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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?

I have received this tea bag from postcrossing. Thanks goes to Houston this time.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect as ingredients list isn’t very attractive.

But decided to brew it anyway, for recommended 4 minutes being afraid it will be terribly spicy and hot. It isn’t.

I got rather a milky, mild spicy, muddy drink with hints of vanilla and cream. While it wasn’t bad per se, it was somehow boring, plain… and overall not impressive. As for bagged stuff, it is below average; as for teas overall… nothing to try again.

SIPDOWN 48

Thanks Shae for this tea.

I had some quite random amount left, maybe it was teaspoon, maybe close to two; but that doesn’t matter.

Honestly, I quite like this tea :) It is chocolate titbit with oranges and cloves. At least today! If the chocolate was darker, I would be happier for sure. This milk chocolate notes were a bit waxy for me, but I generally dislike milk chocolates for this.

Well, it’s a festive blend and I liked it a bit more than I remembered from preparing for family. Probably better tea/water ratio, maybe I just had more time to enjoy it. I can imagine drinking it during the holidays as daily drinker.

SIPDOWN 47; February 17th: Random Acts of Kindness Day (one day late, whoops) Thank you White Antlers for a few cups of this tea. If I had to drink all acts of kindness tea, I would drink so much teas!

I have decided to brew the rest, which was less than 2 grams, gongfu.
While it isn’t a preparation method that suits this tea best, it wasn’t bad either.

Let’s face it, first steeps were amazing, and maybe even a little more than conventional western brewing. But then the lotus flavour was weaker and weaker — much more towards anise. I must say, once it was really overwhelming. But then, puff, it diseappeared and I got only nice green tea base with smooth floral underline.

Yep, prepare it western. It’s better. But this small amount was just right for gaiwan only.

I was in Pardubice to pick up a suit… and my favourite Guria Likhauri. Of course, I had that stupid question asking “What’s new?”

And the tea master answered. A First Flush, Nepal Ilam, delivered this week to the tearoom. “It is great tea, similar to first flush Darjeelings, quite floral and long-time mellow astringency. You should try it, it’s quite delicate and other part of spectrum compared to the Georgian tea you wished for.” So yup, I bought 50 grams. This is well-done marketing. Again, I was able to take a sniff, but with mask on… well, I must say it’s very potent in aroma!

Storytime over. Now to my own experience.
It looks rather like a green tea, I guess it’s part of the very fresh tea; and smells heavenly. Florals, somehow herbal, woody (oak maybe?). I took two teaspoons (well, I don’t have any steeping parameters) and used boiling water. Three minutes long steep, and well, steeped, it smells again great. It is really similar to FF Darjeelings somehow, but more floral with citruses present. Taste is citrusy, like a lemon rind; with some florals again. Some backbone as astringency which is in all the sips with really long duration of taste; it is maybe 15 minutes since I have finished the cup and still notice it. It’s indeed delicate, not too strong, yet very present.

Hold on rating, becasue I need to try this tea a bit more!

I was in mood for green tea; and why not to try a new one from Dustin? Thank you a lot, I wouldn’t order myself there!

It was random choice from three being sent, and turned out great. While the aroma in pouch wasn’t saying much to me — some floral, perfume like scent, I decided to give it a try anyway.

I have used two teaspoons per 300 ml, while I haven’t checked recommended preparation at all. As a green, I did my best to have water temperature around 80°C. But as it is started to steeping a mellow tropical fruits-floral notes started to waft through all the kitchen where I was preparing my breakfast. After two and half minutes I took the strainer off and took a sniff. Oh my… so wonderfully pineapple scent! With some, again, florals beneath. I coud not wait to take sips of this tea.

In taste it is floral with pineapple notes. They say there should be “Prickly fig” aka Opuntia and while I have very limited experience, I think it’s there! Maybe there are some other tropical fruits in taste too (as it was somehow generic tropical for me, and they say papaya pieces are in).
Lotus? Not sure… but again, very limited experience with this ingredient — only What-cha’s Vietnam West Lake ‘Golden Flower’ Lotus tea.

Hmm… glad I have this tea!

Prepared this tea as it is evening again. Thank you again Dustin sending it my way.

I am thinking about Cameron B. as drinking this tea, as I have just heard in news that Texas is under cover of snow and there are some major blackouts. Hopefully everything will be alright soon!

And now, finally to the tea:
Dry sachet, reminds me strongly Bird and Blend’s Apple Strudel. But this one is to be brewed with 85°C water; 4-6 minutes steep. I did my best for both parameters — 5 minutes steep, temperature above 80°C, but not boiling!

The aroma of steeped tea is unpleasantly apple sour, I am blaming a bit the rooibos aroma combined with apples make it unpleasant. Luckily, in taste it is different, and it is quite bold rooibos base. Surprisingly not musty; and I have to say, I like it. The apple is mellow and I notice hints of caramel sweetness too.

Overall, not a cup I would necessary have again, but I am pleased with it.

Fairytale pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ttfXJZwtxg (it’s about Marabu, and I guess this tea is called after this bird; and yes, there are some songs too. It’s called (literally) Jerboas and Marabou.

Book pairing (I need to finish it quickly, as I need to return it to library this week): CORNWELL, Bernard: Sword Song (translated to Czech) pp. 203-282 (of 311)

I am so glad I took a pouch of this while ordering an Advent Calendar!

It’s just right; 4 minutes steeps provide bold base with blackberry tartness and fruityness. Lavender is mellow and adding little of the floral notes needed.

It was a kind of blind buy; as I never had anything from Cuppa Geek before the Advent, and yet I decided to add some blackberry teas — I was craving for them black them.

I hope I won’t ran out fast of this tea :D

Another old pouch opened; and well, it smells amazing. And interesting. Somehow wrong too. Wrong, as unexpected in tea.

It’s well done popcorn flavour, and indeed quite buttery. Lucklily it isn’t extra sweet. Maybe rather salty?

I don’t know how they managed to make it, but it is really reminding me a popcorn. As Cameron B. says, there is just a little of puffed rice falvour, but honestly I don’t miss it.

Interesting blend for sure, but not my favourite flavour profile. I don’t enjoy popcorn that much.