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Logging a few swap&toss downs:

A swapdown! (M: 6 Y: 38): Georgian Tea 1847 — Wild Green tea. Actually I have an extra pouch, so not really a sipdown!
A swapdown! (M: 7 Y: 39): Pod Lampionami — Kaoribi Oolong. Sadly the rest I saved for myself was mostly tea dust; so I tossed the rest.
A swapdown! (M: 8 Y: 40): Nous Tea — Hanoi Spring
A tossdown! (M:9 Y: 41): What-cha — Taiwan Sencha Green Tea. Sadly too old and I never reached this tea too often in the office. I assume it is mostly because it needs indeed colder water and I have don’t have there a temperature setting kettle.

A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 37), prompt: Your current favorite daily drinker

Eeek, I never wrote a tasting note for this one while I had a lots of it? And now it is a sipdown. I would change in the prompt a single word. Current → all time.

Anyway lots was said about this tea by others and I have to agree with them all. And I am so sadI am not able to contact the Georgian owners of this shop; they are not responding for my Whatsapp messages (okay, I tried it just twice maybe?) and their website isn’t working. Since then I found other source for Georgian teas and also with very tasty teas, moreover based in the EU, so getting those teas is definitely easier.

Anyway, this bready and potato-y (sweet one) tea is just perfect to drink. I tried it weak-handed, but also heavy-handed, but never turned out bitter, astringent or unpleasable. Thick and yet so mouthcoating.

Long mouthfeel with boom of flavours, though it is almost 2 years since harvested. Those two steeps were also a bit more earthy, but I assume because much more broken leaf.

Lovely, so lovely and I assume even a bit better than Guria Likhauri. But that’s because I have such a soft spot for Georgian teas. That one is also Georgian, but this is just a tiny bit better. Maybe it’s the visual with golden buds.

A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 37), prompt: A floral tea
Actually it was already removed from my virtual cupboard, or it never been there; who knows.

It’s nice and although almost 4 years old, still pretty tasty. It was more herbaceous than green tea and definitely floral for me. Lavender, mint and linden flowers made very nice combination, somehow relaxing.
Fine and I am glad to have a sipdown.

A sipdown! (M: 4 Y: 36) prompt: Your tea with the longest name — well, let’s say longest single word, name. Even that is not really accurate, but I am probably too lazy to get through all cupboard to find really longest name. Received from postcrossing.

This tea is supposed to be strawberry-lemongrrass and the strawberry is there in three parts. First one is aroma. Distinctly, fresh strawberry aroma with other red frutis (probably hibiscus taking its part) and overall very pleasing. Second is the colour of the brew. Very deep red colour with shiny reflection and absolutely clear. The sachet makes good strainer. And third one is taste. Yes it is strawberry in taste and yes there is lemongrass flavour as well. As it was cooling down it was somehow generic red fruits, but definitely it was good flavour profile and athough not like a bite to fresh straberry; it was fine enough. And it wasn’t tart, that’s a good thing!

Although I have steeped it as recommended, I felt it is a bit too long. When hot, all flavours were a little hidden behind the strong black tea from Ceylon; however as it cools down, at first fruit notes start to appear. A lots of raspberry (afterall, it contains 5 % of those fruits), fresh and genuine flavour. And after a few minutes when lukewarm, a vanilla flavour take its part as a lovely, creamy custard flavour.

Maybe a splash of milk (or alternative) could make it a bit creamier and maybe it would make the raspberry flavour pop. Sadly I have been expecting more (but that’s because the wonderful packaging, I am sure!)

There are many teas I wouldn’t try if I don’t have you guys around. So many American (and Canadian of course!) blends, brands and whatever else related to tea… This one is from Kaylee, so thank you!

I wanted something simple and if possible tasty enough. And although morning was -3°C, in the afternoon was warm with typical spring temperatures and above (13°C in shadow).

This tea is fine. Nothing extraordinary, but fine enough to drink. Rerfreshing citrus (leans more towards lemongrass) and jasmine was fine. Similar to Oriental Jasmine tried yesterday. Again, I had better jasmine teas, but considering this is classical tea bag, it’s fine enough. A loose leaf version would be lovely I believe.

I found out a huge load of tea bags in drawer I don’t open so often. And those poor teas has been definitely neglected for long. Many of them will be bad for sure.

But just before jumping in my bed I took this tea bag and honestly I had no idea I had it before, but apparently had. Probably tossed to that drawer because chamomile and honey.

Anyway, to the tea. Although for sure old (the design is different now as well); it was foil-wrapped and quite good actually.Maybe the short steeping time (3 minutes) made the chamomile bearale, with smooth and sweet aftertaste with hints of herbeceous and little bitter Tulsi. I am glad I tried it and I wish for calm sleep right now.

Keeping the rating on 55, though maybe I would give it 65 today.

Though in my sachet wasn’t any jasmine flower/bud whatsoever, it was distinctly jasmine and but not overdone with it. It was just right level with dry grass green tea base. The green tea isn’t top-notch, but definitely tasty enough to drink this tea without much ado.

A sipdown! (M: 3 Y: 35) prompt: A breakfast tea as it has been reminding breakfast blends when tried for first time.

Gongfu, 4 g / 125 ml, rapid steeps (5, 10, 15…)

Eh, nope. Something in this tea isn’t working well with me. It tastes so basic, so flat, so “black tea”. Tannic and metallic. The first steep (5 seconds only!) was somehow fruity as they promised. Harsh on the tongue. Long astringent aftertaste. Breakfast tea like. I believe that there are better teas from Ceylon out there.

I received an assortment of teas: a pyramid tea bag, some tea in sachets, and loose leaf tea. I chose the pyramid tea bag because I wanted something simple but of good quality. The packaging is identical to what I had before, so I can’t tell the difference between the pyramid tea and the loose leaf visually. However, I assume the tea itself is the same, including the quality of the leaves, so I don’t expect a big difference in taste.

Now, on to the tea itself. It’s a lovely black tea, brisk and robust without being astringent or bitter. The dominant flavor notes are dark malts and rye bread, with the rye bread becoming more prominent as the tea cools.

Definitely a rich and smooth black tea. Perhaps the larger mug I used in the office diluted the tea somewhat. My mug at home is smaller, resulting in a more concentrated brew, which I find preferable.

Note: I received Tielka teas, included in this (and following) tasting notes, free of charge in exchange for a tasting note. I will do my best to remain unbiased, but of course, I am very grateful for this opportunity.