110 Tasting Notes
1 1/2 tsp for 12 oz
This tea is great for what it is. A solid, basic tea. Totally non astringent with these steeping parameters, but not sweet like the Taiwanese teas I like. I needed a little extra oomph this afternoon so I went for a stronger tea, and I enjoyed it with no additions.
Preparation
1 tbsp for 12 oz
Just tried this again, and still love it. It really hits the spot. It is not the most complex tea, but it is smooth, flavorful (has a definite though subtle presence from the Assam flavor), and just happens to be what I am really looking for in a tea at this price point. YUM.
Preparation
1/2 tbsp in 12 oz
This is a great oolong that’s a bit lighter and drier than a Bai Hao. Just as last time, I really love it. It isn’t astringent (now that I have a good thermometer!), and has a very pleasant, soothing flavor. (Not really floral like many other oolongs I’ve tasted.) It’s perfect for me when I want tea in the late afternoon and have already had a few stronger teas earlier in the day. This is probably the “lightest” tea I’ve had that I really like. I’m embracing the fact that I’m not a green tea person (at least for now).
Preparation
2 tsp in 8 oz.
Fantastic tea. A smoother, sweeter tea than I would have expected at this price point. It’s kind of like the Harney and Sons Formosa Oolong I like, but with more body. It’s lighter than the Fujian blacks I’ve tried.
I think I’m going to have to come up with a 3-tier system for the teas I like. I’m starting to realize there are a few teas in the $2/oz range that I consider good enough (and inexpensive enough) to drink often — as in daily, teas in the $5/oz ballpark (like this one) that are good for once every couple of days, and teas in the $10+/oz range that I can indulge in maybe once a week.
Preparation
i agree! this is where most of my thinking is starting to align with as well. “stuff that’s not as expensive that i’d drink everyday vs stuff that i’ll drink once a week that’s in the more expensive range as a treat”
Yeah. I feel like I have to narrow things down a bit now that I’ve tried a lot of different kinds if teas and am understanding where my preferences lie.
I like this line of thinking as well. I think the reason I originally made a check-list was to get myself to quite drinking the really ‘awesome but pricey’ teas every single day, LOL. If I can’t drink a tea again until I’ve sampled all the other ones, that helps me to spread the really special ones out a little.
Terri, what’s your checklist look like? Intrigued… I have a spreadsheet, lol.
It’s just a basic Table format, with 4 rows, from left to right:
Type (of tea, white, fl white, green, fl green, etc)
Name of tea (that column is the widest)
Brand (sorted alphabetically by brand, BTW)
Re (as in re-order? This is the smallest column)
I’ve got all the white teas listed first, then flavored whites, then green, & on & on through puers. Then I have all the TOMC & TOMCRs listed by month, then the tea trades I’ve done with people, then tisanes. Once I’ve sipdown something I delete it, unless I might want to re-order it, in which case I put asterisks around it…
LOL, this is incredibly organized for a right brainer like me, but that was an evening when Ms Theresa took control. She likes to create elaborate systems (which usually are doomed to failure). SO, anyway, starting this week I’m gonna print it out once a month & attempt to drink everything on the list once, LOL. It’s a pretty long list…262 currently. I think I need to start the new month with a serious sipdown spree!!
Nice… That’s a LOT of tea! At the height of my tea obsession, I had 50 once, and I thought I had gone over the cliff. You are way way way over the cliff!
2 rounded tsp in 16 oz
Enjoying this tea today. It’s smooth and dark with a quality that I think is what people call “malty” though I’m personally not too sure what that is. I notice than it doesn’t have nearly as many golden tips as the Superfine Tan Yang and so is lacking that sweet Dian Hong – like characteristic. It’s what I’d classify as a very good basic breakfast tea.
Preparation
1 1/2 tsp in 8 oz
I picked up a tin of this one in my latest Harney order because I’ve been enjoying the Fujian blacks from Teavivre that I’ve tried lately, and it is only $2 per ounce, so why not?
It is a very nice, smooth tea with a slightly earthy quality. Doesn’t need milk or sugar. It’s kind of like a cross between a Keemun and a Yunnan. It’s not that exciting, but at $2 per ounce, it could certainly be a cupboard staple for when I need to make a quick mug of something to run out the door with.
Having a couple of basic teas like this are great so that I can save my favorites for times when I can really sit and savor every sip.
Preparation
1 1/2 tsp in 8 oz
Yeah, so I think this tea is just too light for my taste. I’m really starting to narrow down my likes/dislikes. Also, I finally have a thermometer that works correctly, so I am getting better, more consistent results.
I like darker oolongs that aren’t too roasted and lighter blacks. Anything greener than a Bai Hao or anything more intense than a Keemun is just not going to be for me. Though I do like greener teas iced. I think I’ll be using up the rest of my green and light oolong samples for cold brewing iced tea.
This style is just a bit greener than a Bai Hao, and though I got a nice smooth flavorful result this time, it’s just not my preference. You might love it, though!
Preparation
1 1/2 tsp in 8 oz
Had to raise my rating on this. When I tried it side by side with Adagio’s Bai Hao, I thought I preferred the Adagio. But, yesterday I had some of the Adagio, and today the Teavivre, and now I think I prefer the Teavivre or at least it is very close. This one is lacking the honey-like aftertaste that I notice in the Adagio, but it is a very subtle difference.
Anyway, I really enjoyed this today. It is smooth and flavorful with a natural sweetness. I tell you, I just love this style of oolong… pretty highly oxidized and not heavily roasted. It’s fantastic.
