drank Dawn by The Simple Leaf
3226 tasting notes

I am tasting this tea thanks to the amazing JacquelineM who miraculously produced a sample of this long unavailable tea. When I first joined Steepster, this tea was all the rage. I put it on my wish list, but the company that sold it – sob! – closed before I could buy any. I think losing the opportunity to try this legendary tea bothered me more than any other that “got away.”

And here I am with a generous sample. She could have sold this on the black market to some tea head for lots of money, but instead she sent it to ME! And I saved it for my birthday, which is today! This is my evening cuppa, a treat for myself in the quiet now that the day is winding down.

This is beautiful, beautiful leaf. Dark, long, twisted leaf that is highly aromatic, especially when you scent your cup first. (Thank you, Garret, at Mandala Tea for teaching us to do that. It adds so much to the experience. Pour your hot water in your empty pot, let it warm a moment, then pour out the water and add the leaf. Put the lid on for a moment. Now, lift the lid and take a long, deep sniff of the pot and leaves. Once you have experienced the aromas, add your hot water and steep.)

This is an extremely complicated tea. I am so glad I tried the hojicha first because my thoughts went something like this: Cocoa! Rough cocoa! Roasted cocoa! Roasted….something….coffee, caramel, smoke like hojicha, and…was that a hint of cinnamon? Chicory, yes, it is there also.

No wonder everyone loved it. Thank you so much, JacquelineM, for blessing my birthday with “the one that got away.”

On another note, when I looked up the plantation on google I saw an article that said a tea garden manager of that area was abducted in fall of 2012 and held in the jungle by some group – I forget now exactly who – but had been rescued. Oh my! Glad to read that he was rescued.

Sil

Happy birthday! So glad you had a special tea to enjoy on this great day :)

Terri HarpLady

ooh, that does sound like an interesting & tasty tea! Happy Birthday!!

Azzrian

Happy bday! Yes it is great you got to try it if only once. Its sad though to find a tea like this then its gone :( Im sort of glad I never tired it lol not really but ya know.

Josie Jade

Hope you had a wonderful birthday! :0

Bonnie

Happy Birthday!

ashmanra

Thank you! It has been lovely!

looseTman

Happy Birthday & many more!

JacquelineM

Happy birthday!!!!!!! Happy, happy, happy! Woody cat purrs Happy birthday too !!!

This one is also nice with a little milk and sugar in the afternoon. I am really glad the tea manager is rescued too – my word!

gmathis

Belated, but still sincere. Happy day to you!
(I am hoarding a teeeeeeny bit of this myself like it was gold.)

KiwiDelight

Happy Belated Birthday! I’m glad to know you had such a lovely birthday present :)

K S

Happy one day late Birthday!

ashmanra

Thank you, everyone! :) I am sitting here drink Keemun Hao Ya A and licking the spoon from my youngest daughter’s first cake experience!

Indigobloom

Happy Birthday!! Hope you had a great one. It’s my bday to :P

ashmanra

Happy Birthday, now belatedly, to you as well, Indigobloom! I hope you had a lovely day!

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Comments

Sil

Happy birthday! So glad you had a special tea to enjoy on this great day :)

Terri HarpLady

ooh, that does sound like an interesting & tasty tea! Happy Birthday!!

Azzrian

Happy bday! Yes it is great you got to try it if only once. Its sad though to find a tea like this then its gone :( Im sort of glad I never tired it lol not really but ya know.

Josie Jade

Hope you had a wonderful birthday! :0

Bonnie

Happy Birthday!

ashmanra

Thank you! It has been lovely!

looseTman

Happy Birthday & many more!

JacquelineM

Happy birthday!!!!!!! Happy, happy, happy! Woody cat purrs Happy birthday too !!!

This one is also nice with a little milk and sugar in the afternoon. I am really glad the tea manager is rescued too – my word!

gmathis

Belated, but still sincere. Happy day to you!
(I am hoarding a teeeeeeny bit of this myself like it was gold.)

KiwiDelight

Happy Belated Birthday! I’m glad to know you had such a lovely birthday present :)

K S

Happy one day late Birthday!

ashmanra

Thank you, everyone! :) I am sitting here drink Keemun Hao Ya A and licking the spoon from my youngest daughter’s first cake experience!

Indigobloom

Happy Birthday!! Hope you had a great one. It’s my bday to :P

ashmanra

Happy Birthday, now belatedly, to you as well, Indigobloom! I hope you had a lovely day!

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Profile

Bio

I am a music teacher, tutor, and former homeschool mom (25 years!) who started drinking loose leaf tea about fourteen years ago! My daughters and I have tea every day, and we are frequently joined by my students or friends for “tea time.” Now my hubby joins us, too. His tastes have evolved from Tetley with milk and sugar to mostly unadorned greens and oolongs.

We have learned so much history, geography, and culture in this journey.

My avatar is a mole in a teacup! Long story…

Location

North Carolina

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