1839 Tasting Notes

90

Sadly only one gong-fu session. So, it’s technically a SIPDOWN.

I got 3 grams from derk, who might have it from, yes, White Antlers. But maybe not. No “WA” mark there. Anyway thanks anyone who bought it.

Stale urine is indeed an aroma of dry tea. As well the dill, maybe cilantro or something of those greens. It was actually pretty bad. But I don’t want to throw away the tea based on initial contact.

I decided to use all 3 grams I get in my gaiwan. Oh well, the rinse was quick and then the aroma was… ehm… even worse. Something again like urine and dill. Quick colour changer.

I was doing 10-60 seconds steeps.
Somehow weird, foul, but tasty. I get forest floor, herbs strongly, hints of florals as well citrus (sweet ones like tangerines) zests, dandelion and dill.

Weird. But smooth. Not velvety feeling, but mouth-coating for sure. As well it had thick texture that I quite liked indeed.

That was amazing experience, but it’s tea for now and then. Not really for daily drinking. It changed my point of view on pressed whites. Would I like to try it again? You bet!

Sound pairing (only for writing the note): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tr0otuiQuU

Flavors: Citrus Zest, Dandelion, Dill, Floral, Forest Floor, Green, Herbs

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 0 min, 30 sec 3 g 4 OZ / 125 ML
White Antlers

Yep, that was a WA Swedish Death Purge tea. The urine/dill odor you encountered was pretty universal, Martin. Even dry, I recall the tea smelling like dill.

derk

I’d buy a tiny tong if it were still around. One of the most unique teas I’ve had. I’ll never forget the smell of the leaf but a few sips in and it didn’t matter.

Martin Bednář

White Antlers thanks a lot for this experience!
derk I was thinking same! Or at least the cake. It was sooo interesting!

White Antlers

Brenden of WPT is living in Hawaii now. I doubt he’ll bring this back.

derk

Moonlight Sonata pairing, of course!

I wonder how Whispering Pines will change with Brenden’s move. Good for him :)

Martin Bednář

Let Brenden surprise us White Antlers.

derk: Could I choose something else? Haha!

White Antlers

derk Brenden has his best friend at the helm of WPT now.

Martin it has been interesting to see Brenden’s evolution and it makes me think of you. I have been buying tea from Brenden for at least 8 or 9 years. He has gone through many changes; moving from Pennsylvania, performing as an athlete, starting a tea company, living in a cabin the woods, falling madly in love, losing a lot of his inventory in a flood, moving to a bigger city and now acting on one of his dreams-living in Hawaii. It reminds me that we can and do always re-invent ourselves.

Whispering Pines Tea Company

There will be a movement II of Moonlight Sonata, 100% for sure, hehe. I am also so grateful to have read these words here, you guys are so amazing! Actually working on another something right now. Big things, always. My goal is to offer the best tea I can find. :-) much love to you all

Brenden

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58

Oh well, I have tried it again and although it was still pretty much raspberry; I certainly get more chocolate notes. It was reminding me though a milk chocolate bar, not a truffle at all.

It was pretty nice today, though the raspberry note was… as some previous raters said, bit on artificial side and I really didn’t liked that much.

But overall somehow better than last time. One last tea remaining in the pouch. I wonder when I will sip that down, as tomorrow Advent starts.

Song pairing (completely random): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGGWHWDspEs PlaceboBlind

Flavors: Artificial, Chocolate, Raspberry

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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70

Another nice cuppa; though it isn’t much rum-like at all.

Rather warming blend and expected more of the buttered taste. Woody and quite cozy. I miss bit rough taste. As I wrote 5 weeks ago: “But well, maybe it is actually good blend, just expectations were different.”

On the side note: The pecan pie went great and super tasty! And not that sweet as I was afraid of! Thank you White Antlers for finding and sharing the recipe with me!

Flavors: Oak, Smooth

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 g 10 OZ / 300 ML
White Antlers

: ) Very happy to hear that the pie was not tooth achingly sweet!

amandastory516

I just drank this one again as well :) Glad your pecan pies went well!

Martin Bednář

I was quite surprised White Antlers as the liquid part was terribly sweet when not baked. I was afraid it will turn out very caramel-like and indeed very sweet. It didn’t turned out that sweet as expecting from everyone :D

amandastory516: Haha, have I inspired you?

tea-sipper

Oh, nevermind, I caught up with how your pies went. :D

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97

Hah. It seems I loved it last year. This year seems bit different? It is weaker in salty qualities, and overall it felt bit muted?

I hope it were just unlucky teaspoons.

I have asked for a recipe for pecan pie earlier this week… I baked them yesterday. Here is a result: https://ibb.co/pvkGqsN

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML
tea-sipper

I hope the pies were delicious!

Martin Bednář

They were tea-sipper, they were. They are gone now.

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85

Again I get cup of warm, yet dry grass note, juicy, but not sour lemon taste and warming ginger which was again appreciated.

Smooth taste, everything so right and correct. I enjoyed today cup of this tea.

Flavors: Dry Grass, Ginger, Lemon Zest

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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90

October 2020 subscription (probably, not really sure tbh)

Ehm, not really happy to see it again in subscription, but as I have liked this tea, I guess it’s pretty much okay! I just want to try teas I haven’t tried before.

I probably lost trace how much I liked this tea. It’s great as usual; nice pumpkin note, nice spicy notes, nice base tea. It works well altogether, there isn’t anything too strong which overpowers everything else. It’s warming blend and I just like it a lot.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Clove, Pumpkin, Vegetal

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML

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78

I bought this tea because family cupboard was running out of orange tea. And I haven’t seen Teekanne Fresh Orange in the shop (Lidl) today, so I brought this one.

I am quite curious, because my father and brother loves just that Teekanne one; so hopefully this won’t dissapoint too much.

Dry pyramid sachet is quite weird combination of orange and peach, while the latter seemed more promindent to me.

But brewed and after 5 minutes, I do notice the oranges. Juicy oranges. And they are in taste as well, though I think I notice the peach as well. It is maybe kind of artificial too, or like some vitamins. Not bad though. Feels bit watery, maybe I will try longer steep next time.

Flavors: Artificial, Orange, Peach

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML

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60

SIPDOWN as I needed to “melt” a bit, as our cherry tree is cutted down and outside was only 1°C. It took four hours.

And this flavour reminds me… winter. It was a flavour always drank in cold, winter days. Maybe because it’s mild and cinnamon is cozy?

Anyway… again I am not that impressed of this tea. Steeped for 3 minutes and I get sweet apples somewhere in background, again mostly rosehip. Hibiscus not that much today. Cinnamon was present as a warming element through all the drinking. Wasn’t bad, but maybe too much on sweet side?

This brand is one big dismal.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Red Apple

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML
derk

Fairwell, cherry tree!

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85

Simply went grandpa today morning. I took everything that was sent to me by derk who get it from White Antlers, so again a tea I haven’t bought myself, though looking (not only once) on Mandala Tea website.

Anyway, I have used almost boiling, but not yet, water. I think it could be around 90°C and it was great. I quite a lot agree with derk’s statement saying liquid honeysuckle. As I don’t recall the taste/aroma of it too much, I guess it’s correct. It was indeed somewhere floral/vegetal. As well the aftertaste was mellow and enjoyable; I get hints of pine maybe as well? Hints of mineral, yellow melons and smooth.

Maybe a bit wrong way using everything and so “simple way”. But that’s it, I don’t have it anymore :D

Flavors: Floral, Honeysuckle, Melon, Mineral, Pine, Vegetal

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 8 min or more 10 OZ / 300 ML

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88

Apparently I have made cup of this tea, but as well apparently I didn’t made a note. Anyway, thank you ashmanra and it’s as well a SIPDOWN.

Went strong. Maybe too strong. 3 teaspoons, 300 ml, 2-3 minutes steep. I got dark copper brew, quite aromatic, reminds me black currant and vanilla in aroma. It is indeed wonderful aroma.

Whoa, maybe I have overleafed. No… I didn’t.

Brisk black tea, then again black currant hits the tongue. I like this pleasantly sour note. Then it’s creamy, vanilla-smoothness. And in the end, there are hints of malts. Don’t get much of the bergamot, but somehow I notice it it’s citrusy there. Pure black currant would be much tart and sour.

Maybe it’s bit drying; but I don’t mind. It’s black tea afterall. Thank you again, ashmanra :)

OFF TOPIC: I bought bag of pecans (200g). I would love to try pecan pie; does any of you… my US (and Canada, sorry for missing you out guys!) friends, some recipe that works well and wants to share with me? I would prefer some without much sugar… and if possible without corn syrup as I can’t get that here.

And one more OT: our cherry tree is going to being cut down tomorrow afternoon, sadly :/

Flavors: Black Currant, Creamy, Pleasantly Sour, Vanilla

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec 3 tsp 10 OZ / 300 ML
White Antlers

Oh dear! Poor cherry tree! Save some of the wood, even a branch, for the memory. Cherry wood is so pretty…

Martin I have never made this pie but I think it will fulfill your requirements. The measurements/temperature are American but Google can switch those to metric/Celsius for you if you cook this. Pecan pie is very good with vanilla ice cream. https://littlehousebigalaska.com/2018/11/pecan-pie-without-corn-syrup.html

Leafhopper

I’m also sad to hear about your cherry tree. I can’t help you with the pecan pie recipe, but I hope the one from White Antlers works out.

White Antlers

Martin it occurs to me that you might not want to go to all the trouble of making a pie crust. If you don’t, but still want to make something tasty with your pecans, this is a nice cookie recipe (Pecan Sandies) and we all know how nicely tea and cookies go together… https://www.marthastewart.com/342386/pecan-sandies

Martin Bednář

Thank you White Antlers, I think I can make it even with pie crust. It doesn’t sound very hard and I will try it. The cookies seems delicious as well! *drolls

Martin Bednář

Leafhopper: It isn’t very healthy unfortunately, so for safety measures it is better to cut it down. I think I will try that recipe above, it indeed seems good and not sweet at all which is important for me (dad is diabetic and we don’t like too sweet things)

ashmanra

I am glad you enjoyed your tea! I like pecan pie and pecans are my favorite kind of nut. We have a pecan tree but the squirrels steal all the nuts!

I am sorry about your cherry tree. Definitely save a few limbs or piece of trunk for a project. I want to make some wooden chignon sticks (hair sticks) so I am looking for some special wood. Maybe I should use some fallen pecan limb!

tea-sipper

I’m glad you are making a pecan pie, Martin! I remember you mentioned it before. However, the pecan pie I make is mostly corn syrup and a ton of brown sugar, so I don’t know how that will work for you.

gmathis

Always sad to see a fruit tree go. When I was growing up, our cherry tree was the perfect size for a skinny little fourth grade girl to shimmy up (there was a v-branch that would accommodate her skinny backside) with a book and a transistor radio and read all afternoon.

Pecan pie is on my holiday baking list, but my Aunt Nancy’s never-fail recipe is all about the corn syrup and sugar. Hope you find an alternative.

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Bio

I am drinking almost everything. Tea bag collector who moved to wonderful world of loose leaf.

Trying to rate differently tea bags and loose leaf as tea bags have usually worse quality.

Photographer now and then. Postcrossing and geocaching member. Very curious person. Logistics student (should finish in June 2021).

Buried in tea right now. Is in my cupboard (trying to be updated) which sparkled your interest? Write me, I would gladly share with you. But I don’t want anything in return now :)

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