257 Tasting Notes

drank Hillcrest Gold by Tea Tang
257 tasting notes

A pure Ceylon tea in tea bags; common to the island of Sri Lanka. I had a chance to try this tea when a co-worker, native to Sri Lanka, brought some back from a visit home. Its a good, medium body ceylon. Very generic…leads to guess that its a blend, but then again, I have never met a Ceylon tea that I didn’t like. Brews fast and brews dark, like the other Tea Tang teas from Sri Lanka.

Preparation
Boiling 1 min, 15 sec

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90
drank Royal tea BOPF by TeaTang
257 tasting notes

Had a friend, native to Sri Lanka, bring this back from a visit home. It was very finely processed and easy to over do. Brews almost instantly…by the time I could fill the ingenuiTEA brewer with hot water and set down the pot, it appeared done. Smells like a good ceylon, but is not coming across with much kick. Light in the mouth, no astringincy. Sort of Ho-Hum. Will wait for a second taste before rating.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 15 sec

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WOW! Do not use your normal tea measuring spoon! My first cup went down the drain…it was actually viscous at the bottom of the mug! Seriously, the directions are for 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of liquid (50% milk and boiling water). I don’t like it with milk (weird, I know) and figure about 1/2 tsp per cup of boiling water. Stir well, Stir often (keeps the solids in suspension).
Heavy clove and black pepper tastse. Cardamon in there too I’m thinking. This is the “Real Thing”…Soooo good.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 15 sec
Cofftea

LOVE this. But I like the full teaspoon. I’ve also found boiling water necessary then just stirring til it’s cool enough to drink. Definitely cuts down on the chunky factor verses just using water cool enough to drink right away. You could also try what I do with matcha- when you get to the end just put a splash more hot water in to drink the last of the “sludge”.

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90
drank Palm Court by Harney & Sons
257 tasting notes

Haven’t yet read the lable to see whats in it, but I’m thinking its a good blend; I’m guessing mostly Chinese and Indian blacks. My first impression when sipping it is that I should be getting hit with a smokey flavor. Its not smokey, but it has good body and would carry smoke well, so I’m expecting it. hmm, just read the can…it doesn’t say what’s in it other than “black tea”. Enough astringency to know you’re drinking tea, without creating bitterness. Fairly heavy body. Complex flavors.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 30 sec

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87
drank Premium Darjeeling FTG by Andees
257 tasting notes

When they call Darjeeling the “Champagne of Tea”, I think they are drinking this tea. A light mouth feel with the full flavor tea. Mild astringency provides a bit of a kick. A clean light brown, with yellow overtones when brewed. 2-3g, 2 minutes, boiling water on the first steep. 3+ minutes, 190deg water on 2nd steep. 2nd steep was significantly thinner.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 0 sec

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73
drank Japan Genmaicha by TeaGschwendner
257 tasting notes

backlogging. Brought this out again for another taste. I’m going to keep it. Its not my favorite, but its ok and different. Sometimes you just want different. ratings boost too.

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95

This is actually one of my favorite teas in a tea bag; I’ve never tried it loose leaf. It can go bitter, so I never sqeeze the bag…just save it for the second steep. The tea has what I think of as the “sparkle” of a good ceylon, but it is generally darker/blacker than the other ceylon’s I’ve had. As I mentioned, it can go bitter, but done right it has a nice spicy finish with just a bit of an astringent bite. To me, this is a morning tea…a good wake up jolt.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 30 sec

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I am not sure what they are referring to with “full leaf”, unless its the bits of twig in the mix; otherwise, it looks like it was run through a “Weed Wacker”. Nonetheless, I was warned by a collegue that this brewed up “bitter”. Guessing that he over brewed, I used 1 tsp, 200 deg water and 2 minutes to good success. The tea is a pale sepia brown with yellow undertones. Even short brewed, it has a mouth cleaning astringency that lends credence to it being easy to oversteep. Otherwise, its a pretty standard Darjeeling… green vegetable taste, not grassy; very dry and tannic…the chardonnay of tea.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 0 sec

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67
drank Assam CTC Granular by Andees
257 tasting notes

3rd cup (2nd Re-steep). Boiling water and 4 minutes again. Its definetly a pale shadow of the first steep, but quite drinkable. I’d say the two resteeps were better than the orginal steep, which makes me think that the first steep was overdone. I also probably got more actual tea in the strainer because the granular format makes for a lot less wasted space in my teaspoon measure.
So, if you’re going for plain tea (no milk & sugar) treat the granulated a little lightly…lesson learned.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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67
drank Assam CTC Granular by Andees
257 tasting notes

Resteep – 4 minutes with boiling water. A repeat of the first steep. Brewed as dark as the first cup, but did not come out as harsh. A bit watered down as expected. I believe the resteep was actually better than the 1st; making me think that the first was over done.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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Profile

Bio

I’m not much active on Steepster because I haven’t been trying a lot of different tea lately. I have been buying M.T. Wendell’s Cheericup Ceylon because it is my favorite. That said, gifts of tea drop in every once in awhile and I try to bring my impressions here.
I am unashamedly stealing this rating description from Morgana.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

Location

Austin, Texas

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