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A sipdown! (M: 3, Y: 23)
I was trying so hard to like this tea, but I could not. It is somehow too floral to me, mostly the rose… cloying rose soap taste for me.

My last 5 grams I used western and probably due to my long steep (and hot, boiling), it was weaker in those notes. But instead it turned out somehow… unamusing — vegetal. But it wasn’t anything particular, just a strong vegetal note.

Gongfu, 6 grams. 125 ml gaiwan. Preheated.
Previous attempt was western with 4 grams, but too hot water used — bitter, due to human error.
Preheated gaiwan aroma was fruity. But I haven’t been expecting white grapes. This one was present in first two steeps too. Along with tropical fruits, papaya, lychee maybe, quite sweet and delicious. Smooth mouthfeel with long aftertate, where it takes more of “tea” notes as a little tannin there.

Third steep, was again to human error, a little bit more bitter. It seems that I devoted all the focus in the work today (preparing a shipment of highly flammable liquid) and can’t focus on the tea. The tropics are gone as well, but it is still pretty flavourful; somewhere between green and white teas in terms of flavours, meadow, herbaceous.

Following steeps were similar, until it was just gone. Worth 6-7 steeps. Be careful of water temperature, 75°C is absolute limit.

I was craving some fruit tea but I found out that my box of fruit teas is almost empty. The teas which are in, aren’t what I have been looking for. I would like some citrusy, light tea, not filled with hibiscus. So, I went to my herbal box and found there this tea bag. It sounded quite refreshing, contains a spearmint, peppermint but also lemongrass, so it will be refreshing right?

Ehh. No. Actually I don’t even know how to describe the flavour after recommended 5 minutes steep. It’s quite heavy floral and yes, I would guess the chamomile. But then, some stingy note appears on my tongue which is probably mint. Lemongrass? Where? Cardboard aftertaste.

And so many other ingredients there. Sarsaparilla, I just remember it is favourite by some, but again I forgot, how it should be like?!

Ehm, I am glad to finishing the mug. I believe I have received it last summer from Amy, from postcrossing; so thank you! but it’s not my jam. Afterall, as most of chamomile and its blends.

I have received this mini as an extra as Thank You for order. So, thank you White2Tea! I actually I missed this one as I did not wanted a boozy tea; but let’s see how it is in reality. Also, tasting note 1500!

I preheated the gaiwan, put the mini (I tend to write mimi which means baby here) in and nothing. Not a single whiff of aromas.

So, I decided to make a rinse — 10 seconds, and yup, first notes appear. They are dried fruits there, autumn leaves, leaves itself. Well, that was it and because I read Cameron’s note beforehand, I decided to try to pry the mini. I was successful. Partially. I managed to divide it to 3 parts.

Those 3 parts I decided to rinse again, with 10 seconds. It woke well the aroma of dried fruits. It was very comforting.

And finally a steep #1, which was quite flavourful, but maybe I did too short steep, it was not boom in the mouth. Also, white tea notes — as hay, autumn leaves notes. On the other hand, there were dried fruits and smooth note too.

Second steep was stronger and well, it is more like a white tea for me, but that twist of black tea; that’s so lovely. It adds lovely depth of flavours.

Third steep smells and tastes like liquid dried fruits sprinkled with brown sugar, very smooth and mouthcoating, sadly though it did not last long. It seems that my mini is “loose leaf” now. I do long steeps, I don’t care how long. I am just happy that it is very drinkable and not boozy as I was afraid.

I am going to make more steeps without writing this note further.

Probably my very first Moroccan Mint blend which doesn’t contain any green tea.

And honestly, it’s not winner again. Bradley’s may have beautiful wrappers, nice boxes, but flavour-wise it is just fail.

I took this one from the wrapper, sniffed it and… licorice root combined with cardboard doesn’t sound tasty.

When I brewed, and steeped for suggested 3-5 minutes (I did higher limit, as I little forgot about time), I got cardboardy smelling tea, which was very sweet and there was also spicy note — cinnamon. Mint? Well, yes it was there. Toothpaste menthol flavour.
Nothing I would like to re-try, but not all teas are winners.

A sipdown! (M: 2, Y: 22) Prompt: A tea you won’t repurchase

Family pot tea

Why I won’t repurchase? Two reasons. First of all, it’s a flavour profile that did not impressed me. Second reason is a bit more unusual, and that are customs issues. UK based companies are outside-EU and clearing it through customs and exchange post office is… just like a small nightmare. It is better recently though, but I will try to find some EU based companies with interesting flavour profiles. TeaCoffeeMarket from Poland seems to have that market which sparks my interest, though I haven’t tried their fruit blends yet.

I have received two tea bags from this Dutch company a while ago via postcrossing. And I was so lazy today, so I have deiced to brew one of them in the afternoon, and second one (Moroccan Mint) will come in the evening I think.

Ah well, it is pretty much generic red fruits tea. There is nothing distinctive; but it’s fruity. And base tea is basic, I assume Ceylon tea.

I was trying to find ingredients list or something, but I was unsucessful. Their website isn’t showing much and it is more focused on wholesale and gastro-segment of market.

I have received this through postcrossing for once again and decided to give it a try right in the afternoon.

Sadly, it seems nice, but only what I notice is cloying licorice root and little of herbs; but not even the mint.

About tangy citrus notes, nada.

Third of 7 teas from SiamTeas Clubbox January ’23 – Tuyet Shan

Decided for western steeping of this Vietnamese shu-puerh, but I am already looking forward for proper eastern steeping.

I did two steeps, first with 90°C water and for two minutes only; second one was with almost boiling water and 4 minutes long.

Both were equally good, but I liked first one a bit more. It had got an earthy aroma like a cheap shu when dry (my W2T teas which arrived today don’t have that smell); but when brewed, the loose leaves instead of chunks, it got again that interesting red fruits taste and aroma, alongside with minerality and chocolate notes. I took a piece of dark chocolate with raspberry pieces and it was almost the same, but tea is liquid and that chocolate is solid.

A little bit of creaminess would make this tea a solid daily drinker, although maybe a bit more expensive.

I am again, looking forward to try more of those Snow Shan teas. They seem to be interesting, especially when they are prepared in Chinese style. Pu-erh or oolong seems to be better than “western” styles like black tea which was sooo boring. Rating on hold

Another tea, which I received from derk is removed from my cupboard. Luckily, this time it seems that “ageing” doesn’t hurt this tea and what’s more, it was an lovely experience. Thank you a lot! I know why I like moonlight teas, and why I like “aged” whites.

1 dragonball (roughly 8 grams), one gaiwan (125 ml) and… 90°C water.

Dry, it smells like a classic white teas, a little of hay here, a ltitle of meadows there. After inserting the ball to preheated gaiwan, it started to develop more aormas. I noticed wax, which was interesting, a bit of the florals. But still no water was added. So a quick rinse. 5 seconds maybe? It made the aromas even stronger. But okay, I am looking forward what this small ball will deliver.

First steep, 10 seconds long was like a cross-over episode of interesting flavours (and they were almost always same like aromas). I noticed beeswax (yay, more detailed wax) and eucalyptus. It sounds strange and even writing it down doesn’t go well together, but that was it. I told you it was cross-over episode.

After first steep I was able to rip open the ball, so second steep is expected to be very flavourful and yep, it’s there with hay/meadow undertone, very refreshing eucalyptus and very smooth honey paste (not sure if it is a thing across the ocean). The mouth was walking on air, so delicious.

And following steeps, which I made many, 7-8 at least, were equally perfect. Just steeps needed to be longer and then… it was gone.