505 Tasting Notes

70
drank Mandarin Silk by Tea Lux
505 tasting notes

I keep forgetting to add dates.
22Jan: lemony smell, tastes kind of lemon creamy vanilla. I don’t know I was quite confused by this tea and what I was tasting. Did this one in the gaiwan, but after tasting it I decided that the tea was not worth the time and effort that the gaiwan takes. I’ll finish the rest of the tea western style.
Tea fine but taste was odd. Not artificial odd, just confusing odd.

Flavors: Lemon

hawkband1

Had this again western style a few days later. Lemon marigold? it’s silky, but drying (astringent?) Still don’t really know what flavors I’m getting. Might make an excellent work tea for me.

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69
drank Coconut Chai by Zen Tea
505 tasting notes

I didn’t have this one per directions, just made it as a straight tea. Very coconuty, not bad.

Flavors: Coconut

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87

Fuzzy leaves, strongly scented with jasmine. Taste – jasmine, soft taste of whit tea with buttery mouthfeel. Relatively thick taste. Well scented – not too much, not overpowering like some jasmines can be. It never tastes overdone or over-jasmined. Scent hold through the second infusion. Taste fainter, still buttery, more of whit tea present in taste. I really like this tea. Very well done jasmine tea.

Flavors: Butter, Jasmine

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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From Jan 18th: Sample sipdown. dry leaf- green beans, peas. Wet leaf smells cooked green vegatables. Drinking the tea tastes like eating dark leaves – spinach, collards? nope. A nice quality tea, but not what I want in a tea.

Flavors: Spinach, Vegetables

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83
drank Taiwan Ruby by Zen Tea
505 tasting notes

From Jan 18th: super long twisty leaves. Wet leaves smell spicy, malty. Aroma same. Tastes cinnamony, spicy, malty. Very nice

Flavors: Cinnamon, Malt

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec

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46
drank Bossa Nova by Zen Tea
505 tasting notes

I decided to try this in my new gaiwan to see if I would get a different flavor profile than when I did it western style. I remember getting a lot of artificial hazelnut flavor.
I did a 5 sec rinse.
10 sec steep – creamy, hint of hazelnut and vanilla
10 s – repeat of 1st
15s – hazelnut, vanilla, creamy mouthfeel
20s – much more hazelnut in this steep
30s- vanilla oolong
45s- tasted good, I forgot to take notes
1 min- vanilla yum
1 min 30s- creamy, flavor’s gone, just left with tea. It’s good tea.
2 min- tea’s done
I like this tea much better in a gaiwan than western style. Using shorter steeps avoided the artificial taste I had the other time. I don’t think I’ll reorder, but I’ll enjoy drinking the rest. :)

Flavors: Creamy, Hazelnut, Vanilla

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10 jan- My Morning Mate + Citrus Lavender Sage = very nice flavored mate blend. I love Citrus Lavender Sage, but it’s expensive. So I just use it in blends, so I can stretch the flavor out. Both from Teavana.

MadHatterTeaDrunk

When Teavana had their Banana Nut Bread tea, I would always blend that with the My Morning Mate. It was superb. However, they unfortunately don’t carry it anymore.

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9 jan – smoky, typical smoked lapsang for me. Smoke lingers in my mouth.

Flavors: Smoke

MadHatterTeaDrunk

Would you say that it’s better than most, or just stick with a Lapsang from somewhere else?

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80

Labelled Peace of Mind, but I’m pretty sure it’s this tea. I got it for Christmas from my sister-in-law. Slightly sweet, chamomile. Easy drinking.

Flavors: Flowers, Honey, Sweet

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89
drank Bai Lin Kung Fu by Shang Tea
505 tasting notes

3Jan – malty goodness, bready. So good. I need to repurchase this tea.

Flavors: Baked Bread, Malt

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Profile

Bio

I started my tea journey with Stash/Celestial Seasonings tea bags years ago. All loose leaf, unless I’m sick or traveling.

I like black, oolong, white, herbals, and raw/ripe pu’erh. I don’t drink green tea often.

I play video games, read, and do pottery. My current favorite tea mug is one I threw and glazed.

I generally review teas twice – initial and final steeps.

My cupboard is mostly up to date.

Ratings
85-100 are teas that I loved and want to keep in stock.
71-84 are teas that are good. I may or may not get them again. Source for daily drinkers/work teas.
60-70 are teas that I didn’t like. I’ll finish what I bought.
Anything less than 60…nope.

Location

Iowa

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