93
drank Golden Needle King by Shang Tea
807 tasting notes

Took me a moment to find this here on steepster because my sample package says “Golden Needle Red Tea” not Golden Needle King – but the description is the same so I will log it here:

Well I steeped this completely wrong – forgot to let water cool one minute as package says to do. Got into a convo with hubby and just absent mindedly poured the boiling water over the leaves. Uggg I expected problems in the flavor from this.
In a panic I added a little extra cool water – I guess thinking to bring the temp down slightly. Then I realized what I had done and was just like Ugggggggg whatever – it was my only sample I had to drink it. To waste a precious tea from Shang would be a sin…a SIN I tell you!
So anyway guess what – quality tea can take a beating! This was still fabulous!
The smell was malty and of cocoa. The taste was of molasses, malt, chocolate, and hay.
The hay and molasses combination reminded me of sorghum I think. It brought back memories of when I trained hoses and had a couple of my own. That sticky sweet grain we fed the horses in fall and winter. I have not been reminded of that aroma for years and years. It brought back nice memories and made me miss those days. How I love the smell of hay and sweet grain, and horses. Okay before I turn everyone off to this tea the main flavors and aromas are that of malt, chocolate, and molasses, not horses, or hay, but there is something about this tea that makes me want to go to the country and jump on a horse!
This tea also provided a slight albeit very slight cinnamon sparkling sensation on the tongue.
I found this tea quite filling – almost like a dietary supplement may fill your tummy up except this was far more filling and far more enjoyable than those things!
Second and third steeps were also quite excellent but it was getting late and I laid the leaves out for morning – ended up not re-steeping well the next day (today) but I probably ruined a forth steep by over heating the water the first time around.
Shang has THE best teas in my opinion among maybe 5 other tea companies. Love this stuff!

Missy

I love horses. I used to train them with my grandpa so that is a tea that would bring back many happy memories especially if it smelled like them!

Violet

You have to stop logging such amazing teas or I am going to have to expand that list I gave you and I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! Lol Kidding, of course, but I can add more to my shopping list.

Azzrian

LOL Violet – well unfortunately these are mostly only samples :( Wish I had more of this goodness!

Azzrian

Missy you should get a sampling of it – it really totally reminded me of the sweet grain!

dark_light

yum seems delicious now i want it….. you’re evil:)

ScottTeaMan

Just another tea from Shang I must order. :))

Azzrian

LOL dark_light – don’t blame me – its all Shang Teas fault! I am sad I only got a sampler!

Kasumi no Chajin

the Chinese use Red tea to refer to what the English call “black”…red referred to the color of the tea liquor, as black does the dry leaf…though some types of processing have made the exactness of the references less accurate more recently.

Azzrian

Thanks Kasumi :) Yeah I was a bit of a newbie 8 months ago – I have since learned the error of my ways :) Still thank you for replying to this! You never know I could have still been in the dark :)

Kasumi no Chajin

I did not know this tea fact until a few years ago, and have been drinking tea my whole life. (cultural specifics were focused on the Japanese info, we drank Chinese when out as a family)
I also posted for anyone coming across this post. :) If you were new to tea 8 months ago, you have come a LONG Way, congrats.

Azzrian

Awweee thanks so much!:)

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Comments

Missy

I love horses. I used to train them with my grandpa so that is a tea that would bring back many happy memories especially if it smelled like them!

Violet

You have to stop logging such amazing teas or I am going to have to expand that list I gave you and I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT! Lol Kidding, of course, but I can add more to my shopping list.

Azzrian

LOL Violet – well unfortunately these are mostly only samples :( Wish I had more of this goodness!

Azzrian

Missy you should get a sampling of it – it really totally reminded me of the sweet grain!

dark_light

yum seems delicious now i want it….. you’re evil:)

ScottTeaMan

Just another tea from Shang I must order. :))

Azzrian

LOL dark_light – don’t blame me – its all Shang Teas fault! I am sad I only got a sampler!

Kasumi no Chajin

the Chinese use Red tea to refer to what the English call “black”…red referred to the color of the tea liquor, as black does the dry leaf…though some types of processing have made the exactness of the references less accurate more recently.

Azzrian

Thanks Kasumi :) Yeah I was a bit of a newbie 8 months ago – I have since learned the error of my ways :) Still thank you for replying to this! You never know I could have still been in the dark :)

Kasumi no Chajin

I did not know this tea fact until a few years ago, and have been drinking tea my whole life. (cultural specifics were focused on the Japanese info, we drank Chinese when out as a family)
I also posted for anyone coming across this post. :) If you were new to tea 8 months ago, you have come a LONG Way, congrats.

Azzrian

Awweee thanks so much!:)

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Profile

Bio

Most of my reviews will be “snippits” of full reviews that can be found at http://sororiteasisters.com/
Posted every evening at 6 EST.
I usually try to post the exact date that the full reviews will post however sometimes post dates need changed so it may not always be correct. Generally the dates are correct however.

About Me:

Most of my reviews, although not all, will be quite favorable of the tea. This is not because all tea is excellent, but more so because I generally will not waste my time on an inferior tea. If I do not care for a tea I won’t continue to drink it let alone spend time reviewing it. If you see a review by me you basically know it is a quality tea. Granted it may not suit your specific taste buds, we all like different things, but as for a tea on the whole it is a good one, from a good company.

I am a spiritual advisor by profession.
I have two “young adult” children.
Four cats and three dogs.

Some of my hobbies include gardening, essential oil therapy, natural perfumery with essential oils, and cooking.

I look for complexity overall in any tea, dimensions to the flavors.

I believe tea should evoke a feeling, thought, emotion, or attitude.

I enjoy most all oolongs, blacks, whites, and greens.

I always love to try a good yellow tea.

I favor unadulterated teas but I do have my longings for a good flavored tea now and then so I don’t rule them out by any means!

I enjoy green rooibos don not like red rooibos.

Find me on facebook and twitter – Azzrian Visions

Location

Kansas

Website

http://www.azzrianvisions.com

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