30 Tasting Notes

65

Dry tea gave me overwhelming scent of pipe tobacco and lots of nostalgia with that. Later malt – lots. Then even later some of the scent of a struck match, but not at all in a bad way, not sulphurous.

It’s hard to pinpoint what’s going on so I suspect I’ll edit in future.

Flavors: Burnt Sugar, Malt, Molasses, Tobacco

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 7 OZ / 200 ML

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60

A——— at What-Cha added this as a sample in my latest order, presumably based on my like for strongly flavoured, well roasted Oolong. Hot and at first steep I got lots of seaweed and iodine. As it cooled and in subsequent steeping there’s pear as suggested on the supplier’s site, and also I got a nutty green flavour not unlike roasted acorns.

H tasted turpenes — how to put this delicately? — of the sort smelled when wandering out of Camden or Brixton tube stations. But I didn’t get that at all.

Flavors: Green Wood, Iodine, Pear, Roasted nuts, Seaweed

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec 4 g 7 OZ / 200 ML

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80

First oolong. First grandpa-style brewing. Overwhelming tastes of butter. There’s butter popcorn down there somewhere, and buttered veggies. But mainly just butter and it’s delicious.

Flavors: Butter, Popcorn, Vegetables

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 250 OZ / 7393 ML

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10

(This is a very personal review unlikely to help another reader.) H’s note on the bag says, “Nope”. Mine says, “sour”. My first white tea and this wasn’t to my taste at all. It was woody and bitter and set off my stomach ulcer. I tried brewing a few ways and temperatures but it’s not for me.

Flavors: Bitter, Sour, Wood

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 250 ML

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75

H’s note on the pack says, “Tastes like a hug.” It’s more jasmine than tea for me, but none the worse for that. It’s floral and exotic and relaxing all at once. (Spring 2017 harvest)

Flavors: Floral, Flowers, Honeysuckle, Jasmine

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 250 OZ / 7393 ML

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75

This might be one of the most refreshing things I’ve ever put in my mouth. Loads of green acidity and bitterness, but only in a good way. The complexity isn’t lost at all. Like many shades of green. Repeated steeping lost some of the zing but added to the breadth of flavours.

(H score 6/10, Autumn harvest Sept 2017)

Flavors: Citrus, Cucumber, Cut grass, Grass, Green Apple

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 1 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 250 ML

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50

1st flush, May 2017. Brewed in and poured from a pyrex jug. Floral but not great for me, lacking some oomph and body, only exacerbated by repeated steepings. (Though H gives this 7/10)

Flavors: Floral

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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73

2nd flush, late May 2017. Brewed in and poured from a pyrex jug. My notes on the bag say “fruity, honey, malt? 7/10”

Edit: revisiting this I like it more, and taste loads of candy-floss.

Flavors: Cotton Candy, Fruity, Honey, Malt

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 15 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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80

Bit of a gateway for me. The first tea I tried after reading the faq on reddit/r/tea, linked articles and finding a supplier. At first it just tasted like astringency and chlorophyll. It took a little time for my head to adjust to the tastes of teas. Then suddenly I got tastes of hay and meadow scents and huge refreshment. Hooked me.

Flavors: Astringent, Grass, Hay

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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Profile

Bio

I gave up alcohol in 2013. When my taste buds came back I discovered tea.

Scores
75+ I’ll seek this out again
50+ I enjoyed this
25+ Not for me but may be for some. I might bear it on some days.
0+ Nope.

Brewing
I brew gongfu style – lotsa tea, brief brew, then into a sharing cup. It really changed tea for me after not quite “getting it” from western style brewing.

Location

Oxfordshire, UK

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