84

This sample packet contained another sample packet inside it, one of those colorful packets with Chinese characters on it. Inside, there was yet a third wrapping, a cellophane one.

After removing the tea, I tried to smell the dry leaf, but mostly what I get is a sort of very fresh water smell. The leaves are medium to light green to yellow and rolled into balls.

I steeped in the gaiwan at 195F after a rinse. Starting at 15 sec, and increasing by 5 secs.

The tea is pale yellow and has a mild buttery smell. The floral aspect is very light. I like this one better than yesterday’s no. ZO-85. It’s sweeter, with out the sharp note of yesterday.

It’s pretty much following an observable pattern I’ve noticed recently with other tie guan yins. The second steep gives the liquor a greenish tinge. The dairy aspects intensify. This one’s floral aspects stay about the same.

I took it through a couple of additional steeps and it stayed enjoyable.

This fits squarely within what I think of as canon for tie guan yin. No surprises, nothing out of the ordinary. Just a very tasty, smooth, diary/floral tea.

I could drink this all day.

Flavors: Butter, Floral, Milk

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C

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I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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