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I tried this with 155 F water for 80 seconds and got a surprisingly sweet infusion. Yum! Uping the rating for that little trick.

Backlogging from Sunday.
Since I’ve been drying for snickerdoodles since winter solstice this swap from Meghann really brightened the life sucking past couple of days. I just can’t stand inclemant weather like this for a week straight!
The dry smell is literally intoxicating. The alcohol from the vanilla beans explodes every time I open the pouch. It almost covers the cinnamon and I wondered if the brewed tea would mimic this. Not that I’d mind. I love this vanilla. It’s very fruity and floral and the first time I had vanilla that never lets one forget “I’m an orchid, not an herb!”
But despite the quality of the vanilla and cinnamon I think the igredients are wrong. There has to be star anise in there. I had two cups and both times the smell and taste of star anise is there, if faint. I wish it were as strong as the base; that’s the only flaw for me. The second time I reduced the time a bit and it tucked itself back under the vanilla’s sepals. But then I’m not fond of Indian black.

And I second Jaime’s proposition: red velvet honeybush! That would be amazing!

I managed to get seven steepings of equal strength using boiling water the last couple times for four-ten minutes. I can’t believe how invigorating and relaxing the combination of pu-erh and rose is! I love this tea so much the sight of muddy liquor has become pleasant. I smile every time I see the equally ugly jar of tuocha on my bookshelf. Just to make sure I always have some close.

Hot as it can go the first round.
First infusion: Very light color and aroma of wheat and apricot. Tastes light and peachy with some golden raisin. Some rose and lychee are hiding back there after a few sips. The aftertaste is quite dry and gel like, some other yellow fruit I can’t name. A bit of a oversteep taste but I really poured the liquor at 50 seconds insted of 40.

Second infusion: Slightly more rose and peach, much brighter. Very juicy and full bodied. Feels like a plum and rose water smoothie.

Third Infusion: Burned the tea. Oh well. A fresh infusion will pair better with lunch than this does with breakfast.

In this case the poetic Chinese name of Phoenix is quite appropriate; I predict this tea reappearing in my tasting notes again and again.
This tea is just fun! I’ve only had a couple cups all brewed differently with sharply contrasting results but they’ve all displayed a complex flavor profile and flexibility I don’t see in many teas. They usually center around stone fruits, muscatel, and herbs. I need to record all the parameters to nail how to get what flavor.

And what better way to start the day than oolong investigation and BBC? It’s the start of the 100 day coutdown to the Royal Wedding, after all! ;)

Tried this as a 50/50 mix with Maeda-en’s Kukicha last night. Plain and toasty with a brighter green background than just the genmaicha for a nice variation of its rustic hayloft taste. Not exacty what I needed but good to know.

Tried this yesterday as 12 oz hot in my travel mug. The dry leaf smell is just like the bottles of perfume my grandma collected on her desk: a chemical and vaguely floral cloud. It leaned more towards the cherry cough syrup side of chemical so I decided to give it a try.
The first sip quite hot was surprisingly jasmine but a couple sips later it vanished and I was just sorting through the cough syrup/ marachino taste. I left it a while and tried it warm and then a little when it was almost cold. I’m glad I tried it like this. It was vaguely floral/ cough syrupy warm, but slightly sweet and more cherry and pineapple tasing whilecool. Definately an iced tea.
I guess I enjoyed the interesting experience of marachino musk flavor but not much. Even though the flavors/flavorings don’t work together (I suspect the peach & pear flavorings) you can tell everything’s pure and fresh. Kudos on that.

Thanks to Joecool1979 for swapping.

But watch your steeping times; if I don’t frantically empty the teapot at 50 seconds this kukicha goes bitter instantly. I truly need to get a French press…