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From the sale a while ago.  This one sounded scrumptious – a cherry oolong and these oolong leaves are DARK.  I’m mainly just grateful that this doesn’t taste like cough syrup cherry.  It does have a bright red cherry flavor.  The brew is scarlet but NOT hibiscus tart.  All points in this teas favor!  However, the first cup does have noticeable amounts of stevia.  The second and third cups lean towards more of  natural, rustic flavor which I can appreciate.  Not as much stevia while still keeping a bit of cherry.  This is nice – and unique to whatever other teas I managed to try from David’s thus far (or there could be dozens of blends like this I don’t know about…)  It’s especially fantastic on a hot day reading out in the yard. :D 
Steep #1  // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 29 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // 15 minutes after boiling //  2 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 3 min

A sample I bought a couple months ago – what a perfect day to try it now that the weather is warming up.  I wanted a peach/apricot tea!  The aroma of the blend is AUTHENTIC peach and apricot which is always a great thing. I went with two teaspoons for a mug because there is so much fruit in this blend!  Dried pieces of apple and apricot.  And flower petals!  The black tea is long leafed. The color of the brew never gets as dark as the photo, which is odd if I’m using two teaspoons.  Though the water was quite cooled on the first steep, more than would be usual for me. (But maybe the photo is more from the hibiscus? And possibly my serving/blend didn’t have that much?)  My cup was only slightly changed from the hibiscus, maybe only adding a slight tartness.   The second cup is more earthy, reminding me almost of a peach pit.  Then there is also a flavor here that reminds me of stevia though I KNOW teakruthi doesn’t add stevia to their tea… that is probably the licorice root that is imparting these flavors.  I wouldn’t mind the blend without it – just fruit and black tea would be fine with me!   I think the aroma is much more enticing than the actual flavor, but I’m sure the parameters can use some adjusting to make the flavor better.
Steep #1  // 2 teaspoons for full mug // 25 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // just boiled //  3-4 min
And I’ll tack on a song, Cat Power- Human Being: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tlsc3sqMZQ

Additional notes: Today is Towel Day for Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy! One of my favorite things! So I’m drinking this today and 52Teas PGB! Today this blend was very blue and sparkly, which it hasn’t been before. It must have known to brew up special for its special day. Hope everyone is having a great Memorial Day weekend.

From derk!    Thanks so much!  Had this a few days ago. Jun Chiyabari is UP THERE on the list of stellar teas IMO.  I’m very thrilled to try a couple more, due to derk’s generosity!  I tried to use delicate parameters on this one, in the hopes of not oversteeping it.  And whoa what a unique flavor profile this one is.  I guess I used fairly close to the suggested parameters, without checking first.  The brew is golden.  The steeped leaves have a ridiculously sweet fragrance — almost like maple syrup!  The flavor is like white grapes with even that dry mouth feel that a quality white grape juice might have (not that I’ve really tried white grape juice?)  But then there is also a flavor to the tea like it’s a much lighter version of Premium Taiwanese Assam.  It’s definitely a fruity profile – featuring many fruits – white grape, strawberry that I’m usually getting from fresh PTA and maybe even a hint of a sweeter lemon.  All around unique!!  The third steep was a bit overdone and flat — which is what I was trying to prevent with my delicate steeping.  But maybe the leaves were toast by then. Next time, I will try a much cooler temp on the third steep.  The first two steeps though – the quality of a fine white wine in a mug! derk describes this as SUNNY and I agree!
Steep #1  // 2 loose teaspoons for full mug // 31 minutes after boiling  // 1 minute steep
Steep #2  // 26 minutes after boiling //  2 min
Steep #3 // 16 minutes after boiling // 2 min

Thanks so much for swapping this a while ago, Cameron B!  I’m reviewing this while it’s still available for probably one more day.  Though this tea seems bee themed, and it’s spring, flavorwise this seems like a comforting autumn/winter cup with it’s soothing creamy chocolate flavor.  I love the depth of the black tea – it’s dark enough!  And I love all the cocoa elements.  The licorice doesn’t make the flavor too weird like I seemed to find it did to Bananas & Custard – just a hint of licorice.  I’m not really tasting what makes this  a ‘honeycomb’ tea.  I wouldn’t notice unless it was pointed out, and maybe not even then.  The main flavor profile is a rich deep chocolate tea, with a creaminess that reminds me at times of the cream in my favorite Earl Grey Creams.  I like it! 
Steep #1  // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 15 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // just boiled //  4 minute steep

Additional notes:  Thanks so much for sending some of this a while ago, Kawaii433! I drank this a couple days ago.  In my experience, this one is fickle.   But if I can steep it just right, it’s a wonderful tea.  To be honest, I didn’t steep this one how I know best suits it anyway.  (Should have been around 195 degrees.)  Not sure if I found that magic today.  The second steep has more of a noticeable lingering cream flavor.  Which is the only basic characteristic I personally expect from a milk oolong! However, wasn’t tasting many of the extensive list of flavor notes that others have mentioned for this. Maybe I should have used a different infuser/mug. The third steep was a bust… But I was craving just this sort of oolong.  So it works well enough.
Steep #1  //  less than 1 teaspoon in smaller mug // 21 minutes after boiling  // rinse // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // 12 minutes after boiling //  2 min
Steep #3 // 5 minutes after boiling // 2 min

Additional notes: This one might be improving with time? Or my parameters? So I just want to make a note of parameters that I should use. It really did taste like Red Velvet today… or at least Red Velvet Pop Tarts which is my only knowledge of the flavor of Red Velvet. Raising the rating from 83.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 5+ minutes (maybe doesn’t need to be that long)
2020 Sipdowns: 35 (52Teas – Frank’s Caramel Monkey Bread Rooibos – not sad about it because Anne’s reblend is EXACT.)

And here is a song I particularly like, and fitting for me wondering about the craziness of opening things back up for the virus to spread right now. Certain people will be living in denial or just pretending it’s gone… or even being less careful if they think they’ve already had it… sigh: Jim James cover of Beach Boys ‘I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBWe7ntARxY

Thanks for the samples a while ago, Octavia tea!  I’m trying to get to the remaining couple of teas before they get any older.   This is a small leafed black tea that should have citrus peels in it, but I’m not really seeing any in my sample.  I’m trying and trying to find any citrus flavor here at all, and I’m just not tasting any of it.  As a black tea, it’s delicious enough.  Robust, malty, brassy with a very dark brew.  It isn’t QUITE a CTC base, but the leaves are finely chopped.  I like this as a black tea, but if it claims to be citrus, I really am searching for that citrus. 
Steep #1  // 1 1/2 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling  // 2 minute steep
Steep #2  // 4 minutes after boiling //  3-4 min steep

Thanks again for the swap, AJRimmer!  I’ve always wanted to try these Teavivre herbals, so I really appreciate this sample swap to try quite a few of them.  I think the name here hypes this one up a bit.  Overall, I’m tasting roselles that aren’t TOO tart, but with an underlying berry flavor and also something that tastes quite like herbs – though which herbs, I can’t tell.  The flavor could have been hints of cherry, but maybe I’m just imagining what a “Paris” tea might taste like.  The second steep was incredibly weak – hardly any flavor at all, but at least the roselles weren’t overwhelming?   I avoided looking at the ingredients list until finishing the second steep and was surprised to find some odd ingredients that didn’t match up with what I was tasting: Apple, Pineapple, Orange Peel, Grapes, Peppermint?  I definitely didn’t notice those.  But I suppose that slight herbal flavor could have been the peppermint.  Nothing special, but I’m happy to try it.
Steep #1  // 1 3/4 teaspoons for full mug // 20 minutes after boiling  // 3 minute steep
Steep #2  // just boiled //  3 min steep

Additional notes: I tried this again with two teaspoons. I can’t say that it tasted much stronger than the 1 1/2 teaspoons I used previously, but the parameters were different anyway so it’s hard to say. But note to self: if I DO use two teaspoons, don’t miss a third steep that is 1/2-3/4 of a mug full and really steep that sucker for a long time. I REALLY like the resulting flavor either way. It’s like a rustic, earthy raspberry cocoa. All three steeps – very soothing and tasty. I think I’ll raise the rating from 85.