390 Tasting Notes
‘a tea made of nuts, apples and BEETS?’ i thought to myself. cool. it smelled interesting. i had read mixed reviews, but i like to think i’m open minded…. and beets are grand. the hot water did it’s magic and the tea changed from crunchy looking to fluffy. again it smelled good…
sadly, i must review that while the colour was striking and the smell continued to pique my interest, the beverage itself did very little for me. HOWEVER, the idea behind it was sound. i will consider this a work in progress and re-evaluate in a year.
Preparation
chocolate, orange, puerh…. these are a few of my favourite things! this creation was very well balanced, with the individual elements blending so that they become a tapestry while still retaining their private presences.
rich, but not overpowering. nicely done.
Preparation
i have an appreciation for art. a tea that blooms after a hand tying, that began as a flower and evolves into a peach… that is a description of art. also of effort. the question becomes, is this artistic creation worthy of its exorbitant price?
the peach is delicate, as are the jasmine and chrysanthemum…. but the price made me wonder: do i love this tea? no. not enough for what i paid, and i am a huge white tea and jasmine fan. yes, i understand that white teas can only be harvested 2 days a year, thus a premium price can be exacted… still, i do not love this tea.
i have other blooming teas, green versus white, that had a taste just as subtle and developped into a wild cup of colourful blooms.
not a bad tea, also no where near my top 10.
Preparation
an interesting tea with an interesting name.
orange and cloves, an inherant sweetness so that it can be taken clear with no regret. i am uncertain as to what name i would have named this little work of art, but the work ‘chai’ likely would have worked its way into the title most likely. not a trace of anise… an excellent tea despite the inaccurate name.
Preparation
since converting to loose leaf tea it is a rare thing that i drink tea steeped from tea bags anymore, but this tea is the exception. tazo can be a bit hit or miss… their earl grey does not have my loyalty, but this unexpected modern asian fusion is quite brilliant.
this tea has lemon, mint and green tea as the chief tonal contributers, and somehow it all works very well.
i add sugar and nothing else. the bags also make a very nice second and third cup, so it’s money well spent.
Preparation
i have been drinking earl gray since i was a child with my grandmother: always nice with cream and sugar, but never without. every time i drank it clear i was disappointed. obviously there was a problem here i needed to diagnose. the verdict? i do not like bergamot.
the earl’s garden is low in bergamot, high in natural sweetness with the berries and awesome with or without cream and sugar. i now consider myself fully coverted!
Preparation
tea can be a funny thing; the ingredients can read as sublime, the smell can transpose the suggestion on the tongue that may or may not reach its potential. this tea has all the things i love: oranges, vanilla, marigold, vanilla. my nose loves it, i love the ingredient list….but sadly, once the water is added all that registers is ‘something is overwhelmingly out of balance’.
i did want it to be a favourite.
Preparation
must admit, i had my doubts when i was presented with the idea of jazzing up my ritual pu erh with with this chocolate, raspberry and chilli pepper herbal blend. however, i can hardly imagine not having it at my fingertips now!
the chocolate and chilli are complimentary and well balanced. the raspberry is a quiet note that adds an elegant but not over powering fruit taste.
this tea receives a very favourable review from me, which i don’t give easily.
