Tea Guys

This tea called to me this morning after reading Doulton’s fabulous write-up on it the other day. I think it was pre-Shakespeare box when I had this last, so I was quite curious to see what I now thought of it. While it steeped I looked at the back of the tea packet where a somewhat lengthier description was written. It was a somewhat vindicating moment in that is mentions Keemun and Lapsang Souchong. The Tea Guys’ website mentions only Keemun and Darjeeling! I thought that I was going crazy as I tried to taste Darjeeling in my earlier cups and kept thinking, “but it tastes more like a Lapsang — maybe it’s how Keemun and Darjeeling interact that makes it smokey?”

With my mind no longer distracted by trying to find things that weren’t in the blend I found this more enjoyable. I think that it’s my favorite Keemun blend by far, and a decent Lapsang Souchong blend. I want to try this tea at boiling next time since I’m getting a dryness at the back of my throat. Bumped up the rating from a 78. NE

ETA: Oh, just remembered the Rose Keemun blend that I loved from the Shakespeare box — so this would be my second-most favorite Keemun blend :)

Cold brewed iced tea out of a Keemun and Lapsang Souchong blend — why not? The more I drink it the more I like it. It was rather bizarre at first with that sort of bacony LS taste coming out at the forefront. Now it has more of the sweet aspect of LSes with a deep base of Keemun and the swallow finishes with a really nice sweet note. I can’t say how often I’ll ice this, but I’m rather surprised at how much I’m enjoying it! I could see myself getting odd random cravings for this one. NE

Aha! So my cup was clean when I tried this and it still reminded me of Lapsang Souchong, but in a weird way – and then it hit me: I’m tasting woodsiness! This tea continues to intrigue me. I have enough for one more pot and I’m looking forward to it. It’s one of the most “masculine” teas that I’ve had so far. It’s like one of those rough looking biker dudes that has a teddy bear collection at home. Rugged, yet sweet! NE

I’d completely forgotten why I’d ordered this sample. The packet says “black tea with flower petals” therefore I assumed it was a floral black. The petals were a very pretty blue violet amongst the dry leaves. The picture here doesn’t do the tea justice. The leaves are also a lot smaller than what the picture seems to depict. So, shrink down that photo and add some lighter brown leaves and pretty purple petals.

The smell was (don’t hate me) like a black tea.

Here’s where I must make a confession. After my teagasmic experience with the Lapsang Souchong this morning I rinsed my favorite cup and dashed out the door. I didn’t even think twice about not having washed it when I came home (my iced tea pitcher came along with more tea – needless to say I was a bit distracted). The mug looked clean and I used it. So I think that I can’t really be fair on the first steep. I kept thinking that there was a hint of LS to this tea when I realized my oversight. Sorry! Regardless of my error I really felt myself decompress from today through drinking this. It was like a hug for my soul.

Second steep: I washed my mug and then looked at the website to find out what exactly’s going on with this tea. I think I’d almost convinced myself that there was some rose in this. And then I saw the description. ::facepalm:: I got it because it sounded interesting and it was Keemun with a mixture of Darjeeling: two teas that I’m really not familiar with. So I’m not the best to judge this tea since I can’t tell what’s what. I think the “rose” is actually the Darjeeling’s spice. But I’ll tell you this: I’m really loving this tea. It’s smooth and bold and I think that I’ll have to buy more. Not quite TG, but soooo very close! I’ll try this again soon with a (ahem) clean cup from the beginning.

As soon as I opened the sample tin that LiberTEAs sent me I could smell a scent double of true Carrot Cake. HOW CLEVER! Then…when I looked at the Rooibos and other ingredients I could clearly see each element blended throughout the mix. Its very colorful and creative! This infuses pretty dark for a Rooibos. The first sip took me by surprise as it was mostly carrot taste…but the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sips quickly followed and intrigued me and I kept drinking.

If broadway had a Tea/Tisane Musical with flashy colors, and music, and storyline, and costumes, and stage tricks – this would be it. It seems to be surprise after surprise and the end result is that is tastes like Carrot Cake in a Cup! It very much lives up to it’s description.

What a treat!

SIPDOWN!!!!

More peach than ginger especially when it cools for a few mins. This is very nice! Upping the rating.

It’s the first tea I am trying in my new Libre Loose Leaf Tea Glass!

This was much better this time around so I am upping the rating! The Black Tea, PEACH, and Ginger were much more even and it was juicy not as spicy…YAY!

This smells great…peach, ginger, and for some reason I am smelling a HINT of apple, almost and I don’t know why.

The taste is very much Ginger with Cinnamon. There is a hint of peach. It’s not bad, but I, personally, would have liked more peach and less ginger.

Thanks to LiberTEAs I was able to try this one…and am VERY grateful.

Yeah…just a bit too much ginger and cinnamon for me…no worries, tho!

1/2 warm-up, 1/2 2nd infusion…just because…I’m having a hard time letting this one go…okay!? LOL

Not too shabby the 2nd time around…a bit lighter but still tasty!

I’m adding more points on to this one…because…I’m out of stock after this cup and have found that I really like it more and more…and it didn’t last long in my stash! It’s a nice memorable tea. And I really do think that if you are hungry it seems to help me hold off on the munchies or snack! LOL This one will be VERY MUCH MISSED…

Forgive me tea gods as it’s been 24 days since my last infusion.

One thing I am certainly surprised about is all of the tea I am drinking lately with MAPLE or MAPLE SUGAR or flavors mixed in with other flavors. I honestly would have never thought about that and come to find out I have liked almost everyone I have tried – including THIS one.

This smells just like Maple Syrup today. Very reminiscent of my Mother ordering pancakes at the local DENNY’s when I was very little.

Yes, Maple and sugar and black tea. YUM

If you take the color of a lighter brewed coffee this coloring is comparable. I can smell the Maple before, during, and after infusing. It tastes like maple but not as sugary as I was assuming based on the name…but that’s ok because I like it. You can still taste the Maple but you can also taste the black tea. Both the Black Tea AND the Maple are both bold and flavorful! I want to thank LiberTEAs for the opportunity to try this one too!

SIPDOWN #1 of today!

This is nice…I wish I lived near TeaNY…they have some lovely teas!

DOUBLE DUTYING This Review!!! A tea with a product!!!

As for the tea I am sampling at the moment…WALNUT GREEN…

LiberTEAs sent this one to me, too! :) Thanks girl!

Yes…the first thing that hits you is the SCENT! It’s every bit of Walnut Green Tea you could imagine and then some. It tastes JUST LIKE it smells! Nutty yet refreshing! This is pretty good. I’m scoring it a bit high because it really surprised me and it’s more complex than “just” your average walnut taste. I wouldn’t say it’s like Maple Walnut Ice Cream in the form of a tea but it’s fairly close.

I also happen to be drinking this in my NEW Kati Loose Tea System by Tea Forte
http://www.teaforte.com/store/tea-accessories/cups/kati-loose-tea-system/
I just got it today!!! WOOT!
I am now a proud owner of the “GRASS” Design one.

Description on the Tea Forte Site is:
Our double-wall ceramic tumbler and integrated stainless steel infuser make brewing loose tea by the cup simple. The innovative double-wall construction keeps tea hot and the tumbler cozy to hold. Brews a generous 12 oz cup and is dishwasher safe.

My findings on the products…first the tumbler itself…
It’s heavy-duty which I like. I am keeping this at work so I tend to walk around with my WORK mug. I will say that THIS is NOW going to REPLACE my old ‘mug’ completely. I really LOVE the design! Like I said, it’s the GRASS one and it’s “so me” because some people refer to me as a tree hugger or hippie! It’s earthy, natural-looking, and FUN!

I really LOVE the fact that it has a LID. 1 because it keeps the tea itself warm(er) than if the tea is exposed while steeping or infusing like I did it before. And 2 because I am a klutz and will really be benefiting from the usage of this lid!

With the double-wall ceramic the description refers to…I also like this feature because you are still able to pick it up while hot. BUT…it still gets warm…I would have to say it cuts down on the ‘holding temperature’ at least by half…this is my estimated guess I haven’t officially or technically tested it…but to give you an idea of the ‘heat to hand’ comparison…if you know what I mean.

As for the “integrated stainless steel infuser” I would give it a thumbs up as well! I did find it a little less heavy duty than other strainers but it also allows for more movement of the loose leaf. Having said that, tho, it’s also easy to remold into the original shape…so…no worries there.

When you discard your loose leaves (the ones I have tried so far) do stick a little bit but it’s nothing I can’t deal with. The Strainer PERFECTLY fits the tumbler! Like I said before I tend to walk around the office and sometimes spill. While the loose leaf is infusing the leaves stay put regardless. They DO NOT “Jump Over Board” into the liquid…they DO stay put! YAY…NO FLOATIES!

I am going to try and review this product several times with different contacts and teas to see how it handles other ‘types of tea and tisanes" but I am here to tell you my first attempt was VERY successful! I’m such a HAPPY tea drinker at the moment!!!!

The only thing I miss is a handle on the side…but because I am so excited about the actual product and ‘know’ it’s supposed to be ‘different from a mug’ I will certainly look past that!

As for the rating of this post – I’m simply rating the TEA mentioned in the beginning of the post…as for the product from Tea Forte…So far I give it 2 thumbs up! A great addition to ANY Tea Lovers Collection!!! More reviews and ratings coming soon! I will also be posting on my personal tea blog as well a teareviewblog.com down the road!

Backlogging from earlier today – I had some of this iced. It makes a very good iced tea, but I think I prefer this one hot.

Enjoying a cup of this tea right now – it went really nicely with my multi-grain toast with Nutella. (A local bakery here makes the most incredible bread! YUM)

Nice, sweet, nutty. The pineapple of this blend is more of a background note, I can taste it but it seems to be there mostly to create depth rather than to focus on pineapple flavor. Not surprisingly by the name of the tea – the nuts are the real stars of this cup.

Light, fresh, and yummy! The more I taste this tea, the more I like it.

You know what? This tea is awesome!

Because I’m still sick, I’m not going to bump up the numeric rating just yet, but, I’m quite tempted. The flavor (Now – with impaired taste buds) is very nutty… much more so than I remember. A very pleasant buttery flavor to it. Sweet, and yummy… what a treat this is! I think I like it better now than I remember.

I have had this tea in my cupboard for a while but this is the first time I’ve tasted it.

The aroma of this tea is yummy – nutty, but also strongly fruity with the addition of coconut and pineapple added to the blend. It’s kind of like a nutty twist on a pina colada.

This is a delicious flavored green tea, and I like that I can taste the green tea amid the strong flavors of fruit and nut. The green tea has a nice, buttery taste. Fresh and smooth. The nutty flavor is toasty and sweet, and the fruit flavors are not as strong as the nutty flavor – which is good. I haven’t decided though whether I taste more walnut or almond…

A nice strong flavored tea, which is something that I need right now.

Very tasty – A strong ginger flavor, and the peach is very good… this reminds me a bit of a gingered peach cobbler. Yummy! I only enough of this tea for another pot… which is a bit bitter-sweet. Sad that it’s going to be gone, because I’ve enjoyed it, but happy it’s going to be gone to make way for other teas (I have so much tea!)

We just got home from running errands. I just grabbed something from my enormous supply of bags of tea, and this is what I happened to grab. Fortunately, I am quite happy with that choice. YUM

The peach flavor is bright and juicy, and the ginger adds just enough peppery kick to it. Peach and ginger were made for each other! They compliment each other so well.

I really like that the flavors of this tea are strong enough to enjoy, yet not so incredibly strong that they overwhelm the flavor of the tea. Nicely balanced.

Yum! This tea seems to get better with each time I brew it. I guess it’s growing on me.

The ginger has a pleasant kick to it, not extraordinarily spicy, just a nice warmth and a little peppery kick. The peach is sweet and delicious, but that sweetness does not overwhelm the cup. I can also taste the cinnamon here and it plays well with the ginger.

A very nice, well rounded blend of tastes.

Just trying this tea for the first time. I received the order a couple of weeks ago… in that order I also received the Papaya Ginger which I absolutely loved so this one kind of got overlooked!

It’s very good. One of the better ginger peach teas I’ve tasted. The ginger does not overwhelm the cup and the peach is sweet and very delightful. The flavors are well balanced and the tea flavor is brisk and lively. Muscatel is very complimentary to the peach notes.

I’ll have to write a review on the Tea Review Blog about this one!