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Received a sample from Devon and somehow… I am not a fan (again!). I like EG, I don’t mind rooibos.

It tasted pretty much citrusy, but it was not bergamot. Rather lemon-orange. Rooibos was very, very woody, almost overpowering the citruses. Also some other notes, some say medicinal, decayed wood… and I am not sure. But it was a bit off.

Also, it does not last long as a aftertaste. I know I am somehow biased drinking EG by Birchall (which has got black tea base); but the flavour there lasts much longer. This was like a sip, wait five seconds, and it’s gone.

Very, very forgettable tea.

Nope.
It is very plain black tea with little fruity — generic red fruits, flavour. What a shame, because it smells (when dry); like a raspberry jam.

Thank you anyway Devon that I could try it.

Whew, what a weekend this was.

Well this one was hidden today in advent calendar from Devon ad honestly I have to say, I am not a fan of it.

Theoretically, I would like it. I like coconut as well the almond, however it’s somehow weird. Soapy, at least. It also tastes quite funky. Almonds and coconut are overpowering each other. I see now that Almond bark is another US confection. Also it has got some kind of fruity + dirty taste as others have mentioned.

An unopened pouch (with former name), which must be from December 2021, my last subscription month from B&B. As I don’t like coffee and I don’t drink it either, this prompt from ashmanra was a bit hard — Jan. 20 – a coffee flavored tea. I actually wasn’t sure if I had some coffee flavoured tea, but when searching tea for tea pot yesterday, I found this one. I was so puzzled, because unopened packages are very rare in my stash.

I am not surprised, that I am not a fan. It tastes like Venetian Tiramisu by Harney & Sons; but much weaker and more boring base — well the rooibos isn’t as potent as a hojicha.

Actually I am not tasting coffee much and it wasn’t creamy at all?! It was rather drying. Shame, as it smells nicely.

And last tea for today, prepared in family pot, was Shanlinxi by Bok by Leafhopper again. Thank you! My mother have asked if I can prepare some tea, of course I could; but when I have asked what kind of tea is she craving, I get a reply:“Some good one.” Well, I have mostly good ones!

Anyway, it is a little experiment on them, as I am not sure if I ever prepared pure oolong for them; preparing is a little tricky as well, as my basket strainer doesn’t fit well the pot and floats around; oolong leaves expand rapidly (which was watched with amazed faces by them)…

So, I naturally took a glass of this tea as well to try this out. It is very floral tea, with great mouthfeel, almost honey like with some herbal nuances.

There is some quality, which I can’t find out what is it, but it is telling me: “Well, this is a very good stuff.”

This tea I have received from Leafhopper, however it was sitting in my box of oolongs for a little while. Thank you!

And as we have no vintage years here, which would be highly useful, as there is 2012 and 2013 version; I decided to make a new entry. But it seems it is actually very same tea, just different harvest!

What is uncommon as well, is that when I was searching for this tea, Lochan Tea website leads to TeaSwan webshop. As it is direct link; I assume it is just vendor for them, but it is interesting putting TeaSwan branding on the teas though.

Last thing I want to write down before my experience is that I really liked the name from very first time I saw it. Rolling Thunder sounds a little tropical, a little like upcoming monsoon season in India or something like that.

And now to my experience. I have used 90°C water and all 3 grams for my 125 ml gaiwan, which I haven’t been filling fully. I think that I could add 100 ml each steep.

I made a several steeps, in total I think it could be around 6-8. I wasn’t counting them properly as I was studying for finals (held on 6th February). Also steeping times were various, between 20-80 seconds.

At first it was very pleasant, mouth-covering oolong with notes of stonefruits, mostly apricots and peaches, very straightforward, but certainly not boring; with grassy-mineral aftertaste, with meadow-floral aromas. With following steeps it started to be more floral in my opinion, with autumn-leaf notes too, a little like a white tea notes.

Then I did a several a bit longer… around minute long steeps and while those steeps were tasty and enjoyable, it was over rapidly and last steep was just a hot water with hints of leafy flavour. Maybe I over-brewed it fast and thus the tea went boiled away quickly. Also, my hopes for this tea were a bit higher, but afterall it’s Indian oolong, a region not so famous for this tea type.

I won’t lie, drinking Christmas tea on 19th January seems weird. And very off. We took down our Christmas tea yesterday. Everything looks like early spring here.

Anyway, there is nothing I can do, but finish my advent calendar! Thank you Devon!

Okay, this was quite mediocre. Nice, however a bit flat tasting black tea base and spices. Probably the most prominent was clove and cinnamon. Quickly forgettable. I would expect a little more from famous company as Twinings is.

I can’t believe it was June when I had it! I thought it was a few months later, maybe October? No-way!

Anyway, this time, from Devon’s calendar — thank you, I feel it was fruitier and mellow, but no cream nor vanilla here. It was stronger in apricots only.

Also, dry bag smelled like a play-doh. Sadly, it is pretty much average from both attempts.

Okay, this tea seems to be a winner from Devon Bartholomew’s advent calendar!

Yes, there is stevia and probably quite a lots of it — so take that as a warning for those who can’t stand it at all.

I actually don’t mind it and honestly… I think it is making cake flavour here? It is juicy lemony, cake flavour is there, very desserty! But it is actually quite genuine, and I actually think it is because the stevia? Does it make any sense?

Wow, what a surprise in the bag today! AJRimmer, if you get a box, can you get one for me as well? Pretty please?

Pretty much average tea from Devon’s Advent Calendar.

Slighlty fruity, even I can say it is a pomegranate, but the base was completely boring and fruit flavour was like adding a juice into black tea. Cheap black tea.