Grr Steepster gobbled up my tasting note. So this was a sip down for this tea that I’ve had on three or four other occasions since I purchased it in a gift set that was 50% off at the Heavenly Tea Sale in January. It reminds me more of a tieguanyin in scent and taste though the leaves are not balled up. They are small, greyish green slightly twisted leaves that turn deep green once brewed and have nice little serrated edges.

It lacks roasted, mineral and honey notes though does pick up some subtle nuances of peach pits in the second infusion. The first is mostly orchid and vegetal, while the second turns a bit savory. The third is my least favorite, feeling dull and grey. I may try to resteep a couple more times, but mostly this reminded me of Teavana’s Monkey Picked Oolong. Much preferred the Oriental Beauty in this set, but alas it is no more.

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Druid, artist, poet, mum, lover of tea, ritual and myth. I grew up on Celestial Seasons herbals but fell in love with straight loose leaf tea working at my local Teavana for a year. I am grateful for the introduction and the experience, but have moved on.

I see tea as an experience for the senses, I like to imagine tasting the land and the weather as well as the effect of sun, air, fire and the human hand. I have a soft spot for shu pu’er, yabao, scented oolongs, wuyi oolongs, taiwanese tea as well as smooth naturally sweet blacks, creamy greens and surprisingly complex whites.

I began ordering lots of samples from Upton to educate myself on different varieties of tea we didn’t have at work and have fallen head over heels for the unique offerings from Verdant Tea. I am learning things I like: buttery mouthfeel, surprising sweet or spice notes, woodiness, mineral notes, depth and complexity and things I don’t: astringency, dry and sour notes.

I collect tea tins and am in danger of collecting pots, though I am trying to restrain the urge due to current lack of space. I brew mostly in a glass infuser mug or a tea maker, only using cast-iron for company now (still need to get a gaiwan) and tend not to sweeten my teas unless they are British or fruity and iced, which is not often.

As far as ratings, I lack a definite system and haven’t been assigning numbers lately, wanting to spend multiple sessions with a tea first. I usually only log a tea once, unless it is a new harvest or I have significantly different observations, but will go back and edit or comment if I find something interesting or new.

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Baker Street, Berea, Ohio

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