Nancy Send Message

In the package: I’m going to assume that this “vegetal” thing that everyone is referring to is that spinach aroma I’m getting. There’s a sharp, mid-palate sweetness in the dry tea as well.

Steeped: I know I should ask forgiveness for saying this, but it smells an awful lot like cooked spinach. It could be worse, at least it does not smell like canned spinach.

Taste: My southern palate is referencing spinach with a little bit of bacon, of all things. Not as bitter as turnip greens, but spinach-like with smoke undertone. Completely drinkable without sweetening as long as one keeps in mind that it’s really, uhhh, vegetal. Honey brings out the smoke but doesn’t make it taste better, really.

In the pouch: Definitely a smoky thing going on, and woody. Make sure to take it out of the packaging and give it a good sniff because it’s subtle and you can mistake the smell of the package for the smell of the tea if you’re not careful.

In the cup: Smells like oolong, pretty much.

Taste: First steep, subtle and smoky, with added honey bringing out a floral note (that I hope was not just the honey flavor). Second steep, much more woody flavor coming out, a little more smoke. I agree with the reviewer who said it was like cinnamon stick with more emphasis on the stick.

In the pouch: Not as much smell as some of the other teas. Almost an odd, plastic odor that I have to blame on the packaging, actually, so not much from the tea so far.

Steeping: Nutty, smoky scent that gets stronger.

Drinking: Light and nutty with a faint smokiness. This is actually my favorite non-flavored oolong so far from this box of samples. I think I’ll be doing at least one more steep, and there might be a tin of this in my future.

In the pouch: Herbal, almost floral. I had to look at the label to make sure I hadn’t picked up the pouch of green tea instead.

Steeping: Smells like roasted rice. It’s not unpleasant at all, but it’s more of a cereal smell than an herbal smell.

This probably needs a longer steep time than the recommended 2-3 minutes on the label. I was afraid to oversteep it and make it bitter, so I gave it about three minutes. The liquid is transparent. Tastes like hot water lightly infused with roasted rice. I’m going to try a second steep for a longer steep time. Surely there is more to this tea than this.

Second steep: Still smells like toasted rice, but now tastes like spinach.

In the package: STRONG smell of jasmine. Floral scent that will knock you back on your heels.

Steeped: The tea is a clear yellow-green. Still very floral smell. Unsweetened, hits the tongue and runs past without making much of an impression. Three seconds later, the jasmine aftertaste hits and sticks around. With honey, the jasmine taste actually hits while you’re drinking instead of waiting for aftertaste.

It’s not bad, but it’s almost too heavy on the jasmine. I don’t get any green tea flavor at all. The other jasmine teas I’ve had were in black tea, and that held its own against the jasmine and seemed to me to balance it better. This would be a really good choice for someone who wants the benefits of green tea but likes jasmine tea a lot more than they like green tea.

I normally hate the very idea of fruit in my tea. The idea just grosses me out. I’m glad I tried this before I worked out that it was full of fruit, because I would really have missed out if I’d skipped it.

This is sweet, and has a sweet-smoke kind of smell to it. Mind your steeping time, if you leave it too long it turns eye-wateringly bitter. Will stand up to a second steeping if you treat it right and don’t over-steep it the first time.

I like this with some honey and just a splash of heavy cream.

This tea is an absolute must for me. I like it with a bit of honey to wake up the flavor. It’s sweet and warm and spicy and citrus-y and it just makes me a little bit happier every time I drink it. This is my go-to comfort tea.

Smell in the pouch: Sweet and smoky.

Smell in the cup: I know this is going to sound inappropriate as all hell, but it smells like the air at an ACDC concert. I was not expecting that at all.

Taste: Very smoky, not getting any real sweet at all. There has got to be a problem with either the water temperature or the steeping time here. It tastes better than the smell might suggest, but I can’t get over how it smells.