Teas Etc

This won’t be an everyday tea for me, but it is remarkably nice for a special occasion. The rose dominates, seconded by the jasmine. The bergamot provides but a simple backnote. Nice.

Maybe it was the tea fairy’s plan all along to have me spill my Rosy Earl Grey which then forced me to place another Teas Etc. order with a sample of this tea included. Perhaps the tea fairy is less capricious than I had thought. Because I loves me some of this tea!

The dry leaves smelled…like an old ashtray?…but not tabacco-ey at all. I was majorly concerned. Steeped it’s a very light smoke (says the Lapsang Souchong lover). I wasn’t impressed with the first few sips. I was getting a woody taste, almost like cardboard and no sweetness. It seemed rather flat. And then slowly this tea started to morph. It seemed like a yummy wood taste (now reading the description it’s like “oak!” ::facepalm::), the smoke is still more of a feeling than a scent/taste, and there’s the nicest sweet aftertaste left over from the sip. Warm Fuzzy detectors engage. My “I need MORE NOW!” feeling kicked in and I knew that this tea’s a keeper.

I’m drinking the second steep right now (added 1 minute to steep time) and I’m liking it more and more. The sweetness is shining through. It’s not as aggressive as most LSes, all the flavors I associate with smoky teas are present, but much more subdued. You know how tv shows and comics have a tendency to turn their characters into babies? http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SpinoffBabies
Well, this is the baby version of Upton’s Black Dragon. If I had to chose between the two it wouldn’t even be a contest: Upton would win with its maturity. But this tea is yummy in its own rights and has earned a permanent spot in my cupboard. TG

I’m really glad that I hadn’t looked up this tea on Steepster before chosing it as a free sample with my Teas Etc. order. I would’ve run screaming.

The smell? Both wet and dry reminds me of this little local gift shop that sold Mary Engelbreit stuff and tons of lotions, perfumes, potpourri, and jewelry. I haven’t been there in over a decade and smelling this tea immediately transported me there.

Berries? Not so much. If I do the Jedi Mind-Fuzzing Tea Trick I can sort of taste a hint of fruit. Potpourri? Oh yes. This is like a steeped potpourri. There’s a neat sweetness that lingers around my mouth after I sip, and that’s what gave my tea rating a boost.

I also had a wonderful realization: Tea Etc’s steeping instructions for samples come on the bag that’s tucked into the tins. You cut open the bag, deposit the tea into the tin, and then toss the bag. I think this is why the Organic Relaxation was so very different on my second steep. Just looking at my two tasting notes my first nummy cup was with boiling water. On the second icky cup I had dropped it to a typical temp for tisanes: 180. I’m really raring to go try the Relaxation again, but with the hotter water.

I have enough sample for one more pot and I won’t be dreading that pot. I’m just rather ambivilent about this particular tea. But will I order more of this? No, no I won’t. M

The dry leaves of this tea are very beautiful, and have a fuzzy,soft look to them and are yellow golden color. This color changes to a reddish brown hue after being steeped. The liquor is smooth and has a medium mouth feel, right in between thin and thick. This tea’s liquor was quite spicy, reminiscent of black pepper and a tiny bit of cocoa

Want to read a more thorough review see my blog! :) http://wp.me/pQxcK-3p

Kristin sent me some of this (thanks!), and I was eager to try it despite her sad review, because the photo looks so good. Brewed, it tastes of herbs, but not at all of berries. I feel like I’m drinking a cup of sage in hot water. Funny for a brew that advertises itself as fruity… straining to taste something fruity there may be a hint of berry, but only because I’m trying so hard. Meh to this.

I’m finishing up my mistake purchase tonight and decupboarding this one. Hasn’t grown on me since the first note, and if anything as I’ve become more accustomed to the flavor it has become somewhat more rooibos-y. But on the upside, I’ve freed up one of those cute, small Teas Etc. tins, which I plan to put to good use!

This is embarrassing, but I bought this by mistake. Am I the only one who has ever done that? I meant to buy the Mandarin Orange green tea from Teas Etc. But this is what showed up. I’m sure it was because of user error, i.e. mine, and it seemed like a hassle to send it back so I just kept it and decided to give it a shot.

There’s an intense, juicy orange smell upon opening the tin. The rooibos is noticeable, mostly as a sort of woody back-note, but not strong.

The aroma from the rooibos after steeping is — get this — very much like Fanta orange soda without the addition of the carbonated quality. There is also an appley smell underneath from the rooibos.

The taste is not bad. It’s not exactly sweet orange, but it’s not bitter either. I wish the orange flavor was stronger. It’s almost enough to make me unaware I’m drinking red rooibos, but not quite.

It started out a mistake, and it’s not something I’d order again, mostly because I just don’t think I’d ever really want to drink orange rooibos (unless I’d ordered it by mistake, in which case I’d happily drink it to have an additional option at night when I don’t want to take in too much caffeine). But it’s decent, by the standard I apply which is unobtrusiveness in the rooibos flavor.

Another humid one. This calls for one of my favorite hot weather teas in the whole wide world: Rosy Earl Grey. I love how delicate and heady it is (jasmine!) despite it containing black tea. The perfect marriage for me! Another summer day in a cup. Swoon.

Also, I thought it was funny/neurotic that even though I was carrying in a thousand things this morning, I still stopped and bought bottled water for my tea making because I knew we were out at the office. The thought of that nasty spigot water ruining Rosy! No, no, no!

Very much in the mood for more tea today, I put a teaspoon of my Rosy in with the Earl Grey de la Creme leaves I’ve already used. One of my favorite tricks! It gives a tiny bit of creamy vanilla flavor to the already sublime Earl Grey, Jasmine, and sweet rosiness. Ah!

I don’t know what it is about Earl Grey de la Creme, but after I have two cups, I crave Rosy Earl Grey! I think the creamy vanilla flavor and those pretty blue cornflowers remind me of the beautiful pink rose petals and jasmine flavor in Rosy!

So this afternoon, out came Rosy! Light and delicious. Brewing it like an oolong (195) seems to make all the different types of teas blended together reasonably happy. The sweet floral quality was so enjoyable and reviving. That little bit of froof did me good. I was feeling overworked and dreary, but now I’m smiling! I simply adore this happymaking tea.

Oh, Rosy! I love you! I’ve MISSED you!!!!!!! I get so into my Winter Dark Roasty Smoky habit, that I forget how much I enjoy your sweet, gentle but flavorful, jasminey, rosy delightfulness. Definitely one of my Top Ten All Time Tea Loves. This tea is pure synergy – you don’t taste the individual ingredients as much as you taste this new amazing swoon worthy flavor. Love, love, love!

I’m having one of those never ending afternoons which never end ;) I think it is because I had a glorious lunchtime walk and now I have “Fall Fever” (most people get Spring Fever but leave it to me to be different!). I thought a nice light sweet cup of tea would help with this, so I made some Rosy Earl Grey.

Afternoon tea perfection. A little bit of everything I love: Jasmine, Rose, Earl Grey. Made at this low temperature it’s so elegant and nice to sip. I really should have a cup in the afternoon more often. I don’t think my Fall Fever was helped though – if anything I’m even more distracted and dreamy, wishing I was wandering the city to sit down to an afternoon tea someplace pretty!

This tea is so incredibly delightful! I thank the tea gods every time I drink it that Rabs sent me some to try. My life (and frou frou) is so enriched because of it!!!

You know how some days certain teas taste better than other days? Well, today is a banner Rosy Earl Grey day. It tastes so sweet and jasminey and rosy yet the good tea base is keeping it grounded and not cloying or perfumey. I am literally saying (in my mind!) SHEESH this is SO GOOD after each and every sip!

I am glad I learned to make hearts on the internet, because ♥ ♥ ♥ !!!

EDIT: I was about to make a third steep, but I had to run to a meeting, so I added lukewarm water to my brew mug. When I returned an hour and a half later, I had a delicious “iced tea” to drink with my lunch! It’s not cold, but it is cool from our freezing office air conditioning. No bitterness and delicious flavor. Typing this in so I can remember it for the future!

In utterly desperate need of some frou frou. Two steep of this should do it!

Rosy jasminey perfection. Good, sweet tea flavor. This is a good one to take little sips of for an hour :) It is sweeter and sweeter as it cools. This may be intriguing iced.

My day has instantly brightened!!!

I don’t have a single, solitary ounce of frou-frou left in my body! Time for some Rosy Earl Grey! So delicious. Jasmine, rose. Invigorating black tea. Delicate yet flavorful. Absolutely transporting!

Ahhhhh I can feel it working! I just got an urge to put on lipstick!!

As I said to Rabs, I decided that I need to drink this tea at least once a week in order to keep my frou-frou intact. :) Good thing I bought the GIANT bag! So perfect. Rose, jasmine, a good Earl Grey black. Sweet and floral. Delicate, yet gives you a lift! I’m convinced it’s the loveliest afternoon tea on the planet!

Rose! Jasmine! Earl Grey! It’s like a fairy tea sister offered to send a magic tea with all my best loved flavors in it. Wait! This really happened!! Rabs sent this tea to me!!!! :)

I LOVE IT!!!!

If you too love these things, you HAVE to try this tea! It’s blended SO WELL. As you can imagine, all these fruits and florals together could be an awful, sickening mess, but this is PERFECT. Every single flavor comes through, but is subtle and delightful. I think the black Earl Grey is the anchor that holds this whole confection together. The rose and jasmine add just the right flavor and sweetness. Not a single solitary addition needed.

This tea is also very beautiful. Rose petals and buds. Green tea amongst the black. Long elegant leaves. This tea is a delight for the eyes as well as the palate!

I’ve been really good about not buying tea, but this one is getting bought as soon as the month turns!!! Love, love, love!

This is a nice one. Teas Etc advertises it as a “simple” green tea, which it is. But it is also warming, vegetal, and not at all strident. Nice.

I’m not exactly sure what I was thinking this morning when I made this tea. Normally I steep it for 4mins but today I did 2mins. OMG, what a lovely mistake. It’s sweet and creamy and malty and a tiny bit peppery hitting the tip of my tongue. The texture isn’t as stout as with a 4min steep but honestly? It doesn’t lose any of the flavor – in fact, I think the sweet notes might be more sparkly with this shorter steep time. Looks like I need to turn my brain off more often when making tea.

I’m getting an interestingly delicious peppery taste with this today. The milky/creamy taste is still there so it ends up a bit like peppered milk – which doesn’t sound good but, if this tea is any indication, certainly tastes awesome.

The first steep is bold, smooth and stout – a great wake-up type tea (yes, it is 2pm but I do need to wake up). Honestly though, I’m looking forward to the 2nd and hopefully 3rd steep on this one. Last time, I was able to get some serious milkiness from those steeps so I’m hoping I’ll get them this time, too.

This is so tasty. Bold, smooth, thick, sort of malty but not, sort of hay-y but not. It makes me think of a having a nice cup of coffee to wake up with but without the acidity or bitterness. I really didn’t take many notes at all on this tea because I was too busy drinking it. My 12 oz went fast!

I really didn’t plan on being impressed by Teas Etc but I have several ‘must haves’ that I’ll be ordering soon – and this is one of them.

ETA: The second steep (5 minutes) taste like I’ve put milk in it! That deserves a little ratings bump.

Sipdown no. 35 of 2016 (no. 246 total).

I don’t rush to Assams because some grab onto the back of my throat in an unpleasant way. But sometimes I wonder why I don’t give them more of a chance. Usually, after drinking one like this.

It has a lovely sugary sweetness, a bit of breadlines and a cocoa note. It doesn’t grab my throat, at least not enough to bother me.

I would mourn it’s gone-ness, but I have plenty of others.

Yesterday around 4 I was at work and my right shoulder started hurting for no apparent reason. It’s better today, but it was a rough night, involving lots of Advil and a heating pad. I briefly worried about heart attack, but I don’t think it’s that as I have no other symptoms.
It put a crimp in my plans for today, though, because now all I can think about is when I might be able to take a nap.