Teaopia

This was just what I needed!! ahhhhhh. I have a Golden Monkey at the office, but somehow chocolate notes in my tea didn’t feel right so I trekked out to the shop. Going in, I had no idea what to order…
After two flavoured teas, I so badly wanted a plain, black tea with no frills, some maltiness, and yet light accents of natural sweetness. Assams at Teaopia hadn’t done me well recently, so this was naturally the default- I must remember to thank the girl for reminding me about this one!!!
Anyhow, long story short, I was so very sad and tea-lonely when my cup was empty.
Sidenote: On the way, I almost bought this really cute pair of boots/shoes. If they’re there when I hit the shop again on Thursday, I’ve decided that fate wants me to have them!! and it won’t be superfluous spending, Fall is coming and I do need some shoes :P

This is great!! so very smooth and just the right amount of bold. There is something (that I like) hanging in the background, like Gmathis said… buttered toast sounds about right! I was going to say toasted leaves, but toast is more apt.
It reminds me, in a way, of the note in pu’erhs that I keep hanging on to, that makes me think that I will find one I actually enjoy one day (besides cinnamon heart). I think it’s that toasted finishing note that brings me there.
The first half of the sip is rather subtle though. Watery, with just a hint of boldness. So contrary to the second half… It’s as if I took two different sips and cut them in half/switched ’em.
Either way, I am highly impressed!! :)

This was… well, it was different!
The bamboo was very nutty and left an odd vegetal aftertaste in my mouth… it reminded me of asparagus or some other vegetable I can’t quite place.
Also, this tea was very thick. I found that it caught in my throat as I swallowed, right before the vegetal taste kicks in. It was almost as if my body was protesting the suggestion of liquid vegetable. ha!
I’m glad I tried it, but will definitely not be buying any of this one. I entirely missed out on the pomegranate to :(

Organic Assam Banaspathy FOP
Dry Aroma: toasted, sweet, dark fruit/dried currants
Wet Aroma: sweet orange zest and slight tannic notes
Cup: smooth, clean mild body, sweet finish with lingering slightly bittersweet chocolate/malt aftertaste.
brewed method: traditional cupping set – 2 grams (1 rounded tsp) per 6oz in 200 degree water for 2-3 minutes.
good example of second flush, full leaf Assam. Would make a great base for an Irish breakfast or a simple cold brewed iced tea.

So… with summer coming up and me trying iced teas, I bought a bodum from Teaopia. $20!! sadly, I can’t find a pic online, probably because it was on clearance.
Anyhow, this is the tea I christened it with!
The strawberry is definitely muted compared to the hot version, but a little more tart where I do find it. Oddly though, I do like it!!
In fact, I’d consider buying more of this just for that purpose. Only it’s one of those cases where I don’t die-hard love it so will think about it, and then not buy any, you know what I mean?
btw, extra points for not having to add sugar. It was great on it’s own! Upping the rating a few points.

Hmmm, I need to play with the steeping parameters. The strawberry was a bit too mild, and the ceylon a tad too bland and even earthy. It was ok, but nothing like what I had in the store. The earthiness confuses me, since my tea master has never touched bergamot, and I know this wasn’t a yunnan or pu’erh!
Maybe a resteep of the leaves will offer up a better brew. and sugar. Yes, I may add a dash of sugar.
EDIT: I fear that whoever filled the kettle this aft, forgot about our plumbing issues and used the kitchen sink! perhaps that’s why this tastes like old socks mixed with my beloved strawberry shortcake. *sighs
Here’s hoping for next time!

OMW to work this morning… and wow, it certainly hit the spot!!
The strawberry and cream flavour really comes through. I added no sugar at all, and some milk, yet it tasted as if I added liquid strawberry cream. I was in heaven!!!
There wasn’t much else besides those flavours. Maybe a hint of maltiness, and a touch of astringency. I wouldn’t want this tea often, but you can bet I will be buying some. Eventually. Or ASAP if I find out they’re ever discontinuing it :P
I love that it’s a dessert like tea, but different than the standard chocolate, caramel, or cookie variety I typically fall in love with.

Did my tea tastes change yet again?? this was just ho-hum. I’m thankful that there was no bergamot taste but otherwise, I won’t be ordering it again! The tea was just… plain! boring without any of the boldness I found before- whatsoever! Odd. They wouldn’t change the brewing parameters would they?
P.S. This is a backlog from yesterday. I was just to sleepy when I got home!

I tried this on the way in to work this morning.
My preferences on tea are being challenged everyday, so after trying Lover’s Leap(a bold brew), and then reading the description for this one, how could I resist??
Well, this is definitely bold!!!! sheesh, it slapped me in the face with boldness!
It went beyond malty, to that raisin-like place. The thing is, the entire sip was like that, until the finish when it kindof tapered off into a mild boldness.
There was very little astringency though, but it was definitely not a complex tea.
So, yet another paradigm shift in my tea pickings!
Overall, it was pleasant, and loads better than bagged. I can see coffee lovers enjoying this. I do love my coffee <3

Backlog!
This was my after sushi tea. I was not all that impressed. Maybe it’s just me (probably), but I find that dried plum and oolong have very similar flavours. I could definitely taste the plum here, but it sortof finished off where the nutty oolong part left off.
I like my tea’s complex, and this just seemed to be one extra long sip of the same flavour.
The cherries were nowhere to be found either. They smelled so scrumptious in the bucket! and I loooooooove dried cherries so the lack of cherry in here was most disappointing. It was one of the reasons I chose this tea. Ah well, ya win some ya lose some.
I’m giving this an extra low rating because I’ve had other Oolong’s that were SO much better, and I doubt I would take up this tea even if it were free. I normally reserve this rating for tea’s that make me want to toss it, which I almost did do… what can I say, I’m in a harsh mood today, and I’m frustrated at having found nothing redeeming about this one, especially in contrast to the liquid delight I had this morning.
Oh, except that it was sweet enough without any sugar added.
Don’t let my rating scare you off though. If you like plums, this one might be for you.

Meh. Drank a cup today. Hate to waste tea. But really. Anyone want to swap?

I’m way too picky. This one is a bit soapy. I can’t put my finger on it – the rosebuds maybe? The green tea base is also not very present, and I have come to realize I like a strong tea base with subtle additions. The smell is enticing, though…so it may be good for aromatherapy.

I may have to seriously narrow where I shop from. I was in the mall tonight and thought I’d pick up a “treat”. Really, not so much. I might have over steeped it, so I will give it a try again tomorrow.

Seriously!!! this tea was so good at one point. What happened? you poor little assam, did some horse trample your delicate leaves and trail it’s waste all through your fields??
I gave this one last chance… loaded it up with agave and milk… and even then it was just “ok”.
Lowering the rating here pains me, but it must be done. So… Why do I feel like a parent scolding her children? and why do I feel so guilty for it?
Because I’m so dissapointed by the lack of depth, maltiness, and general dusty flavour, when I know it has such potential? or maybe because the DT version is loads better?
Gah! I’m done with you Assam Banaspaty. You may be drinkable, but not in comparison to so many other teas.

Again, on the way to work this morning, I realized that ooops!! I forgot my wallet at home. However, my tea friend at the shop was kind enough to make me a cuppa for no charge (I’ll pay later) so I was able to get my morning fix. Thank Zeus for that!
On to the tea: it was tasty. not as bold as I recall but still pretty good. Better than tims for sure, though I did feel the need to add some agave for that extra something to make it more attractive against my palate.
Overall, definitely not one I would bring home- though it’s good enough for the road!

I tried this on my way to work this morning. It was good! very much like the Budla only stronger… a tad bitter, maltier, and bolder however I don’t get nearly as much “marshmallow”.
Oh and it didn’t set my jitters off this time, which I thought was odd since I’d eaten a tiny breakfast so I’m wondering if there is less caffeine in this brew? I know that bolder coffees are roasted more, and thus have less of the stimulant in them, so perhaps tea follows the same principle. Who knows? (someone reading this, I am sure haha)
Anyhow, I’m not sure which I prefer between this and Budla. I’d like to try the DT counterpart to compare before really passing any judgment on it.

I tried a sample of this in the store today. Now, keep in mind that I am NOT a bergamot fan. It smells like lavender, and I hate lavender!!
Even still, this tea fell short of the low expectations I had… it was bitter (possibly due to oversteeping) and the floral scent and taste was overpowering. Ick.
I tried the Monk’s blend once, a few months ago and that sample was similarly bitter so I suspect that is the nature of tea kept in a big pot like they have… but that is not enough to make me like lavender. errr, bergamot.

Disappointing. I’ve had far too many misses at teaopia lately. It makes me wonder if their grade of tea is sub-par, or if DT’s just uses extra premium. Either way, I am falling out of love with this tea establishment, tea by tea.
The tea itself was not bad, but again, not great. I get the sense that a similar tea from DT would go a step beyond to actually impress me.
One thing I do appreciate is that they use a Tea Master, so I’m not left housing the bag in my cup until I either finish it or find a convenient time/place to dispose.
Anyhow, I digress… the tea! I could taste the white, it was definitely not a premium white. I found it scratchy and a little grassy. I think the rose is what made me itch. Am I the only one that ever gets that sensation from teas?? bah…
The pear was hiding behind the tea, peeking out every now and then but not really making itself known. I wish it had come out to play more- and this, despite the add of some rock sugar!
Even still, there was something mildly pleasant about this tea. I enjoyed it much more than the Mango white they have. There was some depth as well, which I think rounded it out some. Overall, the Strawberry white at DT’s is the one to beat. I almost wish I’d found that one later on so that these wouldn’t fall so short! Standing apart from it though, this one is pretty decent. Maybe my earlier statement of “disappointing” was a little harsh.

This was my first tea of the day. Unfortunately, it seems that I’ve overdone it with the Bergamot and Jasmine experimentation and was temporarily allergic to tea!! :(
but I seem to be over that, as long as I stay away from those nauseating petals.
So… when I tried this tea, it really did nothing to impress. I’m still queasy so I’m thinking I need to take a break from blacks for awhile- until my body figures out that there are no flowers in plain black tea!
Anyhow, I’m leaving the rating on this one til I come back with a fresh palate. I should try lover’s leap again to… I don’t want to be an anti-black tea drinker!!

I tried this on the way into work this morning.
Unfortunately, as I was putting it down on the counter, my bag slipped off my shoulder and into the crook of my elbow which then jarred the tea and splashed it all over me. I put on quite a show. How embarrassing… *sighs
Anyhow, the tea, or what was left of it, was pretty good. I added agave and milk this time. If I’d had an extra cup and some time I would have split it and drank half sans any additions to get the full experience. It makes me a little sad that I couldn’t. Well, it’s something else to look forward to now.
In the meantime, here is what I got out of it:
It was a nice malty, round cup which to me, tasted slightly toasted. Something about it with the milk reminds me of marshmallows. The astringency level was great, very mild yet it left somewhat of a pleasant aftertaste.
Overall, I found it to be rather plain. I wish that the flavours had been bolder and more complex (except the astringency, again, that part was perfect) but I still enjoyed it.
Being new at this, I’d like to come back and try it again in a few months after I’ve learned to identify some more of the notes. I hope I can tell the difference between Budla and the next black tea I try :)

I tried this at the shop this morning. It was tasty, I quite liked it! However the caffeine proved to be a bit much, I was jitterbuggin all over the place.
The tea itself was actually a little nutty, not something I expected but I’ve noticed that in oolongs before, as they cool down. When it was still relatively hot, the tea was remarkably champagne-y without any of the alcohol burn, which I am also impressed with. However, I did find it was slightly astringent… not enough to bother me though.
I had been looking forward to my morning tea since planning out my path to work the night before, so every sip of this tea was savoured.
Would I buy it?? maybe. I am undecided on that, but definitely considering it. It isn’t complex enough for me to absolutely fall in love with it- I’m at serious like right now.
Oh, and I added a dash of agave, but I think it may have been better without.

Allergy update! :)
So I went into the shop this AM before work and let loose on my situation, and the tea barista agreed to steep my tea in a bag instead of a tea master. Yay!
He said that they bleach the tea masters out ever week but sometimes it leeches into the plastic pretty quickly and therefore I should be careful.
So I ordered the lapsang souchong. Feeling extra diva-like this morning, I mentioned wanting to try it with milk but not being sure about it so the other worker, a girl this time, poured some into a small cup for me.
I gotta say, it was kinda weird with milk!! The DT version was great with milk, I suppose cuz the smokiness is less intense. Here, it just made the tea floral and marshmallow-ey in an odd way that made no sense to my taste buds.
So I drank the rest of it bare. Yummmm! nary a bergamot leaf to be smelled. Ahhhhh…
Nothing will compare to the first time I tried this one. I always get so excited the first time lol
Anyhow, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. One day I’ll pick some up to take home with me and maybe try more than one steep!

ohhhh my smoky goodness! this was amazing.
Now, it may be that some of my tastebuds are dampened due to a case of allergies, but today, I simply do not care. It tasted like liquid campfire! errr minus the ash and twigs, and burning haha.
The tea itself is rather light, taking a seat way in the back of the bus, but I can atleast recognize that it’s there. The smoky part rides up front, permeating my senses and taking me to a far away forest where I once spent evenings roasting marshmallows (hmmmm, I wonder what that would taste like in this tea??) and telling stories.
I really should not be buying any more tea(for now), not for take-home anyhow… but darn this one is tempting me!!
No milk, no sugar…. this one stands on it’s own, and that in my books is more rare, and yes, prized-to me, than I like to admit
Oh and I love that there is absolutely no astringency or bitterness. It’s not quite sweet, but I could see how one would derive that conclusion, if they can get past the smoke.

underwhelmed. Comparing this to the strawberry white, that is all I can think of. The “under” part doesn’t even deserve to be capitalized. (grammar nazi at heart here)
Maybe it would have gotten a better reaction from if I hadn’t tried the strawberry first…. and I should have added some sugar/agave to bring out the mango. It smells incredibly luscious when steeped, compared to the flavour- more so than the dry leaves.
I think what bothered my was that I wanted to taste more of the mango, but it was more of a background note with tea in the forefront. Perhaps I didn’t get enough mango “flavouring”? I know I know, I say that every time a tea dissapoints me… but it’s a legitimate concern! and I really wanted to love this tea.
Besides that, the “white” part was substandard as well. It was all fuzzy and tasted more like an oolong. I wonder if that was the ginger sneaking in? I certainly couldn’t identify it as such. The marigold and rose probably helped make more of a mess here to. I know rose is somewhat overpowering in a tea, kindof like hibiscus.
Bah!! There is just too much going on here for the mango to be really present. It almost reminds me of a bagged tea, the way everything is muted.

Uh huh, that’s right… I went there! and no I will not take it back.

I love this Green tea! Blueberries……yum!