60
drank Laoshan Black by Verdant Tea
58 tasting notes

I know everyone pretty much loves this tea, but to me, it smells like a very high quality potting soil. I’m having a lot of trouble with the smell. It tastes nice enough, though more earthy than I like.

While I can appreciate that this is a unique and naturally richly flavored tea, it isn’t for me.

Sil

LOL sorry the image of this made me chuckle outloud

Bonnie

I’ve noticed that pretty much all the reviews I’ve read from you today are bleh. Are you using too much leaf? What’s your brewing method? Like a mystery, sounds like something is amiss.

Anyanka

Some of them may have reposted from earlier because I was adding ratings to some old notes. I wait to review most teas until I’ve had a few cups and varied how they’re brewed, unless they’re good on the first try. So some of the reviews from today are really a compilation of my impressions over a few days or sessions.

Bonnie

The more you drink fresher unflavored tea,the richer and closer to the earth you may find the taste. If you want real earthiness try Puerh. Some green tea’s taste savory and mineral, oolongs floral or roasty (even charcoal). Old or inferior quality tea might have less flavor. The reason I asked about your brewing method was because you said you were learning about tea. Some people use tea balls or similar equipment which inhibits steeping. Filtered water, temp and timing are more important than one might think.

Anyanka

Ah, I see what you meant. I use finum/forlife/chatsford infusers, clean-tasting well water, my watch timer, and, if the temperature needs to be less than boiling, a thermometer. This tea just didn’t do it for me, it smelled bad at every step and I have a hard time eating or drinking something I dislike the smell of. (So no durian fruit for me.)

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Sil

LOL sorry the image of this made me chuckle outloud

Bonnie

I’ve noticed that pretty much all the reviews I’ve read from you today are bleh. Are you using too much leaf? What’s your brewing method? Like a mystery, sounds like something is amiss.

Anyanka

Some of them may have reposted from earlier because I was adding ratings to some old notes. I wait to review most teas until I’ve had a few cups and varied how they’re brewed, unless they’re good on the first try. So some of the reviews from today are really a compilation of my impressions over a few days or sessions.

Bonnie

The more you drink fresher unflavored tea,the richer and closer to the earth you may find the taste. If you want real earthiness try Puerh. Some green tea’s taste savory and mineral, oolongs floral or roasty (even charcoal). Old or inferior quality tea might have less flavor. The reason I asked about your brewing method was because you said you were learning about tea. Some people use tea balls or similar equipment which inhibits steeping. Filtered water, temp and timing are more important than one might think.

Anyanka

Ah, I see what you meant. I use finum/forlife/chatsford infusers, clean-tasting well water, my watch timer, and, if the temperature needs to be less than boiling, a thermometer. This tea just didn’t do it for me, it smelled bad at every step and I have a hard time eating or drinking something I dislike the smell of. (So no durian fruit for me.)

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Bio

Here are the things I drink: Tea, water, coffee, beer, whiskey, wine.

I’ve been drinking tea since I was a little girl, but only recently began learning about tea and drinking loose leaf.

I prefer unflavored tea to flavored, tea leaves to tisanes, but I’m not inflexible and will try nearly anything.

I’m still learning, so thank you in advance for your patience and your help.

Also, I had to come up with a way to quantify my ratings because I was being really inconsistent:

100-90: Delicious, must keep in stock.

89-80: Excellent, a definite reorder.

79-70: Good, an occasional reorder.

69-50: Pleasant, but it was a one night stand.

49-30: Not good, but drinkable.

29-20: Bad, but I finished the cup.

19-10: Terrible. Couldn’t finish a cup.

10 and below: Undrinkable, requires mouthwash and counseling.

Location

Maryland, USA

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