeped.

Here’s the first tea I’m sampling from my trade with Lala!
I have only tried a few teas from Nina’s. The only one I like so far was Nina’s Japon, so Lala sent me a bunch of them to try. Thanks Lala!

So…I’m not sure how I feel about this one…It has a weird kind of stale taste, along with the flavor of dried papaya. I wonder if Nina’s uses artificial flavorings, because my tastebuds & lips now have a burning sensation, & my tummy is unhappy.

Sometimes I hate being overly sensitive.

Sipdown! Saddest sipdown!
I drank this last night, and again today and it was really disappointing. It was ok, but it was more like a 75 than a 96. What’s going on with me and my precious Nina’s Japon? :|

Also, if anyone wants to listen to a playlist that’ll get them moving around (great for cleaning your house), this is what we listend to while we painted the shop today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKgKmMLH8yk#t=238

I love this tea! It’s such a great tea for a really busy but awesome day.

Some of you know I work at a special makeup effects shop. Well they need to make a toddler for a tv show and I volunteered my child as a model to make the mold. So we set up a swimming pool, filled it with toys, and then spread warm goop all over her (arms, legs, whatever we could get a hold of) and then distracted the heck out of her so she wouldn’t move while it set. And it worked! Who know a 23 m.o. could be so still! :D I can’t wait to see how the molds turn out and how the finished toddler looks. :D

(So that’s why I haven’t been logging today. It’s been a long busy day)

It’s been too long since I had it and now that my samples are getting sipped down sorta nicely, I’m ready to enjoy my newest teas.

Yes. OMG. This is as good as I remembered.

Ok, I didn’t want to rip open this bag until my samples were a bit more under control, and I think that since I’m down 75 samples in 19 days or so (which, btw I ROCK), I think I’m allowed to splurge on this tea. It’s soooooo good.

HIGH FIVES EVERYONE ELSE IN TEAM NINAS JAPON

This is the re-steeped cup, but I’m putting this in a new note because I am bummed out. I was reading on my Kindle, I grabbed it and went to the other room, and then I noticed my screen was cracked. :(

I can still read with it. And the light still works. But it’s obvious and annoying and when I just got it in July I expect it to still be in good shape longer.

So, I’m drinking this cup and wishing it was the morning so I could call Amazon to get my new Kindle on the way. I’m fairly certain this is covered under warranty because I didn’t drop it or anything.

At least this cup is great. :D

Okay! Here’s the moment VariaTEA has been waiting for!!!
(maybe not THE moment, but A moment at least)

This tea tastes mostly bright and green, with caramel notes lingering long after each sip. Like minutes after. I had a few sips and then got distracted by some Netflix comedian for a few minutes and could still taste the caramel and vanilla.

This is also slightly nutty and toasty. There’s just so much going on in each sip.

Ok, VariaTEA. OK. You were right.

This is going immediately onto my shopping list.
(And then I’ll re-steep this)

Thank you JustJames for sending me a sample of this wonderful tea. I probably wouldn’t have had a chance to try this otherwise.

When I looked at the leaves in my infuser I didn’t know what to expect. My first cup of this went pretty quick, so I decided to make a second cup of it and pay more attention to the flavours. This is a very soft and delicate tasting tea. Gentle and pleasing in both aroma and flavour. I don’t usually enjoy floral tea’s but here the rose is mild and mellow. Perfect for a quiet moment out of a hectic schedule.

Finished this one off in the teapot last night. Gasp. Definitely need to order more of this tea-light HAH.

This is always smooooth and delicious.

I often forget just how delicious this tea is. Went against my judgement tonight and made this. I’m so happy I did. The creaminess of it is really hitting the spot. I love the black green base and the roastiness, too. Just all around an amazing tea.

My awesome girlfriend got me a teapot and matching cups for Christmas. Today we used them for the first time with this tea.

http://s770.photobucket.com/user/courtneyns/media/Steepster/192FAB20-EC84-400E-B5CB-FEF7D25AE229_zpssnbftx9u.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

This tea was awesome, as usual.

One last cuppa before bed while I write out just a couple more pages of notes for tomorrow. I’m ahead of the game with my studying and notes, yes!

I’ll forever be indebted to VariaTEA for starting the Japon craze. The flavours in this tea are so complementary and calmingly delicious.

I drank a lot of tea today. My mouth was kind of tired of it honestly. So I brushed and flossed my teeth, ate dinner, drank a litre of water, then made a cup of Japon. My cup before dinner should have been tasty but I was so tired of tea at that point it wasn’t. Now we’re back to tasty.

Yes! Japon and I will now get back to studying. I have zero motivation, but my exam tomorrow is worth 45%. DELIGHTFUL.

I converted another one. Mwuahaha.

Now I shall go make a cup of this for myself.