1777 Tasting Notes
Looking back at my tasting notes for this in my advent… I didn’t think I had bought any. Surprise! I had bought a bag with my advent order and didn’t even realize it in the advent and holiday madness. Here I am sitting with another cup of it now after finally getting back around to the teas in that purchase! This time I’m trying some sugar, which I usually don’t take in my teas. It is making the cup taste much juicier. The flavor of the orange is rounded out more. It’s still heavy on the orange when warm. The rose and peach are in there, but blended well as support in the background. The whole thing has a light floral note to it on top of the orange. I’m really liking this tea and I’m so glad November me bought it!
Preparation
It’s no secret that Zhi chais are my favorite ever. I thought I had more of this, but my tin is almost empty and I can’t find any back up bags. I also can’t find any bags of Cacao Chai or Coconut Chai, which is a bummer. They were the first place I encountered and fell in love with Kashmiri Chai, but they stopped making it when they could no longer source all the organic ingredients. (Super glad David’s later blended a match.) ALSO sad…. I opened my email this morning to find an announcement from Zhi saying their founder, Jeffery, died last April. I do remember encountering him on some of my visits to the first location of their tea shop, which was very near my home in Austin and I’m sad to hear of his passing. Jeffery, you blended amazing chais!
This cup is delicious as always. I’m having it with some honey and oatmilk. It’s a very warming and comforting cup that I always want to have around.
Preparation
Sipdown! First of the year. I was digging in my green tea bin yesterday and uncovered this tea. I’m not sure how long I’ve had it, but it’s not the first bag I bought of it. It’s very enjoyable and I’m sure I’ll eventually buy it again. This cup is the last bits in the bag and a little underleafed, so not the best cup ever, but the cup I had yesterday was perfect and flavorful. I kept thinking I was smelling it hours after having finished the cup. If I come across this again I’m sure I’d grab another bag.
Preparation
Advent Day 24
I have no idea who Carrie Hope is, the collaborator on this tea. It is supposed to be sparkly, so I dug out my glass travel thermos. It does have some blue sparkles in it, but not much and I have to have it held in a sunbeam to see it. There is a little hibiscus present, but the liquid is just the palest of pink, so I have hope. It smells like lemongrass, which must be the lemon myrtle. It tastes lemony and has that slight bite provide by an appropriately small amount of hibiscus. It is said to contain vocal soothing herbs. It’s a good blend with lemon at the center. Not exciting enough that I’d stock it, but fun for a cup.
Preparation
Advent Day 23
Playing catch up here. No info on the website for this tea. It’s a cinnamon rooibos and it smells very strongly of cinnamon. It tastes very strongly of cinnamon as well. Almost (but not quite) enough to hide the rooibos flavors. There is a slight spicy sensation left in the finish. A bit like melted Red Hot candies without the intensity of all that sugar. This is nice, but it is reminding me of another tea I have enjoyed with so much cinnamon that my stomach would get cranky. I’m not likely to finish this cup because of that, but I will get a few more sips in before I abandon it!
Preparation
Advent Day 24!!!
We made it to the end of another advent season! And I’m only a couple of teas behind.
This is one of the teas that I bought in my advent purchase order. I wanted to try nearly every almond tea they had. This has almonds and cherry. Unfortunately I stepped away from my cup a few sips in and came back to it cooled. It’s still pretty good, but I think I prefer it hot. The candied scent of cherry hits hard as I bring the cup to my face. I can taste it in the sip with almond coming in seconds later. A little bitter in the finish and I can’t recall if that was the case when it was hot. Either way, I have more to experiment with!
Preparation
Advent Day 23
Almost…. done…. with the…. holidaze…. So close and I’m ready to get back to normal life pace.
Ooooo! Cardamon and orange! It has chocolate too that appears a few sips in. I think all the chocolate orange teas I’ve had have been on a black base, so it’s interesting to try this on a green. If I sip frequently the cardamon fades to the back as the choco-orange takes center. It says there are red berries in here and spices other than cardamon. I can tell there is something extra, but I can’t pick it out.
I think I really like this one! If or when I place another order I’d pick some of this up.
Preparation
Advent Day 21
I didn’t think I was going to like this one! I saw hibiscus in the ingredients and groaned, but figured I’d be a good sport and try it anyway. It has an apple cider scent. The taste is a mix between apple pie and apple cider. The hibiscus was actually used in an appropriate amount to make the flavor of the apple slightly tart! It looses a little something as it cools and has a slightly dry mouthfeel in the finish. Another one I wish I could try cold steeped. I would be willing to drink this again, which is a rare sentiment for something that has hibiscus!
