Additional notes: I don’t think I tried the 2018 sample I bought yet. After this, it might only be the Bailin Gongfu. I have most of Teavivre’s teas in “stock” but in most cases it’s a sample or two. I’m very appreciative of those bigger pouches that Teavivre has, I love putting samples in them (for example, by tea type, greens or oolong). (Well, Teavivre ships samples that way too, which is awesome… so I’m usually reusing those silver pouches for other tea samples.)
This one is so comforting today. Again, this might not be as complex as a fresher golden tea… I really need to drink these types in particular much fresher, but I could just drink this tea all day. Surprisingly a smoky flavor I don’t remember in past harvests, but then a sweet cocoa flavor that is the best today.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 10 minutes after boiling // 2 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 4 min
Harvest: 2018
Another great calming band for these times: Dr. Dog! I’ve just been shuffling their songs all day. I also made a mango smoothie today. Smoothies are a great way to use older matcha.
This is You :-D
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
teakruthi.com
harney.com
angrytearoom.com
Dammann Freres
Yunnan Sourcing
fusionteas.com
AprTea.com
Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Plumdeluxe.com
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
justea.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
whisperingpinestea.com
Mandala
verdanttea.com
thenecessiteas.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer.) :D
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
I do the same with Teavivre’s silver pouches and keep samples sorted in them!