Tea Desire
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Brewed a perfect cup of this yesterday!
It was a hot cup, but I drank it cold from a water bottle while out with a friend, and it was so creamy and apricot flavoured and perfect. Seriously, I’ve had some really issues with this in the past but last night’s cup of this was so surprisingly good that I’ve pulled it out of my closet to make again these next few days and try to replicate. I need to have it again, and soon.
Even though my rating for the tea itself is a “70” right now, last night’s cup was easily a 95 to 100. So greatly done! I even pulled out a bunch of other “similar” whites, because I was put in the mood for them just because of this one.
Flavors: Apricot, Coconut, Cream
I guess I need to increase my rating a little bit because I had a cup of this one hot last night, and it was significantly better than the cold brew I made a couple weeks ago.
The two base teas were kind of present, but not in a bitter or grossly vegetal way. Instead, there was a full, but light and gentle creamy coconut/apricot flavour which is not something you would expect to see paired together but it was pretty good and it worked pretty well hot. Cold, this tasted really, really grassy to me and that really clashed with the coconut/apricot and pineapple (which is a taste I didn’t get from the hot cup, but which didn’t feel like it was missing either).
So yeah…
And this would be the last of my backlogged tasting notes! Yay! It feels good to be caught up again.
Technically I had a few glasses of this over the last couple days because I was finishing off my cold brewed pitcher of it, but I’m just gonna group them all into one tasting note for convenience.
Cup One: Tasty really grassy with a weird creamy pineapple taste that I wasn’t a big fan of. It took a while to finish what I had poured.
Cup Two: Finished off the pitcher (so, three cups yielded in total – which isn’t so bad). Considering all these were from the same cold brew batch and strained at the same time I was rather surprised I actually enjoyed this cup. It didn’t taste too grassy to me, and it had a strong creamy coconut/apricot taste to it which worked pretty well.
Very peculiar.
Cold brewed this early yesterday morning and strained it out before bed, so about an 11 hour steep time? I’m just trying it out now though.
I have to admit, it smelled better when I bought it than it did when I sniffed the dry leaf before making it – but maybe I was just in a funny mood yesterday. Actually, that’s probably it. I was super drowsy/nauseous from my medication and I still sort of am today, but a little less so.
This steeped up the be a rather unattractive yellow/green colour. I probably couldn’t get away with serving it to Tre: he’d take one look and just be like “no”. That’s why he only gets the pretty and colourful fruity cold brews I make.
Smell wise, it’s very creamy coconut with strong vegetal notes and pineapple notes. As far as the taste goes, I’m immediately hit with a thick mouthfeel and thick coconut taste paired with a very strong grassy/vegetal taste. This gives way to a slightly juicy, and much fruitier apricot and tart pineapple flavour. It maintains the grassy taste into the aftertaste.
It’s not awful – but I’m not really loving it either, and I don’t think I’d make this again as a cold brew unless I was trying to use up the leaf. I’ll leave it unrated for now though, until I’ve had a chance to try it hot.
This tastes more like a straight Pu er with just a hint of chocolate to it, definitely not getting any meringue notes and it is not “very chocolately” as stated on the label. It is not a bad Pu er, but not a great one, I think I will use the remainder as a base and add things to it…always fun to concoct.
Hmm… I don’t think I’m too crazy about this. It’s mostly puerish. I’m not getting much else.
But I have one cup left to try to make my mind up!
Sorry this was not for you. I wasn’t in love with it either but thought I would share.
Aw, boo. It is a pu-erh, which I’m learning now is not your thing VariaTEA. Had hoped it would work out or others though, as I do enjoy this.
Meh. I’m still happy to have tried it! With a name like chocolate truffle I may have been tempted to buy some, and then I would have been disappointed!
Names always get me. I am getting better at stopping myself when I see it has pu’erh or something I know I don’t like.
That’s good!
Sometimes puerh mixes can be really good though! Tealux has a few I really like.
Recently I have been super sensitive to the taste of rooibos. Not in a way that I feel ill but rather I pick up on it and find it hard to get past the rooibos flavor. Unfortunately this blend has fallen victim to that sensitivity. I can taste the toffee and it is good but more than anything I am tasting the rooibos. At least this isn’t an unbearable rooibos like some others I have had but at the end of the day it is still rooibos. Nonetheless, I am glad I got to try this and I definitely understand why others would find this delicious – I think I am just biased. Thank you Roswell Strange for letting me try a sample :)
Preparation
Backlog: Part of what puts me off about pu’erh is the smell. This is simply pure, unadulterated, ooey-gooey caramel goodness. I can definitely see why you like this one so much MissB so thank you so much for sharing it with me :)
Preparation
Wow, seriously? I stayed away from that because yeah, I don’t really care for the taste or smell of pu-erh. Was the base really strong and/or ultra earthy?
I think you can definitely tell it is a pu’erh (as in there is a hint of the earthiness in the base and smell) and for that reason alone I won’t be getting this again. However, it is the most mild pu’erh (with the exception of Teavana’s Weight To Go which has virtually no leaf) I have ever had. The most prominent flavor by far is the caramel.
I’ve never had a pu’erh (I find them a little intimidating, to be honest) but this one sounds really good and I’ve smelled it before in store, and it just smells like delicious caramel. Do you think it’d be a good starting point? Remember – it’s not hard for me to obtain (ten minute walk) and I could get it as a tea to go prior to purchasing any.
Well my first “pu’erh” was Weight To Go but there was virtually no pu’erh in that that I don’t think it counts. I think the only reason why that was a good start is because it rid me of my fear despite being completely non-representative. If you want something that does have the earthiness of pu’erh but is not overwhelming, this is definitely your best bet. I would say it is like 90% delicious caramel and 10% earthy pu’erh
I also have a sample of Dreamsicle Pu’Erh right now, which smells amazing, but same idea where I’m not sure if that’s a good starting point. I’m not scared of the earthiness of it (I like earthy teas), but of the potential fishiness.
The Dreamsicle is, in my opinion, something to move towards. It’s light on the flavoring, although the pu-erh taste is low as well. I found it… weak. I should also note that I love pu-erh however.
This tea? I think the earthiness is exactly as VariaTEA has described it, and it only accents the caramel-y ness of it. If you have easy access to it, I’d definitely try a cup. Zero rinsing needed either, although if you’re really worried, give them a quick rinse before steeping.
From the GCTTB. Ive seen quite a few tea logs since I’ve been part of this community talking about lychee teas and they got me intrigued as to what all the hype was about; so when I saw that Lala had included some of this in the box it immediately went into the “to try” pile.
I found the scent of the dry tea very… different. Dark and yeasty with a touch of coca underneath it all, but on top of that were the super-sweet lychee notes, fruity and a touch floral, they almost seemed a bit artificial.
The brewed liquor is a deep medium brown and smells of sweet lychee, flowers and a bit of yeast. My first few sips were not bad but I wasn’t getting much in the way of the lychee flavor. Mostly just the notes from the black tea, yeasty, warm and just the slightest touch astringent, it’s a decent black tea. As the tea cooled I started to get a few more of the lychee flavors which gave this tea a nice fruity tang, complementing the black tea nicely. That said given the scent profiles I was really hoping/looking for a bit more of the lychee right upfront. Oh well…
Despite the slight lack of flavor I did enjoy this tea, if you’re looking for something that isn’t as “in your face” as some flavored teas can be then it’s a decent one to have on hand. That said, though I’ll probably keep some of the bag when I send the box on, I’m still on the look out for other lychee flavored teas to try as I really do think that there’s going to be others out there with a bit more to them than this one had.
Preparation
This was the featured tea at Tea Desire today, so I enjoyed a few small little glasses of it. It’s one that’s been on my list to try for a while now, so I think it worked out well that I got to enjoy it all day long.
Taste wise, I thought that the flavours were all quite strong. Mostly I was just really impressed by how strong the vanilla flavouring was because I find that cinnamon can cover up a lot of flavours very easily. But this was nice, and well balanced. Of course I have no clue how it was prepared since I wasn’t the one who prepared it nor was I there when it was being prepared.
I have Della Terra’s Cinnamon Bun right now so I don’t think I’d need both of these – but I’d heavily consider getting this instead of Cinnamon Bun once I’m out of that one.
Why do you find them strong and I found it weak? Weird. Also your tasting note about Cinnamon Star is directly after mine which makes me laugh.
Maybe they overleafed? Yeah, made me laugh too.
Oh, I love this one. I just picked some up at 50% off so I hope it was just as good as it was years ago.
The problem with this blend has to do with consistency. Sometimes it is amazing. Other times, like today, it is a disaster. The base was too strong and too mediocre while the cinnamon was minimal and yet overly sweet. All of this despite being brewed the same way as the last cup. This is why I won’t stock this blend and when I finish what I have, it will be a good bye. Nonetheless, I am grateful to MissB for sharing as now and then I get a delicious cup and it makes all the bad cups worthwhile.
I thought I wanted something light this morning but or some reason, this tea was also calling to me. Consequently, I brewed two cups and as I smelled the amazing cinnamon-vanilla scent, my mouth began to water. Sipping on it now, it is like an iced cinnamon roll and it is very, very good, albeit a bit watery. Thank you MissB for sending me some more of this tea to enjoy :)
Sipdown!! (215)
This is a much better example of a sweet cinnamon tea. It is like having a cinnamon bun with some vanilla frosting. The cinnamon adds a nice warming spice while the vanilla contributes a nice sweetness. All the while, the black base provides a gentle stage on which everything can shine. I am actually really impressed with this tea today. Last time I had it the flavors were muted but this cup is quite flavorful. Thank you MissB for sharing this with me. I really enjoyed it and am actually sad to see it go. So long cinnamon bun in a cup.
Preparation
This is one of many teas that the wonderful MissB sent me. Tastewise, there is a mellow cinnamon flavor in the cup with the faintest hint of vanilla sweetness. I would say, though it is a tad bit weaker than I expected, it is reminiscent of the cinnamon you would find in a cinnamon bun – not too spicy and not cloyingly sweet but rather the perfect balance. I just wish the flavor was more pronounced but that does not mean this cup is not tasty. Thank you MissB!
ETA: I added a bit of milk to see what would happen and I think it is better without it. The already muted flavor was even more toned down by the addition :(
Preparation
Day #8 for the 12 Days of Christmas swap. Thank you Roswell!
I LOVE Milky Oolong. It is by far one of my favorite teas. I was hoping whoever had day 8 would provide a milk oolong:) This had an interesting twist. It had a much darker (not as green oolong) taste than the other milky oolongs I have had. It had a bit of a caramel flavor too it and a little less milky-ness to it. I like. I wish I had a few more cups of this to compare cup to cup with.
Chugging down a two-litre of this this evening because I’m so thirsty from running around all day trying to get the pin number on my debit fixed. Hours and hours and three banks later, it’s finally done.
And I just ate pot barley for supper, so the tea addition is making me feel incredibly full.
Coconut lime power!
Finally, finally, finally was able to make it down to a Tea Desire again. I’ve only been waiting to do that for nearly two years. Between the closest one being in a city I’ve never been to before and the Edmonton location constantly shutting down and relocating, it seemed nearly impossible.
I bought this specifically for cold brewing. The dry leaf smells like what you’d expect out of a coconut lime tea, except it’s even creamier than anticipated. Totally drew me in at the store and evoked images of a remote tropical paradise. Well, not really, but I was pretty damn elated.
Taste-wise, it falls a little flat, though. I can taste both the coconut and the lime, but there’s a sharpness to it that bites the roof of my mouth. The cream note isn’t what I had hoped for, either. The base is decent but I’m not sure if I actually care for it with these two notes. Perhaps a green base would have worked better, as I find that my favourite lime cold brew (52teas Lime Jello Salad) and coconut (Zen’s coconut green and/or oolong) tend to have green tea bases.
Yadda yadda. It’s drinkable but not amazing or anything.
My stomach is really upset again today, so after (I think it was) Roswell Strange tealogged this earlier, I thought, “Why am I not having some, too?” And so I am, and as always, it’s delicioso.
Preparation
I’m sorry about your tummy. But I’ve been wondering what it is about pu erh that helps with stomach upset. Is it the fermentation? Like the “good bacteria” in yogurt? (Probably should ask OMGsrsly, the rescuer of bacteria.)
It’s interesting you ask, because I was told (several times) it’s an oolong I should reach for with an upset stomach, yet that (sadly) makes me even more ill. I’ll assume it’s the fermentation on my end that helps, although I’m sure OMGsrsly knows, or at least has something more scientific to share on the matter.
My BF often has stomach upset (perhaps if he stopped eating like an 8 year old he’d have less) and I’ve been giving him pu erh, and he says it helps. There’s so much anecdotal evidence from various Steepsterites that I think pu ehr definitely has something magical about it. Unless it’s placebo effect ;-). But hey, whatever works. FWIW I would not dream of reaching for oolong with an upset tummy. I fear I would resort to some carbonated beverage or other.
I’m afraid I often turn to ginger ale or Sprite when my stomach is upset. I’m trying to change my habit to peppermint teas now that I’m into tea :). So far Hubby has given the thumbs up for peppermint. I think a mild ginger tea mint be good too.. I bought a box of tea when I was pregnant to help aid a pregnant stomach & I believe it was mainly ginger. Sometimes you just do with whatever tastes good at the time too.
Yeah, ginger ale is v. good. Also for me, Coke products though I tend to drink only Diet Coke. Ginger can be good. I bought crystallized ginger when I was pregnant, though I never had a lot of morning sickness, just sort of morning queasiness, and it seemed to help.
Ginger works well for me, and I’ll even take it in capsule format if I’m pukey. Only thing that worked for me when I was pregnant with my daughter though? Grapefruit essential oil that I dabbed on a kleenex and kept in my pocket at all times.
I envy you for not having morning sickness. I had just gotten past the time during pregnancy when most women have it and I had only had mild nausea in the mornings… then it started, leave it to me to be different. I tried several things.. pregnancy tea, ginger snaps (didn’t like them at the time), something else the health food store recommended, and nothing helped much except gas drops they give babies w/gas.
I’ve never heard of grapefruit oil being good for nausea. Was it the fragrance that helped you? Interesting.
Yes ole faithful caramel pu-erh, you’re still my favorite of the caramel teas. I’d strongly recommend you to anyone who likes a good, hearty pu-erh, although I’d probably only steep it 2 minutes if I were worried, or if I was new to pu-erhs. Me? I gave it a goooooood 20 minute steep, and then another hour or two for the re-steep.
Flavors: Caramel, Earth
Preparation
I love caramel pu erhs…they go together so well.
Oh HELL YES. Caramel and pu erh should just, like, get married.
agreed.
Oh, caramel pu’erh… I don’t think I ever had one. I love caramel and I love pu’erh and putting them together sounds like a great marriage to me… Have to put it on my list.
scottish toffee caramel puerh is a common one from a number of companies Kam :)
Of course, I had more of this the other night, because I’m an addicted little tea piggy. ;)
Preparation
I had this today and it is quite tasty. I can see why you like it. Thanks again for sharing :)
I think I sent you some of the Caramel Toffee Pu’erh from CaesarsTea. I find the two were very similar although the Pu’erh in the Caesars one may be a tad bit stronger.
