Samovar
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I swear I change my entire rating system every few days.
This one I consistently enjoy. The combination of sweetly, very subtly floral notes with the savory quality of the nutty fullness they describe yields a very pleasant cup of tea. Ending my day with this is never a bad decision, and I’m almost always able to get more than one steep out of it.
Strangely though, tonight I was getting a weird feeling of…tanginess, after my sip. Tangy sweet-sour. It wasn’t present anywhere in the actual tea, so I’m…admittedly sort of at a loss as to determine where it was coming from. Bizarre.
Preparation
I am so, so, so happy to be home after a month away.
If someone had asked me several months ago whether or not I was likely to come to love any appliance almost as much as the super-fancy-awesome food processor I got last year, I would’ve found that very difficult to believe (I’m certain as I type this that reserving affectionate emotions for things like appliances means I must be officially old now, whee). Nevertheless…
I am so happy to have access to my Zojirushi again. Good grief.
I wanted to celebrate my return home by ripping into various samples that have been waiting for me since my departure, the Ryokucha not least among them, but the lateness of the hour, my aching jaws and my exhaustion after a day of travel delays all-together seemed to suggest that I err on the side of responsibility and save them for tomorrow, sticking with something caffeine-free tonight.
This was a delightful option. The color to which it brews is fragile and barely-there, and so is the flavor…or at least, that was the case for me. After a long day of airport hustle and on-the-go food, that’s probably to be expected (to say nothing of my still-recovering mouth). Sipping it slowly as it cooled was an interesting experience, and the flavor gradually seemed to sweeten, and what had seemed to be a foundation of gently-steamed-greens (of the edible type; I can see where Auggy picked up her green bean note, though it’s thankfully subtle) mixed with warm fruit gave way to sweeter, more nectar-like white tea and the honeysuckle finally came through. I smell it more than I taste it even now, but the balance of the cup is good even on resteep. Nibbling a white-chocolate-and-strawberry chocolate bar and finishing off this second steep has made for a winning way to end a very long day. I can’t wait to try this again when my mouth isn’t so baffled by this long roster of various pills and pains.
Preparation
Now I can truly say, “Welcome Home” and back to Steepster =]
Welcome back! :D takgoti sent me some of this, and I’m definitely going to have to try it very, very soon!
And I need to know the brand of your white-chocolate-and-strawberry bar. That sounds amazing.
WELCOME HOME!!!
Aw, phew, I’m glad you found this pleasant. As strongly as I feel about some teas, part of me is always slightly terrified that someone’s gonna be all WTF when they try something I like. [Then again, if we all liked everything the world would be extremely boring and blah blah blah insert more first grade lessons of wisdom.] Anyway, it would have been sad to end a trying day with a tea you didn’t enjoy. Anxiously awaiting your Ryokucha log!
Welcome back – and yay for being back with the Zojirushi! Even just a week away was tough on me – I can’t imagine a month!
And gently steamed is a really good way to put the green veggie taste in this – it’s fresh and sweet so thankfully not a boiled green taste.
Honeysuckle and white tea sounds yummy, as does white chocolate and strawberry. Also, you’re from Cambridge! Me too! Awesome, welcome home :)
I remember really liking this tea from takgoti. I’ll have to try it again before I review it…your green bean notes are throwing me off. hehe :)
teaplz: http://www.divinechocolate.com/products/product_white_strawberries.aspx
There you go. :) I picked it up at Whole Foods when I was doing some cookie-baking, and then decided last night that I was just in the mood to eat it instead. Gonna have to call that a good call on my part, it was delicious.
Thanks you guys for the welcome home!
Shanti, glad to see there’s someone else in my area. :D I’m still sort of tea-newish, so local stuff is really something I have yet to explore.
Lena + Auggy – I think that steamed-green element is probably where the nutty flavor comes from, at a guess. Green beans and peas (of the large snap-open variety, like Auggy mentioned in her review) are slightly nutty to me when I think about it. It didn’t make me think of greens or oolongs, per se, but I could find it without any trouble, especially while hot. Obviously more taste-tests will be needed to be sure. ;)
Another wonderful sample from Takgoti. Mmmm…I love it! And my cats seem to love it too. Both Sarge and Mr. Mouse had their little heads hovering above my cup. They were doing that odd open mouth smelling thing that cats tend to do when they really dig a smell. It’s cute. My husband and I make the Predator sound if we see them doing the open mouth smell. You know that mix of snarl/snore that the Predator aliens make? Riiight…I’m guessing not. Just a small glimpse into my life.
On to the tea. It’s great. No…it’s Wonderful for a mint tea. And fairly complex. The obvious peppermint taste, then the cardamom and ginger take hold. Mmmm! All held together by a simple, tasty green tea. It’s yum. It’s just YUM! I highly encourage everyone to try it. Especially if you like mint teas. I’m feeling perfectly well (knock on wood) but if I was feeling ill, I would want this on standby. Go Samovar!
It’s yum! :)
My cats liked it too! I think catnip is part of the mint family (or related?) so maybe there is a similar smell to this mint?
Haha. It’s funny that you guys mentioned that. It actually looks like some of the catnips I’ve seen.
Maybe I’ll just sprinkle a little of my Peppermint from Adagio instead of buying them catnip. :)
Lena, seriously, try that. My cat went absolutely nuts over a Lipton peppermint bag. She kept licking the paper and rubbing her face against it. Hissed and spat and bit and scratched when I tried to take it away from her.
Hilarious! Who knew that cats would be so attracted to tea?
Sarge and Mr. Mouse are most excellent names for cats, I have to say.
I also have to say that Steepster has me mildly interested in cats (since so many people have them!) even though I’m way more of a dog person myself.
@ Angrboda – Wow!!! I bet my cats would play with a mint teabag for hours. I’ll see what they do with the loose peppermint. I’m sure their fur and kitty breath will smell minty fresh. Pets are better than watching TV sometimes.
I have some loose peppermint that I primarily use when I’m ill or to spice other stuff up a bit (like in a chocolate tea). I toyed with the idea of sewing something for her and stuffing it with some of the peppermint, but I can’t sew, so I never got around to it. Bit of a shame that I couldn’t make myself let her play with the bag. Considering the leaf-size in those things and that it was only a question of time before she would break it… Not really an option.
She did have a couple of catnip mice that she never ever played with in her life, except for the one time I tried tying one of them to a piece of rope, and then she was really more interested in the rope…
Thanks teaplz. Mr. Mouse is a Russian Blue and Sarge is an orange striped Tabby cat. You should totally get a cat. I was a dog lover for ages until I met my husband. He’s a cat man. Now, I love cats and think they are much easier to take care of. But then again, we also have a Great Dane named Tank.
LOL, a Great Dane named Tank, that’s FABULOUS!
I’m always wary about cats because they seem so aloof and stand-offish. At least, my friends’ cats are. Or they’ve scratched everyone we know. Lots of breeds of dogs are super-playful, and that tends to match my personality more.
Of course, I could be completely wrong about the cats! And Tank is an amazing name. You guys have the perfect animal names, fo srs.
teaplz, it really depends on the cat. Yates loved everyone and was EXTREMELY outgoing and friendly. Hunter is friendly if we’re in the house (he hides from cat sitters and such). We’ve had houseguests who have totally changed their mind about cats just from meeting our two boys (the girl, Juliet, is standoffish, but she has reason to be).
Sarge loves everyone…especially men. ESPECIALLY men that have a little bit of stubble. He makes it his goal to get in their lap and lick their face. He’s an odd one but very social. Mr. Mouse loves me…only me. He tolerates my husband if I’m not there. If company comes over, he hides. It just depends on the cat. Mr. Mouse plays fetch with his little rattle toys. Brings it back and everything for me to throw again.
Tea and cats do sort of seem to go hand in hand, for whatever reason. Ragdoll cats are pretty infamously friendly. I’ve got two Mainecoons myself, and they’re pretty independent (I named them Mars and Ares, perhaps that has something to do with it). Mars weighs in at about 20 lbs., without exaggerating, and is a big wuss; Ares sits closer to 12 and it’s his business to make friends.
I fear what would occur if they ever figured out how to get into my tea, given what I’ve seen them do to a bag of catnip in ten minutes flat.
:D KITTYS! lol it deff depends on the cat as my cat is VERY high maintenance she has severe anxiety :( if she doesnt get human interaction for more than 2 days in a row she will pull her fur out on her arms :( she also has anxiety attacks if she sees me though a window because outside is scary and dangerous and she doesnt want me out there. luckily shes become WAY more social as shes gotten older :) she will come down and dust all my friends w/ her tail. shes also a secret daddys girl but doesnt want me to know lol. my cat at my parents house Kurtis (he gos outside and i live close to the main road and a college so i was not able to bring him to my apartment to live with me in fear of him getting stolen or hit by a car) is the exact opposite of Zoie, he wants nothing more than to plop in ur lap purr up a storm and suck on your shirt (its gross)
next visit to my parents ill bring him a peppermint tea bag :)
Love the cat stories!
I guess it really does sort of depend on the cat itself. I guess dogs don’t vary in personality as much. Nearly every single Golden Retriever I’ve encountered, for instance, has been very friendly and happy-go-lucky. Of course, there are probably exceptions, but I haven’t seen them yet.
Squee! So glad you enjoyed this! [And that your cats did too, that’s funny.] I don’t know how many tins of this I’ve been through already, but I get seriously bummed whenever I run out.
I’ve also been noticing this tea/cats paralleling and I think it’s interesting. I think I’m one of very, very few Steepsterites who does not own a cat.
@teaplz working at a dog kennel i get to see MANY diff dogs and owners. for the most part you are right :) but dogs tend to mimic their owners for example: we have this dog Cosmo who comes in (hes a Scottish terrier) he is VERY demanding we call him “the General” his owner has pretty much the same temperament lol, and Jenny (a yellow Lab) her owner is VERY high strung and makes a HUGE deal about bringing her dog to us (shes been bringing Jenny to us for years and jenny really likes us and always does butt wiggles when she sees us) she crys and lets on ALOT, well Jenny is a very nervous dog and if u dont call her a million times and make a big deal and make cutesy noises she will not come outside to play.
ive noticed Great danes tend to be lap dogs, LENA is Tank a lap dog? i love it when they try to curl up on my lap when we go outside to play cuz im 5’5" lol so i get dwarfed lolz :)
Teaplz do you have a dog?
@ Kitch3ntools – OMG…your cat pulls the fur out of her legs?!? That’s crazy…and sad…and a little funny. Cats are so odd, but that’s part of their appeal. And your shirt sucking cat…HAHA! Too funny. Both of my cats are licking cats. They are big on licking your hands and fingers like a dog would. It’s cute at first…then it gets kind of gross and I push them off my lap on to the floor.
Tank thinks he’s a litttle dog. He loves playing with little dogs too. His best friend is a little rat terrier. My sister-in-law has a Dane, but I think Tank likes the terrier better. :) If you sit in the floor, Tank will try to fit most of his body into your lap. I’m also 5’5" and he’s WAY taller than I am. It’s funny, when he sleeps on his dog bed, he curls up into a tiny ball. But if I let him in the bed to sleep with me (nights my husband is out of town) he stretches out to take up the most space he possibly can. Nice.
@LENA yeah i talked to her vet and its cause by separation anxiety. i was really upset about it at first then i slowly went to making fun of it cuz its too weird lol shes getting alot better we went away for the weekend in sep and and i didnt kennel her like i did for our week trip and i used “bitter spray” on her arms and she was fine when we came home she actually seemed pleased with herself. she also licks my fingers i think because shes lazy cuz she’ll lick my fingers then rub on it so i think shes petting herself and cleaning herself at the same time lol.
yeah when i was in highschool and younger i would let Kurtis suck on my shirt but i dont anymore because no1 lets him do it so if you allow him to pretty much halfyour shirt will be wet he gets so excited lol.
LOL i love that! i love when danes think there little cuz they r always just so gentle and sweet but gigantic :D such fun dogs!!
our Collie (a lassie kind of collie lol) names Lucky growning up would sleep in small spots but when i would let him on my bed he would pretty much push me off lol :)
@all Seconding the Ragdoll cat recommendation! I have a Ragamuffin cat (very similar to the Ragdoll but comes in more colors and has a smaller, more regulated breeding community) and my parents liked her so much they got two more for themselves! From what I understand, Ragdolls are good for people who don’t want a stand-offish cat, because they are so friendly. I think Ragdolls are also called “puppy cats” or something because they tend to follow people around from room to room. On the flip side, they’re more needy for attention than other cats, so if you are away from your home a lot, they’re probably not a good match. They’reknown for being “soft-pawed” (no scratching) and they go totally limp when held, hence the Ragdoll name. People used to think they genetically had a higher pain tolerance than other cats because they are so calm and tolerant! :)
I just stumbled across lena’s avatar which led me into this tasting note. The forces are gathering. You would be wise to loose your flippant ways and join the honorable foot clan…I’ll get you, you miserable turtles!
sorry for the unrelated comment :)
You’re goin’ down, Shred head!
Totally!!! Shredder is sooo bogus!
Turtle Power!
My cat totally makes the same face…my husband thinks its weird, but I think it is too cute. LOL at Predator reference…
Unrelated: Since I don’t see anymore turtles, I guess Shredder has conquered this dimension…
@ mrawlins2 – I think it’s cute too…just a little odd. I’m glad you know what I’m talking about in regards to Predator…lol.
@ Jason – we were only going to do it for a day. after we got in trouble we nixed the idea. lol :)
@LENA: Ha! I didn’t mean to punish you guys like you were in trouble…since Select is kinda its own thing and very prominent we prefer to keep it more focused. But I don’t see a problem with the occasional, off-topic comment on a tasting note (obviously :)
Not bad, but a little overbearing for me. I can’t tell if it’s the bergamot or the black tea that’s a bit harsh. It’s a little more like a Merlot than a Pinot.
I like to work into the flavors.
Preparation
“This smells like a fish tank!”
That’s what my boyfriend exclaimed after he opened up the little Gladware takgoti sent me containing Ryokucha. I laughed at the time, but I couldn’t shake the idea that it kind of DOES smell like a fish tank.
Anyway, Ryokucha, Samovar’s version of the popular genmaimatcha blend. It’s neon-green from the matcha, filled with powdery-ness, with little bits of puffed rice and sencha. Certainly one of the more bizarre teas that I’ve come across, but I’m pretty much up for anything. If I lean in a bit closer, I can pick up traces of nuttiness and a buttery note. I got some of the matcha on my fingertips while trying to clean my teaspoon, and those were definitely highlights of the scent.
Anyway, steeping this up was a memorable experience! It looks like an explosion at the fields surrounding a nuclear waste facility. Cloudy neon-green murkiness, random leaves, bits of rice floating at the top. The entire thing is really bizarre.
The pour is pretty weird too. Now I have radioactive liquid in my cup, and there’s all the sediment left behind. The wet leaves smell a lot like puffed rice cereal. Very toasty and delicious smelling. I was tempted to eat the rice out of the pot, but I didn’t think that was such a good idea.
The tea itself smells really, really good. Very roasty-toasty buttery notes. Mmm.
So how does it taste? Very, very complex, for starters. I guess the best way to describe it is if your morning cereal got invaded by marine life and grass. I should probably explain that a bit further. There’s the toasty component of the puffed rice, which adds a delicious nutty note. There are hints of a milkiness that come across a lot in the aftertaste and sweet taste that lingers on the palate after every sip. The forefront of the flavor is an almost oceanic taste, with a slightly grassy component. Maybe like kelp. But in a good way.
As it’s cooled, the milky taste becomes more prominent, overtaking the puffed rice taste. This tea is thick and silky. It definitely has a mouthfeel, and it’s almost making me feel full. I haven’t felt that way about a tea before – it is like a meal. And for the sweetness in the aftertaste, you can almost certainly pick out very savory components as well. I could see this making an excellent foundation for soup, as they prepare it at Samovar.
The very bottom of the cup is a tiny bit astringent, but the rest was silky smooth. I usually drink my tea with a spoon at the beginning, that way I can sip it when it’s very hot. I used that spoon to continually stir it, so I don’t have any dregs at the bottom. And yay, you can finally see the bottom of the cup! Cause this stuff is MURKY. SWAMP MURKY. SWAMP THING IS IN MY TEA.
I think I’m already starting to feel the effects of the caffeine, even though I haven’t finished the entire cup yet. This one is kind of more than a tea. It’s more of an experience. A foodie experience. A radioactive foodie experience.
Yeah, I think the caffeine is definitely kicking in. I’m hyper-concentrated, but at the same time, prone to just random tangents of nothingness.
Okay, I think it’s time to end the review now, before I start jumping around and breaking out in song and dance.
And this was such a rational review before, too!
Preparation
this is a GREAT review. i’ve been trying to pump myself up to try the sample takgoti sent me too. aren’t those little gladware containers the cutest freakin’ thing? i’m going to try this tonight. maybe i’ll just post a link to your review…i loved it. :)
The sediment is matcha! Did you drink it? It’s one of the best parts, like when…oh crap, what was that restaurant. Friendlies? Friendly’s? Anyway, they had those sundae’s with the “surprise” at the bottom and the “surprise” was just Reese’s Pieces but my brother and I got SO EXCITED about it.
Reese’s Pieces just don’t taste as good when they’re not at the bottom of an ice cream sundae.
@LENA DO IT! But uh…be ready for caffeine. It doesn’t make me jumpy, but it definitely makes me awake. It’s a very good version of awake – very solid and it lasts a while, which is why I like it in the morning. You might want to do it well before you want to go to bed, though.
Yay, thanks Lena! I was seriously bouncing off the walls for a while. Everything was moving super-fast. I’ve never washed dishes and folded clothes that fast. INSANE.
And takgoti pretty much wins at packing. It’s unreal. I’m sure your review will be just as awesome!
And I totes drank the sediment and it tasted yummy. The whole thing tasted yummy. Even though it’s potentially very weird. But yummy, in a yummy-like way. Shoot, maybe I’m still caffeinated…
Now that I think about it Genmaicha does smell like a murky fish tank. The liquid doesn’t look too appetizing either. Gladware containers? That’s some quality packaging =D
This was an excellent review! I think the mental imagery of an ocean in my cereal bowl will stay with me for a while. This stuff is waiting for me at home, and I seriously can’t wait to get back to it now that I’ve read about your experience with it. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I love savory and bready things (to the general dismay of my metabolism) and beverages that scratch that itch are much sought-after…this sounds perfect.
Finally got the brewing down on this blend. Glad I did! I got in touch with some of the Samovar people and got the inside scoop on how they prepare it in house. They typically use 1 1/2 tablespoons of tea with 14 ounces of water at 170 F for about 3 minutes. A lot different than the boiling water, 1-2 minute, small amount of tea routine I found on their store. The result was an extremely rich and creamy full-bodied brew that I had heard about. Great stuff.
Preparation
Amazing tea. I love the smooth and rich taste of the toasted rice blended with the sencha and matcha powder. It has a great grassy/kelp taste that deepens the overall flavor profile. However, my only gripe about this tea is the brewing instructions. The Ryokucha video online recommends using 16 ounces of boiling water added to 1 teaspoon of tea infused for 1-2 minutes. Yet, the can recommends the traditional preparation with the cooled water, 1 tablespoon, and 2-4 minutes. What do you guys recommend? I basically did a hybrid of the two and met in the middle.
Preparation
I do a heaping teaspoon [sometimes I tip a little more in there] with around 8-9 ounces of water at anywhere from 170-190°F and around 3-4 minutes. Clearly, my methods aren’t exact, but I’ve found that it’s remained pretty consistent throughout.
Thanks for your input! I can tell that I’m going to experiment a great deal with this tea. Not a bad thing considering this blend is absolutely delicious.
Fantastic! Looking forward to any insight you have to offer in future logs!
The Final Sipdown: Day 10
Decupboarding Total: 21
Oh no! How did I decupboard this one? I wasn’t supposed to decupboard this! I just wanted a cup of my favorite non-tea ever! But now my tin is empty and I’m starting to feel a little itchy. I’m not even done with my last cup of this but I feel the need to place a Samovar order for a refill right now. Especially since winter is almost here – the toasty warmth from the ginger and the pretty orange zest flair of this is perfect for winter. Actually, it’s pretty much perfect any time, which is probably why my tin is now empty.
Preparation
This is an extremely awesome herbal tea, and it definitely is perfect for winter!
I have three empty orange ginger tins. I wish they sold 1lb bags. I’m harboring all these empty tins :( Samovar needs refills!
Yes, super-awesome! And me saying that about an herbal is something. I miss it already!
And now that Samovar is doing the new packaging (boxes and bags that are all biodegradable) extra empty tins will come in handy.
My ginormous Samovar order came in today and I’m so happy I ordered a tin of this! It’s what the Rishi Tangerine Ginger should have been – gingery warm, citrusy bright, fresh, cuddly, sweet, tangy, a hint of woodsy – not tart or phlegm-inducing or something that brings to mind Thera-Flu. I think I could easily become addicted to this tea.
Preparation
Oooh! I have this in my Samovar cart as we speak…just waiting until Friday to buy it. :)
Oooh what else did you get in your order? I’m putting together one for next time I buy.
Lena, I really love this one. It’s probably one of the best herbals I’ve ever had. The husband agrees that it is great for an herbal but he doesn’t love any herbal, even this one. Ah, the divisiveness of herbals!
katers, I got Downy Sprout, Russian blend, Breakfast blend, Ryokucha, Lemon Yunnan, Scarlet Sable, TKY, Jasmine Peach Bai Mudan and this one. Biiiig order! :)
Wow! Did you get samples of some of those or tins of everything? I’m putting together a sampler order because I’ve never tried any of the Samovar teas. I’ve heard you can only make one cup out of them but I don’t know.
Ryokucha, Royal Garland. Those are winners. I seriously grieve when I run out of Royal Garland. I like the Downy Sprout (though it’s very subtle)…and the Osmanthus Silver Needle is growing on me too.
katers, I got all tins, mostly the large size! I’ve had them all before though and know I love them.
sophistre, Running out of Ryokucha and the Breakfast blend is what spurred this order on. (Ryokucha is my crack.) Though Royal Garland is another favorite… I’m just not out of it (yet!)
When brewing, this smells like my Tangerine Ginger, but it looks like a slightly more upstanding citizen. There’s a bit more… maybe sweetness? in the smell of this one, too. But while they are both citrus + ginger, I imagine that it is the difference in the other ingredients the two have that will be the deciding factor. It smells insanely comforting. The ginger is warm and cuddly. I like that.
And it does initially taste a lot like the Tangerine Orange. But it’s the ending note that makes all the difference. No tartness, just a smooth and warm continuation of the front tastes. But not in a single-note-all-the-way-through tastes. More in a mulled cider spice sort of way – the spices are all through the entire taste, running around, mingling and dancing on my tongue.
I love the orange and the ginger, but I loved that in the Tangerine Ginger. It’s the end of this that makes it so delightful. This is citrus love.
Preparation
Warm spice cake in a mug. That’s sort of how Ocean of Wisdom tastes.
So I’ve been pretty sick all day, and sick the entire week, just kind of miserably getting through the week. I’ve been alternating between drinking chamomile and peppermint, trying to get my stomach in order, and my cramps in check. It’s been working, for the most part.
But tonight, after a particularly awful day, I need something a bit more special to wind down with. Let me tell you, this is hitting the spot. I steeped it a bit longer this time, using a whole teaspoon, and the smell coming from my cup is more heavily of cloves than anything else. This is probably because there was a whole clove mixed into my teaspoon. Not a bad thing, but as I’ve said previously, cloves are just not my best friend.
The taste though… it’s still light, but it’s got more of an earthy depth to it. The rooibos tastes like the way it must smell in a forest after it rains. Warm, wet wood. The cinnamon and ginger are highlights here, with the clove playing backup. The licorice rounds things out with a haunting sweetness after every sip.
There’s just something so pleasing and mellow about this cup. I only wish that every herbal blend had the complexity and warmth that Ocean of Wisdom does. A perfect cozy-up-and-snuggle-and-get-ready-for-sleeptime concoction!
And Steepster, I miss you!
Preparation
Feel better and what a pretty tasting note! :D
Awww, poor teaplz! I hope you feel better soon, hon!
Feel better! I read cramps and I thought to myself, hmmmm this is your third post about cramps. I’ve been on Steepster for three months now! Ahhhhh! Haha, your cramps tell me how long I’ve been on Steepster =P
May your cramps be gone soon. I’m glad the tea helped a bit, and we miss you too!
Thanks guys, and I seriously miss my tea.
mattscinto, if you like the ingredient list, I’m sure you’ll like it. It’s a very grown-up sort of tasting tea. Actually, most of Samovar has that grown-up taste.
Ricky, I’m glad you can track your time on Steepster by my cycles, hahaha! :P
This tea is warm. And I don’t mean temperature-wise!
takgoti sent me this in the huge box of tea she gifted me, and I was eager to try it from the first time I smelled it. First off, the tea itself is quite beautiful, with the varying shades of reds. The honeybush and rooibos are specked with little pieces of cloves, cinnamon, licorice, and ginger. The whole thing is extremely aromatic and spicy.
I used 3/4 of a teaspoon (Samovar’s little video said 1 tsp for 16 oz., so I halved it). Looking back on it, I should have used more. Anyway, I steeped it up, and the color was very typical of rooibos. Deep scarlet with a wonderful smell coming off of it. Spicy. You can’t pick out every spice in the scent, but it’s complex and incredibly warm.
On first sip, I was surprised how light this was! I think I’ll definitely steep it for a longer time next time. You can’t really taste all of the spices separately unless you concentrate very hard. Then the cinnamon comes out with some warmth. Then there’s a bit of kick and bite from the ginger, and the warmth of cloves (and I’m happy about the clove not being overpowering, because I’m not the hugest fan of cloves). The rooibos comes through with that signature woodsy sweetness. The licorice is a big hit here, not in licorice flavor, but in sweetness. This baby is sweet and spicy at the same time in a delicious way.
What a great herbal! Sometimes herbals are a bit medicinal or cloying. I thought I might have this problem with this particular one, but Ocean of Wisdom is an ocean of awesomeness.
Preparation
Very impressive tea. I’ve brewed this blend about 4 or 5 times now, with multiple infusions each time. Really getting used to the multitude of flavors associated with this particular herbal/green. The first time I brewed this tea, I deliberately made the batch a bit stronger than usual to really get a sense of the punch this tea can muster. I was really impressed with the strong mint aftertaste and the hints of fennel, ginger, and black pepper that I’ve really come to enjoy. Each infusion releases different aspects of the tea that were hiding before. One may be particularly strong in cardamom or fennel, while other infusions are more subdued, and tend to exhibit more minty, earthy, and sweet flavor characteristics. Great tea. Samovar continues to deliver on quality and tase.
Preparation
Well this is my third tea that I received in the Diggnation “Hippie Glenn” Samovar set, and I must say I think I saved the best for last. I’ve been a huge fan of Russian/Lapsang blends for years now but I think this one takes the prize. This is the first lapsang style blend that doesn’t “punch me in the face” when I drink it. This blend is creamy, smooth, and remarkably sweet for such a smokey tea. The balance of flavors is impeccable. Great with scones and jam in the morning.
Preparation
I will have to check this one out…place it on my shopping list.
It’s really neat to see your progression on this. And I just realized I didn’t log this one. Another tea to add to the tea log pile! Cheers for you finding an LS blend to your liking!
Thanks Takgoti! Ya, the journey through the tea set has been great. Each steep gets better and better. I just ordered some Ryokucha, so I’m definitely looking forward to brewing some up soon. Love the stuff from Samovar. Great quality so far.
I was excited to try one of the Samovar teas finally, as I’ve heard such good things about them. The shop I visited was out of the Masala Chai I’d wanted, but the Vanilla Dian Hong was second on my list, and it was in stock. When I popped the lid, it wasn’t vanilla I noticed, but rather the scent of a chocolate liquor instead. I was very excited to try this one, but as it was late when I got home I opted to try it in the morning instead. When brewed, this tea doesn’t have the same taste as it smells dry, which was fine. You definitely get more of the vanilla in the tea itself. What I found was that it almost had a flavor similar to a rooibos, with the slight aftertaste of black tea. So I wasn’t blown away, though I felt I should have been for the $18.99 price tag. I’m hoping Samovar’s masala chai fares better for me.
Preparation
I was also excited to try this after such great recommendations. I’m a recent coffee convert so this is supposed to be appealing and on the sweeter end of the spectrum. I did definitely notice the chocolate liquor scent after popping it open for the first time. Tasted it pure after 5 min of steeping and it came out ok… not as bold as I expected (maybe steep longer?) I do like how subtle the vanilla is tho. A teaspoon of sugar in 16 oz. is also pleasant.
Decided to brew this delicious herbal infusion after receiving it in my Diggnation “Hippie Glenn” Tea Set. The first thing that hit me about this tea is it’s amazing aroma. Hints of blueberry, orange, and hibiscus float gently off of this red, almost fruit punch looking brew. The flavor profile reminds me of blueberry pie, with a tart kick and creamy mellow finish that is dominated by the schizandra. Simply spectacular. As a less than frequent herbal drinker, I must say that this infusion may become a part of my daily routine.
Preparation
The Final Sipdown: Day 20
Decupboarding Total: 40
Apparently it is decupboaring white tea day for me today. Sad to see this one go. I think it was the first white tea that I really liked. And I still like it. But it is gone. And I am sad. But I still have CTG’s Silver Needle so I’m not without a yummy white tea and that makes me happy.
It’s gentle, smooth, nutty, rich and tastes likes it’s been stirred with a nectar-covered spoon.
Preparation
When I was little bitty, I had a Winnie the Pooh blanket that my grandmother had edged with satin. I carried that blanket everywhere. In fact, I probably still have it in a box somewhere. The main reason I loved it so was because of that satin edging. I would pet it and rub it against my cheek and just enjoy the softness. The leaves of this tea feel like the satin on my Winnie the Pooh blanket. I want to pet them. So soft. For that reason alone, I would love this tea.
But the fact that this tea has the taste of warm and nutty cuddles plus light and sweet summer flowers? Totally made of win.
Preparation
Awwwww!
I second that!
Never underestimate the power of Pooh Therapy! When I’m feeling really down in the hole, watching some Pooh-bear in the Disney’s classic incarnation always helps a little. Or just reading the very tattered book that I’ve had since before I can remember. :)
Aww…I’m so rumbly in my tumbly…
Wanted something better than my last tea so I thought this one had good promise. The dry leaves smell a little musty/woody and they feel so freakin’ velvety. I actually held on to one just to pet it. So soft! I passed it on to the husband and he agreed with the soft furry of the leaf then ate it and said it tasted like fresh green beans.
The brewed tea has a similar green bean note. This is a note that I’ve gotten and hated in other white teas (that and soy beans), but that’s because it is an overcooked taste. This one isn’t like that. It’s missing the crisp snap but otherwise brings to mind the taste experience of munching on fresh peas with my granny when I should have been helping shell them. It’s got that type of summery sweetness and fresh green veggie taste going on.
It’s also remarkably cuddly. I mean, this is a good comfort tea. The woody/nutty under note gives it that delightful, “good tea to snuggle with” taste and the fresh, summery sweetness (which I’m guessing is the honeysuckle and peach notes but I’m not adept enough to pick those up as more than anything than general sweet summer) gives it a light and refreshing, happy feel.
This tea is awesome. And will be lovely to sip as I watch the Mythbuster’s MacGyver episode. Awesomeness all over the place.
Preparation
Yay! At least found something that you liked better!
AHHH I adore Mythbusters!
Also, glad you liked the tea, almost more so the fuzzy leaves! [They’re just so pretty! I’ll also cop to petting them.] I also just realized how long it’s been since I’ve logged this, and I think that’s going to need to be remedied soon. I drink Samovar’s white teas pretty often, and they’ve all grown on me to the point that I might just have to give them all the same rating. They’re so different to me, but also so…drinkable.
Mythbusters is awesome! Is there some sort of tea exchange/trading post on here? It seems like you and Takgoti trade/barter regularly.
Ninja tea surprises? Haha! I love it.
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Mythbusters is awesome! Add MacGyver to that (and MacGvyer mullets) and this tea and yesterday afternoon was filled with awesome!
@Fred, it’s not so much tea exchange/trading that we’ve got going on as we ended up with each others addresses so now we randomly attack each other with tea. Not really swapping, more like ninja tea surprises.
If i came home and saw a shuriken stuck in my door with a bag of tea stuck to it that would be awesome!
I exchange tea among my friends via a secret locker. It’s a drug pickup locker. I package everything up, drop it off, text them a time/date to pick it up. Unfortunately, it’s a one way locker. When I come back it’s empty, no one leaves me anything =(. They even go as far as to steal the little snacks I have stashed away =’(
I’m voting Ricky as the shadiest Steepster member ever. Totally SKETCH.
Lol. Agreed!
Aww. That comment was so sad, too!
What!?!? I’m hurt, soooo not a shady locker =P. More like a locker full of goodies. And in my defense, the drugs are full of antioxidants and other yummy health benefits.
As long as the drugs are steeped and not smoked then that is ok.
ninja tea surprises sound awesome! I’m hesitant to do a real swap, since I’m not sure I have enough exciting stuff…but if it’s just a surprise, then sending something less amazing would be just fine…right?
@Hyrulehippie Actually, Auggy, myself, and I think a fair number of people here on Steepster live by the code that a swap doesn’t hang on the quality of tea, it’s about trying new things. A lot of us are more eager to expand our scope of experience than anything else. Additionally, trying a bad or meh tea for free is better than buying it and getting stuck with a tin! I’m all swapped out for January, I think, but you want to trade maybe a little bit later?
Agreed, Steepster is about sharing / expanding our tea horizons. As long as you post up a review, whether it’s a word or just a rating, I’m happy =) Oh, what I meant to say was, if you’re interested in anything in my cupboard just shoot me an email ( steepster@trashmail.net ). That really goes for anybody. I’m more than happy to share some of my tea with others. Tea often tastes better when you drink it with others anyways. I mean why else would we have tea parties? ;)
A tasting note from sophistre made me want to try this with a little half & half since sometimes the tarry aspect of this tea is just a hair too much for me. I didn’t have a ton left so I figured if I was going to do it, I needed to do it on my next cup. Which is today.
Right away I could tell a difference – even the smell seemed sweeter, not as thick. Still smoky but without the same edge. The taste matched the smell – rich and smoky but no longer coating my tongue as heavily. It has gone from heavy barbeque sauce to smoked meat with a light coating of barbeque sauce. And that sweetness that always seems to surprise me is even more noticeable.
Oh, the half & half doesn’t go so far as to make this a mild tea – no way – but it smoothes it out a little so it doesn’t feel as heavy/rich and that’s really nice. If this weren’t my last of this tea, I’d probably have it with half & half from here on out. But since it is, I’ll just have to try the half & half thing with the other lapsang souchong I have just to see how that goes. Giving the rating a little nudges upward because this really is great.
4g/11oz
Preparation
I love it this way! It was just what the doctor ordered, for me. I’m glad it worked out for you. I think I found that GM’s didn’t really benefit in the same way…I tried it but was unexcited by the results. Gonna be curious to see if you think other lapsangs hold up to the cream treatment.
I will have to try this…
sophistre, Yes, it really was good – I’m really glad I read your note where you mentioned it because it was so tasty! Great idea!
Cinoi, I look forward to reading what you think of it!
I don’t have the Samovar one…yet…but I am hearing great things and will wind up getting it soon, for now I can try it with Adagio’s.
Mmm, sweet smoky. This smells like barbecue sauce or wood smoke flavoring. I am curious if anyone here at work is going to comment on this smell (they’ve already commented on my baked potato). So far no one has said anything even though it smells like I’m smoking a brisket in here.
It tastes like I’m smoking a brisket even. There is a hint of sweet on the tail end of the sip… not quite honey, not quite maple. Maybe a bit like beef jerky sweet so brown sugar? For once I haven’t sucked the cup down in a matter of minutes and since it’s been given the chance to cool a little more, I’m getting a ton of taste of out if. A thick, coat-my-tongue heavy tar-ish/coffee sludge flavor/texture, a middle smoky flavor that makes me think of the old style smokehouses, a twang of sweet brown sugar and a little pine-y tartness in the aftertaste. All rolled into a big ole smoky tea. So yeah, not a tea for the fainthearted! I’m probably going to have to chew some gum because I’m pretty sure smelling like this will be offensive to even myself after a bit. But I’m going to have a second steep first.
That’s why i wrote mine down, I can’t use the stupid “sad face to happy face” method. I give a guess rating, then adjust it after the post.
Haha, I change mine all the time too! Ratings are so difficult! Haha, tangy sweet-sour o.O Did you have some food before hand that was sweet and sour?
I’ve been contemplating setting up a more formal system, the way some other people have, actually. I guess I probably should. But I do the same thing, Heyes…I’m always adjusting on my ratings page.
@Ricky: I did, actually, but hours earlier. Tomato sauce on pasta. But…seriously, it was hours earlier! The thought did cross my mind, but it seemed so outlandish. Tonight I’ll surely make a point to give it a second go and see if I can recreate. ;)
I get that tangy-aspect from white teas sometimes. I’m not sure what it is that causes it but for me it usually happens with the teas that have nectar-like qualities to them.