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ADVENT DAY 7, tea 1/3

I was delivering a table with my brother today, to the person who was hit by floods back in September. And while we were in the area, we did also some volunteering job (rubble removal from cellar stairs). Tired, low blood sugar… but that feeling of well done volunteer job is priceless!

When we have arrived back home, I was not only tired but also a little sick. I don’t know if it was drive home, or what was making me sick, but this tea comes to the rescue!

It was actually quite tasty, smooth and tummy calming. The caraway was so smooth in this tea and overall it was so pleasing and aromatic… it could work as an aromatherapy too?

So fine plain herbal blend I haven’t got in a long time.

ADVENT DAY 6, tea 3/3

Best for the last? I thought so. Well, it seems they have tweaked the blend since they were Tea Revv; but still I can’t see why this one should be personal favoruite.

It’s quite meh. The base was cheap green tea, though they claim it is sencha, probably Chinese because of lack of flavours and apple / cinnamon? Both were artificial, especially the latter; and apple was green and sour.

Not a favourite.

ADVENT DAY 6, tea 2/3

Hmm, if there is adjective “Red”, does it mean there are different teas called Winter Punch? We will see!

Anyway, this is fine afternoon / evening drink. Fruity, a little spicy, mostly cloves in my cup; and quite sweet to me. On the other hand, it’s hard to find those notes… as it tastes watery and thin… like I would need two or three tea bags in my cup to have punch in my face from flavours!

ADVENT DAY 6, tea 1/3

Today I just did completely different line-up of the teas. And brought this to the office, as it is like a tea bag and I thought that it would be great in huge mug that I have there.

And it seems that those rods are quite widespread, as Alistair from What-cha offers them, The Steeping Room as well as Rakkasan; and I am pretty sure I saw them elsewhere too. And I am pretty sure they are from same source, just bought from different vendors.

After explanation to my co-worker what I actually steep; I could drink a very malty (almost beer-y, I mean “polotmavý” style) hot liquor that was warming me inside greatly, with very smooth and round taste with long mouthfeel; and slight woody (oak) taste.

Truly wonderful and easy going tea, though I had a bit higher expectations. I wonder because of “Wild” in the name, or just expected some wow effect in flavors or scents… this one wasn’t vanilla rod, which is also offered. Maybe that was missing :)

ADVENT DAY 5, tea 3/3

Oh dear, this one sounds fancy! Used all 5 grams in one western session; using only 80 °C water.

The dry scent and liquor scent is the same. Puffed rice / corn cakes, rice krispies, and so on. Naturally it reminds me the sticky rice oolong I had this year. It was very light in flavour as well as in the colour. Less vegetal than that oolong; more of the rice aroma here.

Delightful and probably a tea that I would buy for further experimenting.

ADVENT DAY 5, tea 2/3

I drank this as well in the office, prepared shortly after noon as I needed some wake-up call; I was just sleepy after lunch and some work had to be done.

Absolutely non-offensive herbal tea with extra energy thanks to Maté. Slightly lemony thanks to lemongrass and lemon verbena.

Just gulped it down, woke me up and brought me joy. At least that much as much you can be happy at work. No, I’m joking… but it was fine and pleasant.

ADVENT DAY 5, tea 1/3

Very, very traditional tea. Not a flaw of the calendar, though. Because this EG is one of the better I had. Very round black tea base, with refreshing citrus — bergamot notes. There was no astringency, bitterness or other notes to ruin the session. I assume that the Keemun base was the key for that.

And if you think that the sachet isn’t aromatic too much, well, just put it in the water and let it steep. The level of bergamot is just right.

ADVENT DAY 4, tea 3/3

Eh, nope, not a fan. And putting Valentine’s Day limited edition tea to the Advent?

Pink colour is nice and looks pretty, although I am not a real fan of this colour. But that’s because my gender I guess :D. But sadly, the flavour is just the mess. It tastes like powdered sugar with rose flavour and with absolutely weird mint freshness that doesn’t pair the rose florals… and in aftertaste it is nothing else than floral soap. Absolutely lacking some base, hibiscus isn’t working well for that, luckily enough it’s not tart because that.

Finished, but definitely not a fan.

ADVENT DAY 4, tea 2/3

I have accidentally closed this note before saving, so only short recap below. Noone is interested in long notes anyway.

Gongfu, 2 grams / 125 ml gaiwan, 80°C water, longer steeps (15 s + 15 s increments)

Interesting flavour profile: corn and corn husks, followed by hay and grassy notes, with longer steeps there are buttery notes; from 4th steep astringency and bitterness, but still perfectly serviceable tea; and can’t wait for more focused session with remaining 3 grams.

ADVENT DAY 4, tea 1/3

On the box there was clearly stated that today tea is Choc Orange. While I wasn’t impressed to have two chocolate teas in a row, I thought it is actually intended as two caramel teas were in a row too.

But then I steeped this, in boiling water for 4 minutes and I saw it is not definitely a black tea. It was green liquor. Did they omit the black tea base? That would be hilarious error. But then I smelled it, tasted it, and I got a familiar flavour, but it wasn’t definitely orange! I was so puzzled.

Finished the cup, which was flavourful and bright, and I was actually able to pick up the flavor. It’s like watermelon chewing gum. Ah well, watermelon I thought. Did they put wrong sachet in? That could happen, especially when the wrappers are just numbered and there is no ID of the tea.

And I started to research. Opened their website and line-up and what I saw? Yes, today tea is Watermelon oolong. Hm, have I overlooked what’s on the box? Let’s check… and answer is nope. Clearly there is black tea written with name Choc Orange.

But this tea was tasty too. A bit too candy-like to me, but watermelons are like that; and boiling water definitely didn’t hurt the tea. It was creamy and drinkable. I just have been prepared for different flavour profile.