26 Tasting Notes
I like my breakfast tea strong and Glengettie can best be described as industrial strength. That’s the way I like it, it’s not a pleasure tea. You drink this to prime your engine in the morning and start the day. If I want a tea to give me comfort, then I drink either a green or white tea.
Preparation
Not as good as other Sencha I’ve had before. Kind of dark, as opposed to the bright, vegetal color of others I’ve had. It also lacks that wonderful leafy taste I love about Sencha. Its OK in a pinch, but I won’t be buying it again.
Preparation
This may considered a treat in Japan, but it yielded a murky brew, that I found a bit odd tasting. It’s not a bad tea, but the description of an iodine hint is definitely true. Supposedly, you can incorporate this tea when cooking breads and cookies, and that’s probably what I’m going to do with it. I think it would go nicely in a Zucchini bread.
Flavors: Iodine, Vegetal
Preparation
The more Oolong teas I drank, the more I think I’m starting to prefer them as part of my daily regimen. This is a light tea, both in color and flavor, but is oh so pleasant on the tongue. Hints of Spinach, Bok Choy and Asparagus are easily detectable, with a slight floral aroma to accompany.
Flavors: Asparagus, Bok Choy, Floral, Spinach
Preparation
A few months ago I read that Hibiscus has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for lowering blood pressure. Well, my blood pressure has been a problem for close to ten years now, and I was willing to try anything to reduce the amount of pharmaceutical pills I was taking each day. I started drinking 4 cups of this tea every day and it took almost four weeks, but I have seen a 20 point decrease in my Systolic and a 10 point decrease in my Diastolic. The best part is that I’ve cut my meds in half and have maintained these lower numbers.
As for the tea itself, it takes a bit of time to get used to, but when you learn to flavor it with other herbs and green teas, it makes a quite refreshing drink called Jamaica (pronounced huh-mika), a favorite iced tea in Central America and Mexico. On hot summer days, a 50/50 mix of hibiscus and green tea, chilled and slightly sweetened rivals traditional Iced tea, and in my opinion, out performs it. The combo is an anti-oxidant superstar with the added caveat of l-theanine.
Flavors: Citrusy, Hibiscus
Preparation
Soothing, yet bold, this peppermint tea delivers the tranquil mentholated taste one looks for in a premium mint tea. I like to mix it with Starwest Botanicals Spearmint tea to make my own mint blend. Very relaxing before bedtime.
Flavors: Menthol, Peppermint
Preparation
When I opened the pouch I got a whiff that was slightly floral, but the fireworks really began when I tossed a scoop into my teapot of water. As I was about to put the lid on top, an amazing floral scent wafted up to my nose, reminiscent of being in a greenhouse of tropical flowers. I knew I was in for a real treat in 4 minutes. And I was right, as it had hints of Honeysuckle, Orange Blossom, Grape Hyacinth and Roses, alongside a delightfully chewy vegetal taste and was very silky on the tongue. There were hints of Bok Choy, Escarole, Spinach and Asparagus, with a background flavoring of Wax Beans. Of all the loose teas I’ve tried so far, this has had the most complex bundling of flavors. On the second steep, I braced myself for a weak reminiscence of the first offering, but OMG!, it was just as flavorful the second time around, with only the slightest bit of astringency added on.
This tea is not going to last long, and I don’t give a damn how much it costs, it’s worth it!
Flavors: Asparagus, Bok Choy
Preparation
Steeped it for about 4 minutes and the taste was very subtle on the tongue, with hints of Asparagus & Escarole. It also had a very calming effect on me, so it’s probably loaded with l-theanine.
Flavors: Asparagus
Preparation
It’s named aptly as it steeps to a jade color, and has a wonderful Bergamot scent, but overall, I found it a bit lacking in taste. Slightly floral with hints of green grass and green beans.
Flavors: Grass, Green Beans