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Teabag from Izzy, thank you!

As I am only one who wrote a tasting note to this tea… and I am writing now again, it will be pretty much similar.

Dry scent is strongly cardamom and cinnamon. Am I the only one who thinks cardamom smells sometimes like a coniferous sap? I think that was the scent I wasn’t sure about last time. And somehow similar to bubblegum too; probably fruit aspect of the tea.

Anyway brewed and steped for 4 minutes; and I think it was just right. A decently fruity, but certainly not that prominent as I thought it should be and again, mostly cinnamon and cardamon in flavour. Calling it tropical fire without any fiery notes is a bit dismal — a little of ginger would be very interesting I think. I think this one was fresher too (than I had last time), because it was mellower and noticed the fruits as some blend of tropical ones. Couldn’t pick any fruit in particular unfortunately. Keeping 72

Tried gongfu those cannonballs (lovely name by the way). First steeps were great, maybe even better than western brewing.

Light, slightly lemony, hay (I suspect the age), sweet grass. As I have no idea how lemon blossom tastes; I will avoid that. And I don’t think I have noticed it afterall.

But well, this isn’t great tea for gongfu. Rather not suitable. Why? I read Matu’s tasting note and I agree with them completely. First steeps are good, almost great… but then it goes bitter and thick (in a bad way) as the cannonballs unfurl. Although using quite cold water, they need very short (10 seconds were even too much) steeps. The last ones were very vegetal too, and vegetal-broth like too.

Lowering a rating a bit; as 80 seems indeed too high to me, not just because this session.

Super sad SIPDOWN 54. Thank you a lot derk!

My previous notes say everything; so kind of redundant note. Wonderful, super floral, but still amazing aroma. Mostly lilacs (can’t wait to see them bloom!) and elderflowers.

Taste is mild, green and floral as well. Creamy somehow. Many steeps worth. Once I will be able to buy some more tea (still drowning, but I see the waterline!); I will certainly add this one to basket on What-cha. Because it’s so great!

I was craving for citrusy black tea this morning. And when I saw a Alvin’s of San Francisco Earl Grey, I knew it’s not it. So I picked a fresh batch (crafted 8th December) of teakruthi teas, I bought myself, but it’s only second tea I have opened.

I used 5 grams. I wanted to do it western, but my ball strainer was too small. So I just decided for grandpa and just after I have filled the cup with water, I thought I should use empty bags I actually have. Well. 5 grams for grandpa sounds terribly strong. But caffeine needed in the morning… it was just right I guess.

As I have opened the bag, I was thrilled with lemon zest and lemon candy aroma. Very fresh and feeling a bit juicy.

Brewed… I was truly afraid that I used too much leaf; but apparently not. It was delicious, lemony taste. Malty base. It’s like the iced teas, but not overdone with sugar. Actually it doesn’t contain any sweet stuff and just pure lemon pieces, marigold flowers and tea. That’s something I highly appreciate.
Certainly need to re-brew with less leaf to see more from the base; but still great.

Can’t help myself, but it’s great and highly uncommon.

I prepared this tea gongfu, close to 5 grams / 125 ml; which is quite watery, but I didn’t wanted to use all the remaining amount I had. The rest (I guess around 3 grams) I will brew western.

I did several steeps, wasn’t counting them at all, just adding a few (usually 5) seconds. I got a several great steeps, though the taste of sawdust is a bit weird, but liked by me. Pine. Forest floors. Grassy. Smooth. Quite thick as well.

Several steeps were a bit vegetal. Not troublesome at all though! Unusual flavour profile for sheng and I liked it; though it is a bit far from “typical” cup of sheng. I will miss it one day. mrmopar I see you still own it. I wonder what would you think about it; as it’s 17 years old! And you tried it 6 years ago.

Tried again, as I have received another, a new designed tea bag, this time from ashmanra. Thank you! Previous rating was 35.

Something is different today, as I don’t find it that bad. The aroma isn’t that artificial, and reminds me much more the acual pomegranate.
I would rather call it fruit tea than green tea with fruit flavour though. I would say typical red fruits trhan pomegranate and raspberry. It’s quite watery. As it cools down, the chamomile started to be more prominent. A little metallic as I have noticed 2 years ago as well.

Better, but still far from good. New rating 42.

Today morning tea I got from White Antlers, thank you!
Sweet mango aroma and fruity taste
I have to say, it is tea harvested in July in 2015 and it’s still quite fruity. Of course, the age caused that it isn’t that great as fresh.

It was quite still fruity and just a bit rough on tongue. I think the short steeps are key for a nice cup (and two pinches of tea was just right); hopefully I can reproduce this steep again (as I wasn’t last time!).

Still I have lots of this tea and well, honestly I hope I will finish it soon as many of those greens. It’s quite old and far from best time; but honestly sometimes it keeps surprising me. Like this one today. Not super amazing, but certainly still good.

SIPDOWN 50, tea from derk, thank you!

I prepared it western (though I wanted gongfu); the rest I had, but haven’t weighted it. But it was about two teaspoons.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much; as last time it was rather dismal. But decided to give it another chance, so I did, with much longer steep than recommended, almost doubled.

Yes, finally, I got something from it! Light, but citrusy notes with some florals now and then here too. The aroma wasn’t wonderful as derk notices and keeps me wondering if I am not that impressed about this tea or it’s actually mislabeled and it’s some other tea? Anyway, it was still very nice in aroma! But not worth wonderful adjective.

It’s nice, and mellow easydrinking tea. I wonder what was wrong or different with this tea and me; but at least today it tasted like a floral and enjoyable, though a bit too simple, cuppa. I had in the morning Nepal Guranese Summer ‘Hand-rolled Floral’ and it was much bolder in taste. Weird…

My brother wished for a tea. I showed him a pack of teakruthi and told him, it should be similar to his box for Christmas (which he keeps in the office, but he’s rather working from home recently). He decided for this one, used two teaspoons and I decided to try it as well. Also two teaspoons, for typical 300 ml. He complained about his upset stomach and wished that this tea will help him. I said that it should! But his choice was completely random!

Anyway, prepared as teakruthi suggests; so long, 9 minutes steep.

I have to agree with SkySamurai, star anise is indeed the star here. I can’t notice green tea at all; there is lemongrass note strong too, quite herbal, but overall… it works. Lemon? Yeeeah, it is here too. Lemongrass and lemon balm. Indeed both.

Good for intended profile — cleanse. But not really sure about the flavour profile. Again quite a unbalanced — way too much star anise, little of actual tea. Could be worse, especially as of cleaning/detox blends!

Song pairing (and article): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwtdhWltSIg; https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/r-e-m-losing-my-religion-story-behind-song

SIPDOWN 49
From Shae, slowly finishing the ADVENT Calendar. Thank you!

Ah well, this tea.
Slightly better than last time, but still not a fan. I steeped it for much shorter time, but it was kind of bland and weak instead. The creamy note was there; but I fee it is kind of unbalanced and strong compared to base and citrusy notes. Not every tea is a winner, right?