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It’s all good! Calm your nerves

Okay, I will try, my tea.

I have an exam tomorrow and now it is first time I am looking at it. If I fail, it is still okay. I usually fail first one. But in Thursday another one. Why?

Okay, no time to cry. Actually I feel I know it. But of course I am stressed a bit. Maybe more than I actually should. Steeped for 10 minutes, when dry I noticed mostly lavender and hops. As a beer lover certainly interesting to smell hops when drinking tea.

In taste it is very herbal like and lavender is on the top of taste followed with hoppy profile. Weird taste but it is somehow pleasant.

I had a tooth for something traditional. So Earl Grey was good choice, although probably quite old. But as it was in foil bag I hoped it won’t be so bad. And it was not! Actually it is full of flavour, mostly bergamot and little of citrus zests, bold black tea base, what more to want?

Decent Earl Grey by my opinion, especially, when it is tea bag.

This must be really old, because two things. First thing is I have it from that huge bags, second is that I could not find it anywhere almost. And third (I wrote two, but whatever) is that their logo is completely different now.

But when I took it out of the bag, it was incredlibly fragrant, like brand new. When brewed same! Well, citric acid is keeping things fresh I think. The brew colour is orange, but clear, aroma very strong after lime. Bit like floor cleaner.

In taste it is certainly citrus fruits. Bit bland, but yeah lime and lemon are there and that is what I expected. There is no tartness of hibiscus and I am not even getting a heartburn. It is what to expect from this tea. Just lemon and lime.

Sipdown and overleafed one. 6 and something grams. And my 85 ml gaiwan.

Dry leaf was vegetal, bit of tobbaco, astringent, little herbal.
Quick rinse and tobbaco disappeared, became more strong in astringent and vegetal notes. I do not know how much steeps and how long they were. But usually I counted some time between 15 seconds to 30.

First steeps were super astringent, then it turned to mellow, some notes of leather there. Following steeps were quite vegetal, but bit plain, nothing really distinctive. And then? It was just warm beverage.

I wonder if I steeping it wrong, or need some more aging. But I have no more left. But thank you Donatzsky for sample.

Ha. Another tea from bags so tea bag form. Fortum and Mason – what an expensive stuff! Happy to see it in my collection with even chance to try it. Now, a box of 25 tea bags costs 5.25 GBP. That is 6 CZK per tea bag.

So, it naturally should be great. But unfortunately – it is not worth IMHO. It was nice blend, bold, perfect black tea, no weird aromas or tastes, but it was just a tea. If you want bold and malty tea – this is for you. But I am afraid you can get much more (or same) for less exclusive brands. Yes, of course, the artwork on the box (and bag) is amazing and it really looks as expensive stuff.

But as I said. This tea is good, but I expected some WOW! moment which, sadly did not came.

Tea from July 2019. Super short steeping time. Brews very light green colour and of course it is clear.

I feel completely tired today, I had another inventory check in night, but it was more okay than I thought. It was duty free shop on Prague airport. So much perfumes I had to scan. I wonder if the price of those perfumes are worth? 200 USD for 75 ml of perfume? I rather spend it on tea.

When dry, it is quite strong as seaweed, buttery, not very appealing. Astringency as well. But when brewed? It is different story! Of course little astringency is still there, then cut grass, some sweet notes, bit of seaweed too. I think it is nice example of sencha. It is not bad one?!

Holy moly! Okay, another tea from that big stash, this time from Teekanne brand. And fruit one.
But the catalogue is saying it is from 2010 (first appearance) so it can be 9 years old? Well, let’s see if it is even drinkable. It says only Früchte Geheimnis (Fruit secret). As it is so old, no chance to find out what is in. Here, a catalogue entry: https://www.catawiki.com/catalog/tea-bags-and-tea-labels/manufacturers-brands/teekanne/3210051-fruchte-geheimnis

Brews quite light tea honestly. Maybe it is not 99 per cent hibiscus and more fruits are there. But I am completelly unable to detect which ones are in.But in taste it is clear. Apples, with little of orange (zest maybe?) and hibiscus tartness. Hmm, okay – maybe the age?

Song pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXlBCWlv0E0

Prepared in one litre french press for everyone in family.

Another tea from huge exchange. Another random picked, this time black tea.

Well, it is what you can expect. It is black tea with herbal notes, maybe bit too strong are those. When it cools down the tea base is stronger. Probably lots of not carefully selected herbals are in, because I notice as well some woody notes.

Overall, it is not a bad tea. But maybe past from its best, or just bit boring one. Black tea base not much present, overpowered with herbals – making it sweet as well bit woody for my tooth.

/Diary entry:

Yesterday I swapped two bottles of wine (I was picking some better ones) for HUGE LOAD OF TEA BAGS for my collection. It is two big paper bags and one, smaller (but still full and bigger) plastic one. And lots of those teas are still full, although way old. I think that foil wrapped teas will be okay at least, but paper ones? Not really sure.

There is no way to put all the teas in my cupboard (not even a virtual one), so I will just pick some tea as this morning when I picked this one as it was first green tea I saw. And my What-cha order is on the way, as well soon Bird and Blend. Oh dear, so much tea!

I have to say, that those teas were well stored, as there is no dust on them, so I hope the majority will be drinkable. I promised to share with other collectors, but certainly I would not share everything, and rest will be for exchange I think. /End of diary entry

The tea smelled faint of green tea, but spearmint was there although not very strong too. But when it hit the water the aromas started to rise. They suggest rapid brewing (one to two minues) so I will do my best probably. The tea looks quite finelly chopped, and quite big load of peppermint is there as well.

After this short steeping period I tossed the bag out, and the brew have following: nice yellow-green colour, not super clear, but not really cloudy too. Stronger spearmint scent, bit honey-like too. They claim it is gunpowder green tea, so… maybe that is in as well.

In taste it is really strongly spearmint tea, while green base is in background. Overall, it is mild, yet full-bodied tea. Although old, still tasty!

I had this tea in tea bag form. It was strongly malty and even bit of floral when dry.
It turns into dark copper colour and the soup was clear. In taste, when brewed really strong black tea with dominant malt taste.

I was not expecting it so malty. But certainly nice one.