1500 Tasting Notes
Yep, this is a new favorite. 83g looks like will last me close to 12 cups, steeped once each. I wonder if I can (or if I should) try resteeping this? There were quite a few chocolate bits still left unmelted the first go-around.
I thought about this tea all night as I bowled 10-pin in my renaissance witch costume. Then I came home to review the candy the kids got, and what did I find? Green tea Kit Kat, no less!
Preparation
A bit surprised with this choice, as I got this for a friend who loves Earl Grey, yet told me the other day he’s got enough now to last him a few months. (Really? I just gave you a small pouch, dude. Drink ’er up!)
Quick review because I need to go out shortly to go bowling in my Renaissance witch costume, given to me by a stranger via RedditGifts. It’s beautiful!
Bold Earl grey smell dry, with bergamot at the top. Steeped it smells strongly of tea (almost like a grassy green), with just a touch of bergamot. It’s a nice sip, smooth, yet strongly flavored. Not my favorite, yet lovely nonetheless.
Preparation
Second cup, and it’s obvious to me this is one of those finicky teas that wants perfection in order to be sippable. Cooled, it’s quite lovely, and even my daughter was sold on it at first taste. Also needed more tea than normal, and a very short steep time – and then more time to cool down a bit.
Preparation
Really wanted more of the White Chocolate Peppermint rooibos from Teavana this morning, however I knew I needed more caffeine than that. So, Toffee Dream, you’re up!
I love delicate white teas, which goes right in the face of the full bodied, awesomesauce flavor I normally seek out, I know. I think it’s that I have to be in the mood for them, and perhaps I should have rooted around my newly opened box of Zen Tea teas a bit more for the right feel.
When I opened the pouch, toffee wafted out, and I thought, “Yum!” Then I saw how tricky it is to measure this tea out because it’s a full leaf. 1-2 tsp/8oz makes more sense now on the package. I was worried I wouldn’t have enough tea in there, so I put in more than I normally would (eyeballing it).
Steeped, it also smells of toffee, although less so. Drinking it is like sipping a gentle white breeze with a hint of toffee at the end – and the toffee lingers surprisingly well, and for a long time. A touch of Truvia brought the toffee notes up a bit earlier in the sip, however I quite liked it without.
Preparation
It’s like I walk by a tea shoppe, and I’m compelled to buy something. I’m obsessed. So I grab the mate earlier, and then I find the following words escaping from my lips, “Anything new and exciting in stock?” This is what the tea lady suggested right off the bat, and I knew I’d have to take some home with me. Only problem? 83g was the smallest amount I wanted to take, just eyeballing it… it’s a heavy tea (with lots of chocolate pieces).
Dry, it smells like peppermint chocolate bark. Steeped, it smells more caramel-y chocolate with a hint of vanilla. Taste? Well, I’m impatient, and so I burned my lips. So far, it’s too hot to tell.
Fast forward a bit, and even without sugar, I love this tea. Mint is the strongest flavor, followed by a fuller yet faint chocolate taste. It’s a hard one to explain, other than it feels thicker than it should, and I could literally guzzle this down when cooled.
Preparation
I actually just got an email saying my Teavana shipment has been shipped and that means that some of this tea is on it’s way. YAY!!! And after reading your tasting note I definitely can’t wait to make myself a cup of this tea!!
It is delicious, and even more so when cooled a bit. I hope you love it as much as I do!
Writing in a coffee shop, and this seemed like the best bet after downing a large cup of iced mate just prior. Struggled to find anything at all about this online (where does it come from? is it a proprietary blend?) and said – the hell with it, I’m posting it anyway. The pic is my steeped cup, because it’s a pet peeve of mine to have zero picture for any teas on here.
I can smell the mango wafting from the cup as soon as the barista handed it to me, and I’m excited to taste it. Unfortunately, the mango is uber-subtle, and while it does make sweetener unnecessary, it’s still a bit drying and too faint for my liking. The rooibos is nutty and full, and I’m looking forward to steeping this again and seeing how it fares.
Walking by Teavana, knowing I have a doozy of an article to write tonight, prompted me to stop in for some mate. This was the only mate they had that was appealing, so I asked for it neat, and cold. While it steeped we discussed the four yuck teas I was gifted with my Breville purchase (all discontinued), and why I’m feeling violent nausea whenever I drink oolong (supposedly, it’s healing my gut and so I should drink more. Discuss?)
I was surprised at first sip; it’s sweet with zero sweetener added, while spicy and tangy too. Cinnamon takes over here, and while I LOVE it, like others have mentioned, my tongue is now numb. I keep on drinking it though, because its the punch-in-the-face I needed, and that’s just how I like my flavors, too.
You should try their blend of this and Maharajah Chai Oolong if you have not already. It is great – although if it is steeped too long the cinnamon becomes overpoweringly sweet.
The lady behind the counter said it’s better blended, however with the oolong-induced nausea, I was scared to try, knowing I had to buckle down and work. I’ll definitely try it the next time I’m by, and maybe have something to eat, first? Dunno what my issue is, because I really do love oolong.
.. and thanks for the suggestion! :)
Oops…I probably should have gone to bed last night rather than being on steepster because I realize now I did some silly things such as suggesting oolong to someone who just clearly stated oolong makes then nauseous :( I am sorry to hear that btw…I guess keep this suggestion in mind for if you ever build up enough tolerance to oolong? Perhaps if they suggest to drink more oolong, a blend would be a good place to start because there won’t be as much of it to upset you stomach?
That’s what I’m hoping. I’m going to research this a bit more, because it’s the first I’ve heard that oolong will somehow ‘cure’ my stomach issues (this is a first too because I rarely have stomach issues). I’m curious more than anything, because if it’s true, I’ll definitely make a point of drinking more.
First tea out of my new stash from Zen. So excited to try something local again!
First off, I should note that I ordered online, and had every intention of picking it up. So, I paid for zero shipping. Yet lo and behold, Zen shipped it FOR FREE, and it arrived two days after I ordered it. Seriously?! Wowza. Thank you. I will definitely make contact to see if I need to pay them some extra for their time.
All I’ve been drinking the past 24hrs has been some form of ginger tea or another, so I knew my tastebuds were a bit off. I smelled zero ginger or anything other than green tea from the bag, as well as while it steeped. As it cools, I can smell a bit of lemongrass, however it’s very faint.
Flavor-wise, this is definitely a green tea, with only a smidgen of lemongrass flavor, while the lemon follows shortly after sipping (and again, oh-so-very-faintly). I taste zero ginger, which makes me a bit sad.
I’ll mix this with some stronger ginger tea in the future, because I do like the delicateness of the green tea.
Preparation
Finished this sample off today with my daughter, who really loved the juiciness of this brew. I found it cloying today, and and the almond wasn’t sitting right. I’m feeling a bit off though (slightly sore throat, bad sleep due to the youngest waking up at 2am last night asking to drink a LITER of chocolate almond milk).
I’m glad we finished this off. Unless my daughter begs for it, I’ll grab something else in the future.
