Simpson & Vail

Tea of the afternoon here, jasmine isn’t typically a favorite of mine so I’m not sure why I bought this – ha ha. I did finish off the ounce I had and as far as jasmines go, this is pretty nice. More natural tasting and less bitter than some I’ve had.

This is a lovely jasmine tea, I don’t usually go for jasmine but somehow I was in the mood for this tonight and I wanted to have a relaxing evening.

This is a really lovely cuppa – slightly fruity, smooth and even a bit sweet. The jasmine smells great and is not too soapy or perfumey. I steeped this in the gaiwan for 30 seconds and had 3 steeps of it like this.

So tonight I think I am staying at home to read Jane Eyre and I might have a few more cups of this. I know that’s kind of boring but I have a long day tomorrow with an all day ink painting workshop, tea and then meditation! wheee!

Finally! A satisfying tea today!
Thank you Amanda!!!
This is a well flavored tea – you can still taste the base in it – its not cloyingly sweet but it is sweet – taste like what it is supposed to – without a scummy oily layer on the top of the liquid!
Whew!
I like this one!

Tea of the morning here – I love this assam so it is a bummer that Simpson & Vail is not going to carry it anymore. I guess this will be the excuse I need to go look for a new assam!

Tea of the morning here, I love this assam, too bad S & V is discontinuing it. I slept in late today, post-Thanksgiving and I feel like I don’t need to eat for a week! Happy Holidays! :)

Recently I ran out of assam so I decided it was time for me to place an order with Simpson & Vail for some more black teas. :)

I went to their website a few days ago after getting my order and this tea is no longer there. I wrote and they told me they wouldn’t be getting anymore because the price would have almost tripled. Maybe I got the last of it, I don’t know.

This is really a lovely assam, though. Sometimes they can be a bit on the bitter of “winey” side but this is luscious and smooth. It has a slight floral nose and the flavors are definitely of malt and a dark European bread, perhaps of pumpernickel origin. I added some soymilk and it is delicious that way, but I can also drink it plain which is unusual for an assam. I’m a bit sad I won’t be getting any more, this stuff is great!

Back at work already… sigh

This is a nice cuppa! Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? To drink more tea, perhaps?

This was the whole reason for me ordering again from S & V – this is a great morning breakfast blend! see previous notes.

I had two cups of it this morning so far… I know this tea will not last me very long at the rate I am going. It’s so good!

This is a delicious blend of black teas, I got this one for the office and to drink in the morning. It is fairly bold and hefty, there’s definitely some malty assam in here but I’m also getting a nice fruitiness which makes me wonder if there’s a ceylon in here, perhaps a keemun?

This is really delightful with a splash of soymilk, which is the way I will be drinking it. I did try a sip of it plain and it didn’t seem too bitter at all. Great breakfast/morning tea and even better than I was hoping it would be. Highly recommend it this if you like this type of tea.

Sipdown!

Finally finished off a tin of this – now I have a good excuse to place another tea order… ha ha.

I have really enjoyed this one, it’s good for morning or afternoon time. Now I’m off to go do some morning meditation after this lovely cuppa!

Tea of the morning, this is definitely a great morning cuppa or for anytime! :)

Tea o’ the morning here, this is nice with a bit of soymilk and some coconut sugar. I am looking forward to a short week! :)

Tea of the morning here – a delightful Ceylon, also would be good for the afternoon. I hope my new Simpson and Vail order arrives soon! :-D

I got this recently with my Simpson and Vail order. Oddly I am running low on traditional type black teas and I do like these kind in the morning.

Definitely a good ceylon, I’ve had others from this estate before. very smooth with a chocolate flavor, not bitter at all, accomodates a splash of milk really well. It’s almost as mild as a congou, I may have to try it plain someday. It would be good in the morning or the afternoon, I think. Really works for me.

Mmmm! Cupcakes are one of my very favorite treats … probably only second to creme brulee. However, as I don’t own a blowtorch (and my husband seems very hesitant to get me one) nor do I have much patience for making custard, cupcakes are a more frequently enjoyed treat around here because they’re fun to bake, and I don’t require a blowtorch to apply the finishing touches on a cupcake.

This really does taste a whole lot like a strawberry chocolate cupcake. The strawberry comes through at the start, tasting fresh and authentic and sweet with just a hint of tartness that comes through at the finish, and lingering on into the aftertaste. After the first couple of sips, the chocolate begins to emerge and after a few more sips, the chocolate is just as strong as the strawberry. I even taste a creaminess to this (frosting!) and a bake-y, cake-y kind of taste.

So very yummy, this is a great way to enjoy the goodness of cupcakes for breakfast without the guilt of eating an actual cupcake.

This was a sample that they sent with my tea order.
When you smell the dry leaf it reminds me of muffins or cranberry bread.
It has a baked goods odor to it that is very warm and comforting.
Taste is orange, than cranberry than a nice black tea.
Very lovely tea for drinking in autumn or winter.
Has a definite cozy appeal.
I would purchase this tea.

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me a bit of this tea.

Not intending to continue on with citrus-y teas, but not disappointed to be doing so, I randomly selected this tea from my huge stash of yet-to-be-tried teas. It smells intriguing. I can smell the bergamot but it isn’t as distinct as the grapefruit. It smells bright and citrus-y.

Wow! Very interesting, indeed. This would be a great bergamot flavored tea for those who don’t think they like bergamot, because it is not an overwhelming taste in this tea. I taste it, but, the grapefruit is equally as strong, if not stronger. Some sips I taste a bit more grapefruit, and every once in a while, the bergamot emerges.

It’s really quite refreshing, and a nice change from the typical Earl Grey.

After feeling rather jilted from the French Vanilla Tea, I decided I deserved some dessert.
So, I opened this bag of tea and my tummy immediately growled.
Oh, dear, is this one of those teas that make me want to raid the cupboard or bake sweets (my hips do not need that!)
It certainly smells very cookie like, in fact I reached in and snitched a almond and munched happily away while the tea brewed.
Sniffing the tea while it is brewing is like smelling cookies baking in the oven…divine!
My mouth was watering and I was hopping back in forth in front of the timer.
I kept checking the ingredient list while I was waiting, the tea just smells like sugar coated cookies!
I wanted to make sure there really weren’t crumbled up cookies in there;)
Taste is a little calmer than the smell, you can taste the black tea and the almonds with a bake-y note at the end.
A very tasty and cozy tea.
Also, it is satisfying, I have no need to go find munchies or start baking.
I am plenty happy just sitting here and sipping.

Not getting much for vanilla from this.
In fact, I am getting more of a Rooibos odor.
Maybe it is just my nose today?
Taste is not bad. Not great. Just a fairly mild mannered black tea.
I am thinking of letting this cool off some and see if the shy vanilla feels brave enough to emerge.

Wow.
First of all, if you don’t like cinnamon then do not get this tea.
There. Thats the short of it for you Cinnamon Haters out there.
But, for the rest of you, this tea is like those Cinnamon Hot Candies.
Now, as a after dinner tea, to sip while reading a book on a blustery winters eve, I think this tea is perfect.
I actually think if you had a apple flavored tisane about, I think mixing a little of that with this tea would make a yummy Apple Pie dessert tea.
I might have to look into that.

Drinking this most of the morning…now edging into afternoon.
For some reason, I am getting much more LS from this today then I normally do.
As usual, I nearly doubled the amount of dry leaf per cup.
Very good companion to the house work and cheese making I am doing today.
See previous notes for more on this tea.

Trying this again (See previous notes)
I added almost another whole tea-spoon of leaf per cup.
The smokiness is coming out and bergamot is much more present.
I am really liking this tea now.
Very good for a morning brew.
(upped the rating a smidgen since I can now taste the notes that they promised in the description:)