2037 Tasting Notes
A tea bag for wet morning. There was a rain finally in the evening and night, so everything is wet. I was really sleepy too, so I just picked some tea bag. Apparently last one I had of this one thus SIPDOWN. I didn´t kenw I had even something last.
Anyway, they suggest 3-5 minutes brew and I did like two and half. I don´t like really strong black teas and I found out making tea steep half of suggested time works usually really well.
Hmm, tea itself is dark brown and cloudy. I used to think that Basilur is one of the better brands. Yup, in matter of tea bag certainly is.
As it is past BB (8 months), opened as I needed the tea bag envelope to collection, so no aroma at all. Or slighlty tea-ish, like bit bland English breakfast. No weird aroma notes.
In taste it was quite similar, quite weak – yet noticable calssic tea bag black tea flavour with little notes of toffee and red grapes. But grapes were really weak. Not malty at all.
It is not a bad example of tea, certainly good for this morning – but fresher it is certainly better (I recall that grapes were more present in taste).
Have a great day everyone!
Flavors: Grapes, Toffee
Preparation
Prepared in evening for everybody in my family, so 4-5 people.
Immediately gone, right now preparing second steep. Probably would not be so good, but I have first one with me :) so that is review about first steep.
Very interesting ingredients, expected much more lime pieces, but it is quite buttery and lime in aroma. Are lime leaves smelling similar to fruit? I do not know. I am surprised that I do not notice any wood aroma from rooibos. Glad to smell.
Liquor is quite brown, typical rooibos. Something went from strainer again, but it is overall quite clear. In aroma it is quite buttery and dough, sweet – little creamy too.
Oh taste – you want to hear, right? Sweet, honey, cream, slightly sour. Eh, I mean savoury. Expected more. Also something like cookie flavours. Like those with chocolate chips but without them.
Indeed, quite sweet for my teeth. But not bad. I expected more savoury taste. But I never had this pie, so I can not tell if it is good sample like of piece of cake or not.
Honestly I am pleasantly surprised by this cup. Not really great, but very interesting. 20 grams I had are just right amount for me.
Flavors: Butter, Cookie, Creamy, Lime, Pleasantly Sour, Sweet
Preparation
Another not rating because of making it differently.
I put a bag in, added a tea spoon of black tea – St. SebasTea Ceylon. 2+3 grams both.
I have no idea if it is better or not. It is like kind of chai. Quite bitter chai. All spicy taste is gone. Or overwhelmed with with black tea flavours. Maybe it is little better than plain.
Colour is cloudy brown, not very nice.
That’s it. A changed cuppa than last time. But still nice.
I should experiment more.
Preparation
April 2019 subscription
A first one in their list. Aaand soo good.
I prepared it several times, almost same all the time. Once in pot for whole family and nobody complained. Open the sachet, you know this is good! Cinamon hits the nose, with wood notes of rooibos. Then another spices, nutmeg, vanilla. Hazelnuts. Carrot. Everything is there and noticable.
Strainer, 3 grams, keeping all the time, because it does not turn bitter. You turn your nose to cup, and it is carrot cake all around. Vanilla notes became stronger. How lovely. I thought I am not fan of rooibos blends or something. But this is really good. I appreciate that real carrot pieces are in.
The taste is velvety smooth and again I will repeat, it tastes like actual carrot cake. I had it just few times in my life, but I had. Vanilla, nutmeg, carrot. Dough base. I feel biased, but really, so high rating. Because this is probably one of the best loose leaf “fruit” teas. Okay, actually not fruit, rather spicy. But it is just great blend.
I know this tasting note is not up to my better notes, but I feel bit numb in English today, so I can´t rewrite my thoughts so well.
Preparation
Exactly two months ago I have wrote a review for this one. Time flies.
Anyway, yesterday was my first day without tea (since New Year) – I was whole day in school and when arriving home I really didn´t wanted any.
Prepared western, I did not weigh (but I think about 3-5 grams) for my favourite glass mug of volume around 300 ml. Tea was in water for… maybe 3+ minutes.
Colour is clear yellow-green, little dusty. Aroma is kinda floral, creamy, little notes of sour, or it is rose soap?
Well, in hour and half I should be at dentist. I don´t really want go there, but what I can do? Liteally nothing. It may sound funny, but it is kind of big achievement for me. I was not there for 3 years and before that I was not there for 7 years. Probably avoiding the costs :D . And I forgot about exam today – from Algorithms, it is not really hard, but oh well, it is tiring having each week an exam and from something else.
Okay, first sip is again very floral. But quite sour as well. Not a bad thing though. Certainly interesting blend, not really my cup of tea though. Maybe too much rose soap I notice?
At least the panic attacks are somehow moreless gone. (This must be wrong in English, right?). Feeling tired all the week though. Not just week. I want the semester end and then I should study and study… during exam period. I guess – it is so much to handle. Or I need to stop stereotypic life-style.
Flavors: Floral, Pleasantly Sour, Rose, Soap
Preparation
(If you’re asking, it would be “panic attacks are somehow more or less gone”. Don’t worry, it’s confusing in English too. haha. But you’re doing well with English.
I hate going to the dentist… I still have my left side to be worked on and I’ve been dragging my feet. It’s an achievement for sure, Martin.
I have received a tea bag of this one via Postcrossing again. A tea from Azores, that sounds unique. Let´s try it. Green tea, 3 minutes steep, about 90 °C water I guess. But cold cup, so maybe in reality even less.
Anyway – the liquor was nicely green with yellow notes, bit opaque. In aroma it was bit boring, grassy notes, not very present.
While drinking, debating with family about our garden, I noticed grassy otes, with bit of vegetal. Unfortunately again, quite weak. But it was fresh as well, so in the end it was not bad. It was not great – I certainly had better green teas, but as it is a pure green tea. Okay – I expected more interesting flavour profile.
Certainly interesting tea to try, especially because of origin. Maybe loose leaf version can be better.
Flavors: Grass, Vegetal
Preparation
A tea bag Pu-erh. I am always very, very sceptical. Moreover, this one was from Hong Kong. At least they say so. Steeped for 4 minutes (suggestion was 3-5 minutes).
Yep,
fishy aroma. Wet and decaying wood. But weirdly, it is somehow pleasant. Or at least not making me sick. Colour turned to quite copper; dark, brown and clear. Hey, maybe it ´s not going to be bad. At least so bad as I had some tea bag pu-erhs in past.
In taste it is woody. But nothing much else. One-dimensional. So – in concusion, it is drinkable, but probably not worth another steepings, boring, tea. It even does not remain for long in mouth. Yep.
I do not recommend due to boring flavour profile. It is not super bad, I finished the cup and it is without any really bad flavours or aromas. But boooring.
Preparation
From Derk, probably last one. Okay, a little of yellow tea I keeped for better time.
But last “first taste”
I put it into mug, took hot water, spilled it in. Keep it easy Martin, it is 7 pm, horribly tired.
Let´s see, they say “Especially suitable for relaxing in the evening” – which is what I need. Interesting, I never heard it should fight anxiety. It is known for mucus removal, which is in Czech (European) phytotherapy. Well, that is what Kawaii433 actually said :) Wonder how it changes my anxiety. I had maybe two small panic attacks today.
Anyway to the tea.
Light golden colour is there, with strong spring aroma. As a spring I mean the season and I mean flowers. Yeah, lots of flower aroma is there. Maybe honey with nectar. It makes sense actually as it is a flower pieces. I forgot about light dust on bottom, and it is clear.
Taste is quite smooth (even I have oversteeped it) very sweet with small tart aftertaste. It reminds me bit jasmine. But I like it and understand Derk that she wants to keep it in cupboard.
PS: Interesting, it is so famous using here – even my (grand)parents were picking it (not anymore). And I never had it. I can imagine it as everyday tea.
Flavors: Flowers, Honey, Nectar, Tart
Preparation
Come on, Martin! Keep it together! ;) Hope you’re feeling better. I had some of this last night myself and steeped it for 30? minutes. It was delicious.
Aww to panic attacks, Martin. I hope this helps you. I know GABA teas really calm me too. Good you reminded me about the mucus removal! These allergies are killing me. I should get some :D. http://www.lindentea.net/Mucus/
Thank you guys – I think it was really comforting cuppa. I felt much better afterwards and today was completely different story. No panic attacks at all!
Just a headache which came now in the evening.
I’ve been having headaches too, but likely as a result of changes in barometric pressure: rapid and drastic weather changes.
Also, acupuncture is super awesome in clearing mucus. (And one should avoid dairy products as they are mucus-causing as well.)
@Evol – I’ve been plagued with headaches the last week or two as well. Hoping it’s environmental as I’m not prone to them :(
I hate panic attacks! I hope you feel much better and they go away forever! I did not know limeflower was good for that, I only knew it was good for colds. Will definitely acquire some to try for calming.
I hate that…
No autosaves.
Have to rewrite it completely.
BOO!
Okay,
my 100th tasting note here. I took same tea as my first one. Maybe my tea buds are much more prepared for it. And a SIPDOWN! My first pu-erh tea (sample though) and gone :/
I prepared it different. I took a strainer, made quick rinse with tea in big tea ball, and then I put it into a mug. I wonder how it is going to be. I think I had it in for 5 minutes maybe bit more. But big cuppa, I was keeping an eye on the colour and when it has got somehow similar as in gaiwan it used to have, I took the ball out. I know that are masters are closing this review in pure disbelief. I guess they won´t sell me anything because I am doing it plain wrong.
As for aromas – this is very interesting tea. I thought it is going to be very muddy, maybe earthy (it is my first pressed puerh). But nope, it is rather sweet. A cinnamony sugar sweet. As stroopwafels. The stroopwafels tea was more malty (and sweet). Maybe few other spices are there.
Colour – probably not very important thing. But I don´t know, I enjoy describing it even it is not important, it does not change anything. For this cup, it is really red copper colour, clear. Enjoyable colour. Makes me warm.
And probably most important – and what are people looking for. Taste, flavours, liking, cup of tea. I bet there are much more synonyms for it.
It is really sweet as the name suggests. Yup, raw, uncooked dough. With kind of pleasant sourness. But then comes the sweet part which consists of cinnamon sugar, stroopwafels, bit chai (bitterness and biting), spicy, caramel (maybe salty).
This is, as it was suggested for me (beginner when it comes to pu-erhs). It was great. I can suggest it to everybody who haven´t got pu-erhs much. It is great for easy drinking. Sweetness, no wet forest floors, no wet tastes. No funky notes! I want (and can imagine) to pair it with pecan pie or something. Certainly not best tea in the World. But for start, it was great suggestion.
Taste lingers for long, keeping in mouth some kind of film. But that is what is it about. Just enjoying the moment with tea, forgetting everything around. I like it. I really do!
SIPDOWN!
Flavors: Biting, Brown Sugar, Caramel, Cinnamon, Molasses, Spicy, Sweet
Preparation
Huh, is this even tea? No tea in; more over lots of spices, turmeric.
But let´s try it out. They suggest 8 minutes steep, so I did.
Well, this is very interesting beverage.
After the tea bag hit the water it started to change colour to bright yellow. Which is expected, but still amazed me. Bag is whole yellow now, after the steep. Colour of brew, yellow, with yellow stains on mug. Cloudy liquor.
Oh aromas are some generic spices – probably it smells bit like chai. Wel, the ingredients says so.
Taste – it feels bit oily in mouth. Probably mostly turmeric, it reminds me bit curry risotto or something like that, just generic Indian food (never had it though). Really interesting tea, but I am considering using bag or two into rice in some kind of meal. It can be very interesting I think – and probably better than drinking it on its own. I have whole box from my Swiss friend, so it will keep me busy a little. No rating so far.
Preparation
I was drinking turmeric and mixed spice tea and enjoyed it with milk and a bit of honey. Coconut milk might be even better.
This golden milk mix is a thing in the west these days. Healthy apparently.
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/golden-milk-turmeric-tea
This is very interesting guys, I think I will give it a try. Because drinking it on its own is weird. Not bad, but weird.