JoonSusanna select Send Message

A latte made of this is the nectar of the gods.
I haven’t had this in a while so I’m glad that I found it tonight to enjoy before bed. It is so wonderful, and it tastes just like coconut cheesecake.
Sigh. The perfect end to a relaxing weekend.

Had a heaping teaspoon of this in 8 oz water directly after my French Vanilla Assam from 52 teas as a sort of comparison, if you will…I know they’re different animals but they fill the same niche in my life and one has to prevail.
This one wins on scent of the dry leaf…but it is a much thinner mouthfeel than the assam. I think that could be remedied with milk and sugar, though, and maybe doing longer steeps, as I did have to increase the assam to 5 minute steeping to get that mouthfeel.
I think for today the Assam is winning, though…good thing it’s being reblended..

1.5 tsp in 10 oz water.
I just love how you get the vanilla flavor FIRST, and black tea as an afterthought.
It’s so smooth and the mouthfeel is perfect- this is a thick tea even without additives. It is definitely a morning starter drink, which is great, because that’s how I’m drinking it!

Got this sample from Life in Teacup a while ago, and I found it while reorganizing my stash today.
The charcoal roast in the name scared me a little bit, mostly because I was not sure I’d like it – given my tendencies to hate anything with a charred flavor – but when I tasted it the flavor reminded me mostly of hojicha, though it’s not as…dark as hojicha. It’s roasted more in the way of the green – and as it cools a lighter flavor kind of takes over and that’s where I get some vague flowery scents and taste.
This tea nicely stands up to extended steeping times, getting stronger rather than bitter. I’m glad I was able to find this on a day when I had plenty of time to sit and appreciate it. :)

I had an ounce of this left, and decided it would be best put to use in making a gallon of iced tea. (I like to make tea by the gallon – it seems like so much but it goes fast enough when you’re drinking only that in the summer – and when other people see you and can’t resist, at least you have enough to share. :) ) So I followed my typical iced tea prep – 30 g leaves to 8 cups water, added 1/2 cup sugar, steeped for 4 minutes and poured over 8 cups of ice.
As a rule, when I think iced tea I think of Lipton. I’m a creature of habit; I grew up on the stuff for 26+ years and so now it’s kind of my standard. Nostalgia is hard to overcome. This tea does come quite close to getting me to break with tradition, though..
This tea is fabulous iced. FABULOUS. There’s a dark honeyish note that the sugar brings out that adds a whole other dimension to that classic black tea taste. My boyfriend tasted the difference immediately without me saying anything, and voiced his approval of the change. Shame it’s the last of my stash for now…

Steeped in 10 oz. of water.
The dry leaf smells sweet and toasty at the same time, but also separate from each other, if that makes any sense. In other words, it smells like it looks, which is to say, genmaicha with marshmallows added.
As far as taste goes – it is really interesting!
I get the genmaicha on the front of the sip, and after it’s gone, there’s the marshmallow – it’s not sweet, really but it is marshmallow, none the less. If I added some sugar or sweetener this would be right on for a rice krispy treat. I’m impressed!

OH MY GOSH YUM.
I’m having this hot only because I was too impatient to try it iced – yet, anyway. I will definitely be doing that soon.
This is an amazing combination of pineapple, coconut, and green tea – I can’t get over just how accurate it is. I’m going to have so much fun drinking this!!!

My last of the Den’s tea samples – and I have to say, my least favorite.
It tasted fine, it just wasn’t anything different than other Kukicha teas that I’ve had. I think the Sencha was my favorite, and I will likely be re-ordering that soon!

I had this for breakfast with pancakes this morning. :)
I tried steeping this for longer and I got a much stronger pancake smell in the brewed tea, and then I realized that probably if I added some maple syrup to sweeten the tea (DUH- right?) that would add the extra oomph I’ve been searching for.
Yeah, the solution was that simple. But at least I know how I’m going to enjoy the rest of the pouch. Upping this rating – it is a fabulous tea and I’m glad to have finally figured it out!

A lazy Saturday and I’m by myself for the weekend – it means lots of time to peruse teas online and of course, make some that I already have.
The smell of this brewed tea is so…cookie-ish. I love it.
I added some honey to this and that seems to compliment the almond taste really well – there is still a nice taste of tea, but it is not the primary flavor….I get that yummy sweet almond cookie dessert taste first and foremost.
A perfect tea for relaxing in solitude.

(Edit: I’m upping this rating – I can’t not- it suddenly very much reminds me of Celestial Seasonings Almond Sunset tea, which was discontinued and left me very heartbroken and without a substitute. I’m so excited that I will now have a loose leaf version of it!!)