75

I got a sample of this quite a while ago. These little pearls expand a LOT so… this tea came out very very strong, but that’s not a bad thing! There’s no funky should’ve-rinsed-the-tea-first aftertaste. (I’m lazy, who has time to rinse their tea? I know, I don’t deserve the tea I drink.)

This the first tieguanyin I’ve had where I could actually taste the smokiness! Usually I’m like, suuuuuure, smoky… uhuh. Nope, this one’s got it in a profound, delicious way!

There’s a little bit of bitterness, probably because I didn’t read the package properly (there’s no English, really, just Chinese or German) so I didn’t realize this was an oolong (I found “Tie Guan Yin” printed sideways on the sample after I’d drowned the tea leaves), and brewed it with boiling hot water. Sorry little tea leafies! The next few steeps will be less shocking, I promise!

In any case, this tieguanyin is different than any other I’ve tasted. I can definitely say I prefer the floral varieties more so than the dark, leather, smoky, manly? kinds. Haha! But it’s still yummy! Just not one I would keep around as a staple. :)

Flavors: Leather, Smoke

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Bio

I discovered my love of tea in college, in Oregon, where nearly constant rain and clouds and fog demand some sort of warm, cuddly beverage.

Since moving back to Idaho, where seasons actually exist, my adoration for tea has bordered on obsession. I like a variety of teas depending on my mood and the alignment of the planets. I’m pretty sure my love of tea saved my life after coming home from the deep freezer with hypothermia day after day. ;)

I am recently married, and my next project is convincing my husband that instant Lipton iced tea does not count as tea. sigh

Here’s my rating system:
0-19 – I did not like this tea. I will not touch it again with a ten-foot-pole. I may have family and friends try it in hopes of pawning it off on them; otherwise it’s in the trash. That bad.
20-40 – I do not like this tea. I might be able to tolerate it with large amounts of sugar and/or almondmilk and/or another tea. I will be giving it away to the first family/friend who likes it because I’m too lazy to enjoy this.
41-60 – This tea is okay. If I am careful how I prepare it (temperature, amounts) and add things to it (sugar, almondmilk), I can enjoy it.
61-70 – This tea was fairly enjoyable, but I have to be in the mood for it, and I have to at least sweeten it.
71-80 – I like this tea. I might even drink it without additives. It may still be mood-driven, but it’s pretty good. I would recommend it to visitors coming over for a cuppa.
81-90 – I really like this tea. I can drink it regardless of cravings. I will rarely if ever add anything to it. I try to peddle it to my visitors as examples of great tea.
91-100 – I love this tea. It is wonderful. Every cup is heaven. I will not share this. I will tell people to go get their own crack. This stash is mine.

Location

North Idaho

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