1711 Tasting Notes
From the matcha TTB.
This tea is really nice! It has a little sweetness to it, slightly grassy on the end of the sip, but without the tang. It is pretty smooth! I don’t know if this is a run out and grab it type tea, but it is enjoyable.
Preparation
I *think * this may be the tea I’m drinking. Traveling matcha tea box sample that came in a metallic blue bag and no name on it. It has a bit of sweetness on it’s own. I’m drinking it with some soy creamer which amps up the sweet and creamy. It’s really nice for an American public take on matcha. The front of the sip is a mellow on the matcha taste, but then come in stronger later in the sip and aftertaste. I can see how this would be a good one to add to smoothies and shakes without feeling like you are abusing finer top quality matcha.
It smells like fresh raspberries. The taste is a little perfume like, but raspberry is in there. It tastes a bit better with cream and the fruity taste would probably be rounded out well with some sweetener. It isn’t something I’m going to be running out to buy, but it does have attention.
Matcha Traveling Box
I must have made this too strong at first because I got a bitter perfume unpleasantness. After adding a little creamer it was much better. I get a little bit of popcorn on the sip with some mild caramel. The popcorn is a little more present in the after taste. It is a fun flavor, but not one I’m compelled to run out and pick up. Glad to have gotten the change to try it!
My dad works at a tech company and when they have employees come in from Asian countries, they often bring gifts. One of the gifts was a tin on tea from this guy that has a small tea farm. From what my father said, it was a side hobby/project that the man had. My father isn’t a fan of tea, but graciously accepted the gift and passed it onto the biggest tea fanatic he knows. Lucky me! I can’t read any of the writing on the tin, so I don’t really know anything else about this tea.
It looks like a dragonwell, so I steeped it for two minutes at 175. It is very buttery, a little sweet and a very light grassy/hay taste. As the cup cools I get a little bit of a mineral like taste in the end of the sip, which could very well be my water source. This tea is so light and tasty!
Having this hot steeped and poured over ice today. This is very floral! I get a ton of rose in the aftertaste with a bitter wave. I might be able to imagine raspberry in the sip before the rose kicks in. With some teas there is a bitter taste in the first few sips that fades once I get used to it, but it stays strong in this tea! Adding cream makes this tea WAY better! I can pick out notes of raspberry in the scent of the tea, but it is still difficult to pick it out in the sip. I’m not super familiar with the taste of macaroons, but this tea is inspiring me to become more acquainted with them. I’m not crazy about this tea, but I’m not turned off by it either.
Preparation
Coconut? I always associate that and chocolate with macaroons.
Macaroons have coconut. Macarons are ground almonds. Macarons are one of the “in” foods at the moment. Macaroons are old fashioned. Personally, I prefer the old fasioned kind dipped in chocolate. :) This tea was okay when I tried it. Good girly tea party tea. Didn’t try it iced though.
Ground as in almond meal type flour? I have noticed a surge in macaroon popularity in the past few years.
Ground almonds but not necessarily as flour. To the best of my knowledge, never having made them, they are like meringue cookies – no flour at all in the recipe. Whipped egg whites, sugar and finely ground almonds.
This cup smells really good, like cinnamon on a deep base. Very comforting and reminds me of being bundled up inside during winter. It’s the end of August and still hot as hell here in Texas, so I think I’m wishfully projecting a bit!
First few sips were a little bitter with a nice spicy warmth. I steeped it on the concentrated side so I could add cream or ice and I chose to go with cream. The cream knocks out the bitterness and I assume mellows out the spice a little, but not by much. I’m left with a mild burning in my mouth and I do love a good burn! I’m really not picking up much chocolate. This bag is on the older side and the 52teas flavors don’t seem to hold up well over time, so I’m guessing that is what is going on with the absent chocolate. I’m not taken by it.
Preparation
Tried cold steeping this tea… no good! First sip was a little alkaline with a ginseng tang to it. As I sip a little more, the ginger comes out, a bitterness arrives on the back of the sip and the ginseng hangs on in there. It smells great, like there might be cinnamon in there, but it doesn’t translate to the taste. Now the back of the sip is all bitter and ginseng and I’m done! No more cold steeping Istanbul!
