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Parade of flavors
I add brown sugar with joy
Coconut truffle

Our fourth tasting tea, after a brief spat of playing dress up and going out to lunch.
This was a parade of flavors. First and foremost there was a definite black tea flavor followed by creamy cocoa, coconut, and the rest. Afterwards, a tea and husk flavor sits in the mouth with a breath of coconut. (And by breath of, I mean I taste it in my breath.) A bit of brown sugar added blends the flavors together so they’re a party instead of a parade. The molasses brings out the cocoa and coconut meat flavors. A bit of milk is a terrible idea, as it drowned everything out.

The second steep was drinkable, almost good. I wouldn’t try another. The liquor had a strong coconut scent, but none of the flavor. The sweetness of the honeybush was gone and there is a bitter edge that really brings out the tea flavor above the cocoa.

Decayed leaves with mint
As I steep again, again
Balance of taste shifts

Tea three of our tasting party. The dry mix had a strong chocolate and mint smell. The liquor smelled of wet leaves/tobacco with tinges of mint. It had a balanced taste with a nice refreshing mint finish. There wasn’t really any cocoa flavor. We tried adding milk, which was a terrible idea. It did bring out some cocoa, but mostly it tamped down the mint and strengthened the decaying leaf taste.

The second steep had more cocoa and less wet leaf/tobacco scent. We decided that the taste was no better or worse than the first cup, only different. The flavor profile changes matched the scent changes: The wet leaf/tobacco flavor was less, which allowed a sweetness through that was nicely balanced by the mint.

We tried a third steep. It was drinkable, but kind of meh. Not recommended. There were more notes of cocoa and a slight sweetness in the aftertaste, but only a mere breath of mint.
Added sugar brought out no extra flavors.

As warm, smells citrus
As cold, there is fruit
Both delightful—BUT
Steep two left us mute!

Tea two of our tasting party. The prominent smells of the dry mix were orange peel and lemongrass. The liquor was a dark rose color and had a strong lemon scent (and hibiscus, says my mother who knows what that smells like). The taste was “a hibiscus tart to start rounded by citrus and finished with a spice that Mom attributes to elderberries”. We drank half our cups, then decided to put them in the refrigerator to cool while we did a second steep.

Cold, the smell was much more fruit/rose-y and the taste had more hibiscus pucker. The citrus flavor pretty much disappeared. Overall, we decided that cold it wasn’t better, but it was more (and very) refreshing.

The second steep was horrendous. We did not get past a few sips. The color was a watery mauve and it basically tasted like warm rose & lemongrass water with an unpleasant astringency.

Fall scents—leaves and spice
A dark butterscotch liquor
Chased away my sleep

I took advantage of the closing sale and ended up with 6 tins of Two Guy’s Tea. So…I had a tasting party with my mother on my day off! It was the best day ever and took up way more time then we suspected it would— an average 1.25 hours per tea. xD This was our first one.

The dry tea itself was very spice-filled smelling. However, once we brewed it the suggested amount (3.5 mins), the smell was much more toned down. My mother decided that the exact color of the liquor was “caramelized sugar.” The taste was a little disappointing after how strong the dry tea had smelled, but after adding a little milk (which brought out the tea) and brown sugar (which brought out the spices) it was a fine cup. This makes sense, considering that it’s a chai and should have these things!
We steeped it again for 4.5 mins and got a stronger aroma with a spicier taste, which we both preferred.

Eww eww EWW! The problem with trying new teas from different countries is that you can’t know if it’s a flavor you dislike. I do NOT like licorice. Oops.

First steep, second steep
I tasted a sunny knoll
Yay first try sencha

I’d never tried a sencha tea before. I tend to over-steep and/or scald green tea. (It is not my forte.) I paid close attention to time on this one, though, and was deliciously surprised at the mild grassiness. It wasn’t bitter or really astringent, even on the second steep. Yay!

Tea liquid swishing,
A bite of pb & j…
Satisfaction smiles.

Dryness in my mouth
Not just drinking hot water
Flavored question mark

Pyramid bag, leaves bigger and smaller. I get an odd sensation when drinking this, like it blocks my tastebuds. I’m drinking something smoother than water, but I don’t really taste anything until after I’ve swallowed.

Sweet nectar wafting
A scent confused with honey
Tasted just as good.

This tea was light and surprisingly sweet! I’ve never had a tea with honeybush in it (that I knew), so I’m guessing that’s where the honey sweetness came from…

Smells of roses waft
Liquid floral scent across
My palate dances.