Lupiressmoon Send Message

I’ve had this sample awhile. It’s weird because it looks like I never logged owning it in my cupboard, when I usually put everything in as soon as I get it. It’s also not on the website anymore, so I guess they don’t sell it now – they do have Anxi Dark, which sounds very similar, so it could have replaced it, but that one lists some differences (like peach) that this doesn’t have, so I don’t think so.

Either way, this one turned out nice. I liked it a lot – it had a grassy, earthy, nutty flavor. Sometimes I would sip in a mild, subtle cocoa, but other sips it seemed absent. When the cocoa was absent, it wasn’t missed; when it was there, it was welcomed.

It’s funny that this dark-roasted tea produces a relatively light cup. I didn’t have much of the sample left, so only brewed in half a cup rather than a full. Very vibrant, smooth flavor – not brisk or robust, but it’s great as it stands.

I’ll have to try the other Anxi sometime, although I really don’t think they’re the same tea. I will also try the same type of tea from Verdant.

Zen Tea continues to impress me with their teas and all I’m sampling from them.

There is nothing really wrong with this tea, I just don’t think it’s my style. I like spicy orange and lemon, but have never tried a blood orange tea. The blood orange does not seem artificial at all, and it does a great job of blending in the background, popping out it’s flavor, without overpowering the black tea. It is not cloying or fake. There is the small taste of acidic bitterness an orange has, but no bitterness in the tea. I’m glad the black tea does not have a bitterness of its own – otherwise that could be a disaster.

The tea also leaves behind a nice taste in the mouth – clean and similar to drinking citrusy drinks. Overall the quality of the tea is quite good, it’s just a flavor that I’m going to keep around as a staple.

I use the teabag form – gasp!

I drank again at work today. There’s just something about their chai. It’s slightly flat, but I really love the combination of flavors. In fact, surprisingly, I still haven’t found another chai – loose leaf included that quite rivals it. On the search, because I know it’s out there. And, ya know, being a chai fan, I really MUST have a divine loose leaf chai.

It really doesn’t make any sense that I like this tea.

For the most part, I don’t like Earl Grey and Bergamot oil flavorings. Or maybe I just don’t like Earl Grey, since Paris by Harney & Sons is enjoyed by me (although the bergamot part is my least liked part of it, hmm…..)

Either way, this is also a bagged tea. For some reason I really dig it though. I have drank almost two boxes in the past year or so, which is good for me. Despite being a bagged tea, Lady Grey, the Holiday Spice, and English Breakfast from Twinings always taste great to me.

Here’s a nod to Lady Grey, a bagged tea that, for whatever mysterious reason, accomplishes something with me. It’s a happy cup that’s cheerful, smooth, easy, bright with citrus but not tang or astringency.

A very good breakfast tea, my last try from the samples I ordered.

Robust, malty, black, smooth, and definitely layered for a nice wake-up appeal. Definitely drink this one hot, because I didn’t care for the flavor when it got cooled down too much.

Wow.

Well, I have never had Lapsang Souchong. I’ve been reading descriptions about it lately, and see many don’t like it. I was curious about the smoky and campfire description, so I tossed a sample in with my recent Zen Tea order. I’m digging most of the teas I’ve tried from this company.

I opened the bag and took several big sniffs – they aren’t kidding when they say it smells like smoky campfires and the whiff of bacon that has cooked. I like bacon as much as any person but wasn’t sure how much I’d like drinking anything with it’s flavor!

I steeped at a smidge over four minutes in a five ounce cup, poured over with boiling water from the tea kettle.

I really had no idea if I’d like it – first, I’m picky. Second, I’ve never drank anything like this. I’m delighted to say I actually do like it quite a bit. It’s not something I could drink all the time, but the smoky flavor and uniqueness appeals to me. After it had cooled down a little, I found big gulps tasted good. I like the aftertaste. I added a tiny bit of sugar and I find that helps bring the flavor out more. I almost feel the smokiness slightly in my chest and it’s an enjoyable, almost decongestant feeling. The sugar mixed with the smokiness is a great idea for me.

I can picture this type of tea with the woods, campfires, road trips, old fashioned cowboys on journeys, the moon high in the sky with fog. It would be cool to have a woodsland or moon-centered name with this kind of tea. I’m cheesy like that, ok? And I make no apologies about it by this age in my life. :)

As it cools, it tastes even better still warm. Having a cold drink nearby to sip in between makes this even more enjoyable. That’s a weird thing I do when drinking hot tea a lot of the time.

And for some reason I think an addition of blueberry flavor or other dark berry would taste enticing with a Lapsang Souchong.

As it brewed:
http://photos-d.ak.instagram.com/hphotos-ak-xfa1/t51.2885-15/10852961_1551743191710171_550137903_n.jpg

I was hesitant on trying Scottish Breakfast tea since the one time I tried an Irish Breakfast Blend, it almost curled my toes off. I know the Scottish can prefer stronger drinks in general. I brewed at three minutes for fear it would be too strong for me (it wasn’t!)

This turned out to be a tastefully done, pleasant black morning tea. Nothing brisk stands out to me, but there is a definite maltiness that I enjoy the most from the tea. Smooth and very pleasant stuff. No bitterness at all when full heat, a little comes through as it cools

It’s fine without sugar, but I added a little since that’s my thing. I put in a dab of milk after the tasting just to see and I can honestly say it’s not needed as I really don’t find a taste difference. It’s creamy on its own.

I drank while eating a leftover piece of Pumpkin Pie, and they went very well together.

If you are wanting a black tea that’s smooth for the mornings; this is a good one to try.

I was very curious about trying this one from the description.

It’s a beautiful color and I steeped three minutes with just under boiling water from the kettle in my 5 ounce cup. Next steep I will try 4 minutes to see if I bring out more flavor and all the way boil, with some cooling.

I don’t get much spice note at the end, but there are glimpses of it sometimes. It is a pleasant, soothing black tea with a nice reddish brown color left behind in the cup. A black tea that makes me feel tranquil and peaceful. Smooth with no astringency or bitterness.

A great black tea when you’re looking for a standard black tea – good with and without sugar. Milk wouldn’t make sense to me in this one, it’s not a breakfast tea. It’s smooth, not brisk, very peaceful.

I drank this with a small piece of Cheesecake. I hadn’t mixed tea and cheescake before but it definitely works. Delicious! This would be one of those soothing black teas that would fit a hot bath and good book perfectly. More of an evening, relaxing blend over a morning wake-up call.

I think I steeped it in too hot of temperature, wasn’t paying enough attention.

This is a mild, pleasant Darjeeling with a slight astringent bite during the first part of the sip, but this seems to dissipate by the time the sip is done.

Overall a pleasant drink but almost bitter, and frankly a bit dry for my preference. There’s a smudge of sweetness that’s enjoyable but Darjeeling may not be my favorite thing. Will have to do more experimenting.

Will rebrew later at a different temperature.

Well, I have to say this tea is delightfully, surprisingly delicious.

The tea leaves are pretty with bits of strawberries. Dry, the smell is appealing and natural (not artificial seeming). It definitely holds up to the smell – the tea is surprisingly dark when brewed (did at 2 1/2 minutes, it was recommended as 2-3).

Strong tea but not overpowering at all. What surprises me is how non-artificial and realistic this strawberry tea is. A delightful flavor that stands out, but still somehow manages to stand behind the tea and highlights itself at the same time as just complementing.

Why this is so surprising is because I’m NOT a fruit tea fan. I only tried this sample because of an opportunity when doing another order – glad I did. I finally have a fruit tea I want to keep on the tea keeper shelf. It’s like drinking a nice black morning tea and eating a piece of toast with strawberry jam.

I’m curious about trying this with milk as a form of latte – usually don’t drink milk with tea but may in the future with this one just to test.