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A nice smooth example of Yunnan without bitterness. I got a sample size in a recent order and brewed it a bit strong this morning. The second steeping is a bit weaker, but still has a nice dark chocolate aftertaste. Not a bad cup, but not my favorite Yunnan either. Don’t think I need this in my cupboard, but would be interested in blending it with a bit of Assam.

Sweet cinnamon waffle goodness. If you aren’t eating waffles with syrup you can drink a sip of this and pretend that you are. If you don’t like the sweet maple taste, this one’s not for you. For me, I’d drink this occasionally or add something savory to eat like feta or goat cheese. This is a tasty sweet tea that I’ll need a bit more of in my cupboard.

National vacation day tea: I’ve never been to Kenya, but it and Tanzania are on my list. I am visiting my parent as my mom is having health issues so this is from my dad’s cupboard. I got him a variety of S&V teas a few Christmases ago and this was one he picked for repurchase. He can be particular about teas that leave an aftertaste, but this one is fairly smooth.
The tea has several notes, nutty, toasty, and malty with a slight caramel hay taste thrown in. I brewed a strong pot this morning, but a lighter afternoon brew might bring out some different notes. This reminds me of a much darker and smokier version of a yellow tea. A yummy cup that I’ll add to my next S&V order.

This is an interesting blend of congou and bohea that tastes most of tobacco. I’m not sure I’ve ever had the two teas separately, but Upton has some congou available that I might try a sample. This blend is definitely smooth, and can be brewed as suggested for a lighter cup, or add another spoonful for a more hearty brew. No bitterness here, but notes of toasty hay and burnt tobacco. Not sure I need more of this in my cupboard but it’s a nice mellow cup to savor.

SF Herb Dragonwell with a half a spoon of spearmint. I do like a minty green tea, and this one starts out sweet mint and ends buttery, nutty grass. A strange combination but somehow it’s working for me this morning. I’ll try this again with less spearmint to see the green tea shining through a bit more.

Sipdown! This tea is easy to brew too strong, and is less astringent as it cools. It has a nice , soothing vanilla taste, with creamy caramel undertones. But there is a harshness to the finish, and it is more pronounced if more leaf is used. If it were more forgiving, I’d be tempted to get more, but I’m not sure I need this decaf blend in my cupboard.

Not a bad example of an Assam, but not very complex either. Malty and astringent and a tiny bit smoky. It’s got a good kick to it that might stand up to milk, if I was a person that likes tea lattes. I’d rather drink it plain or add some spice to it like ginger. While I’ve enjoyed sipping down this bag, its not worth seeking out again, I’ve had other Assams I’ve enjoyed more.

I am working on sipping this down and only have a few more cups to go, so I guess now is a good time for a tasting note!
This smells very roasty, a bit like a hojicha, and brews up nice and dark. There aren’t a whole lot of different notes to this tea, no complexity that comes out with additional steeping. I’m not sure I could distinguish this as an oolong, its certainly more hay and straw and lingering smoky notes than any floral or even big red robe tastes. It is rolled rather tightly and unfurls while steeping. Its easy to brew this one strong, but its too toasty to become bitter. I have enjoyed sipping down this bag, but won’t be purchasing any more.

A decent bagged tea with enough bite to let you know it’s black tea, but not so much as to need sweetener or milk. It’s so blended I can’t really pick out any interesting flavors, it’s not a tea I’d reach for again, but it’s not the worst bagged breakfast blend either.

Sipdown!!
This tea was just ok, orangy, creamy, with a hint of cranberry and vanilla. I do like a strong cup of tea, and when I brew this strong, it has a slightly burnt taste. As a dessert tea, it was adequate, but not so yummy that I’ll be purchasing again.