84 Tasting Notes

My first to try from the pu’er sampler I got awhile ago.

Rinse, let rest for 10 minutes, rinse, then brew for 20 to 30 seconds.

Brews a dark reddish brown color. Initially smells dark and earthy but becomes sweeter as the leaves sit and are resteeped.

Tastes very creamy and rich, and reminds me of rice pudding. Quite enjoyable.

Preparation
Boiling 0 min, 30 sec 4 g 4 OZ / 118 ML
mrmopar

The rest period really helps especially in shou I think.

caile

I learned this from reading your notes! :)

mrmopar

Yeah I think shou really responds to this well. I guess it allows the leaf to absorb the moisture. Now if I can only learn how to break a cake right… :P

caile

Haha, I haven’t actually ever had to break a cake yet.. ;)

mrmopar

Soon….Soon…..

caile

Well.. at the ‘speedy’ rate I’m getting through these samples, it may be awhile yet. :)
Although, I do have a cake of mandala’s wild monk, but I am waiting a bit before I try that.

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drank Black Beauty by Mandala Tea
84 tasting notes

Sweet and toasty with a fruity spiciness; a bit like rye bread and jam. Also notes of cocoa with a wee hint of earthiness.
Very delicious, with a lovely resteep.

Note: I did resteep some of this the other day, probably a third time when I knew it would be weak but just wanted something nice and warm anyway, and although it was weaker as expected, there was a bit of a licorice/fennel-type note which I hadn’t tasted before – still pleasant, and made an interesting and comforting cup that I enjoyed.

Hoping to get a chance to try my pu’er sampler soon. :)

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Terri HarpLady

One of the teas I drank today, rich & sweet :)

caile

Yes, you had some good teas today! :)

ashmanra

That sounds amazing!

Terri HarpLady

I’m pretty sure this is my favorite black tea from Mandala :)

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92

Beautiful dry leaf fragrance of rich dark fruits. Wet leaf also smells lovely and sweetly spicy.

Taste is so good! Smooth and rich, with the earthiness of sweet potatoes accompanied by some fruitiness, and a soft creamy spiciness with nutmeg and cinnamon.

And although I do not taste oranges, this tea very pleasantly reminds me somehow of orange coloured vegetables like yams, pumpkins and peppers, although I can’t really explain why.

I re-steeped this twice after having my first cup, and all three cups were very rich and full of flavor. I really enjoyed this tea and look forward to having it again! Delicious!

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Stephanie

Oh man, sounds great!

caile

Yes, I’m glad I ordered a sample of this – so yum!

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88

Delicate appearing black and gold dry leaf; fragrant like a field of fresh clover hay. Wet leaf smells deliciously sweet like honey.

Taste is flavorful with winey, fruity and floral notes combined with a wee bit of leather. No smokiness that I can detect.
Re-steeped well, and very lovely to drink.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
tea-sipper

Looking forward to a sample of this one with my order!

caile

Yay! :-)

boychik

caile whats your favorite Teavivre Keemun? i need to narrow them down. I dont mind smoke but dont like "ashtray " taste

caile

I think my Teavivre favorite is the ‘organic superfine keemun fragrant black tea’.
I got a sample of it in my last order so I can try it again along with this one sometime to see how it compares. I have also had the ‘premium keemun hao ya’ and liked it as well – it was smokier than the superfine one but I wouldn’t call it a smokey tea really, just a hint. It is hard to narrow down a favorite for sure!

boychik

thanks. organic superfine keemun fragrant black tea is on my list. i might get a sampleof premium keemun hao ya.

Sil

i second organic superfine keemun! (though to be fair when i had them all and tried to do a comparison, there were 3? that i enjoyed quite a bit for different reasons)

caile

I could send a sample of this one, if you’d like to try it. :)

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90

Having this again today with a longer five minute steep. And this makes it so much tastier!
There is still the earthy floral and fruitiness, but now also with caramel. So good!

So, I brewed this longer to see if it would bring out the salty notes that boychik noted. Although I can’t say that I would have noticed saltiness in particular if I wasn’t intent on seeing if I tasted it, there are some salty-type notes that linger afterwards. Sort of like salted caramel I would describe it as, but yes, it is there… more like salted caramel than chocolate to me though..

I re-steeped this at about 8-3/4 minutes and the flavour was still delicious and full. No bitterness, but note that I do put milk in my tea.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
boychik

Oh good. Did you put milk both times ? If you’d drink without milk I think salt would be more pronounced. It’s not bitter or astringent plain. Thank you so much for trying ;)

caile

I did put milk both times.. I usually do now as like it that way better. Maybe that’s why it was more caramel-like than chocolate to me perhaps also.
But regardless, I’m glad you mentioned to try it brewed longer, as it was tastier this way! Thank you! :-)

boychik

I should try it with milk too ;)

caile

Yes, it’s yummy! ;)

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90

So, although I haven’t been on steepster much the past few weeks, I fortunately happened to have the time and focus to check on the day it was announced that A&D were having free shipping to Canada – yay! So I decided to try a couple thing I have been wanting; this being one of them.

I made a cup of this shortly after my package arrived, and was quite pleased with this tasty keemun. Earthy, floral and fruity, with perhaps the lightest hint of smoke. Delicious and flavourful!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec
Sil

YAY!

Stephanie

Can’t wait till mine gets here :)

caile

:) Shipping was surprisingly quick!!

OMGsrsly

Nice! Mine should be here soon then. :)

caile

It will probably be there tomorrow! I ordered on the 1st, it shipped on the 2nd, and then arrived yesterday. :)

boychik

It’s very good and different from other Keemuns I tried( not that I tried many)

boychik

I went back to my notes. You should try it @ 5 min. If doesn’t get bitter or astringent

caile

I will try longer next time. It might have been more like 3 minutes this cup as sometimes I don’t pay attention.. :)

boychik

If you try longer steep can you tell me if you noticed this tea gets slightly salty? It really bugs me that nobody mentioned it in their tastings. Am I the only one who got it ?

caile

I remember reading that note about it being salty! I’ll try and have some tomorrow with a longer steep.

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86

These lovely green leaves really are huge, and the large flat leaves fill the sample packet from end to end.
They do not seem to expand a lot more once brewed, but do become so soft and velvety, and have a soft vegetal scent with a hint of corn silk and perhaps tender green beans.

Brewed color is a clear yellowish hue, and smells sweet and buttery.
Taste is gentle and smooth, and has a sweet creaminess with the mild notes of green beans and corn. So deliciously sweet!!

I like very much, and thank you Angel & Teavivre, for sending this beautiful tea for me to try.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 0 sec
Tamarindel

Sounds delicious!

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Large twisty brown dry leaf which smell a bit like fruit and dry floral but once brewed becomes more rosy in scent.

Brewed colour is a light amber and smells so pretty with fruitiness and floral rosiness.

Taste is juicy, fruity and floral as well, and is very smooth and light. Very delicious with beautiful aroma – a lovely tea, and I very much enjoy this.
A good afternoon tea!

Thank you to Philip at Taiwan Tea Crafts who sent me this generous sample with my order.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec
gmathis

Sounds elegant!

caile

Yes, I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable it was!

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drank Keemun Finest by Zen Tea
84 tasting notes

Fine, dark brown dry leaf that smells a bit earthy with dry plum, which becomes more pronounced when wet. There is possibly a hint of smokiness in the scent as well.

Brews a nice medium brown.
Tastes sweet with cocoa and plum, and there is a wee bit of earthiness. I do not detect much smokiness when drinking, but possibly the leather as in the description. Smooth and enjoyable!

A very nice tea and I re-steeped it once for just as delicious a cup.
Now I wish I had also ordered the other keemun that zen tea has so I could compare them, but perhaps next time.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 30 sec
looseTman

Caile, How does this Keemun compare to others you’ve tasted?

caile

I think I’ve only had two others which were from Teavivre – the superfine and the premium ones – and although it is hard to remember since I don’t have them in stock right now, I feel like I liked those better. I am planning to order the superfine (and possibly the premium as well) :)

looseTman

Understood. Thanks!

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89

Warm cinnamon raisin bread. That is exactly what this cup tasted like – so delicious!
There is a rich sweetness of cinnamon and spices, combined with the fruitiness of raisins, and fresh bread. Lovely and fragrant!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 0 sec
Nxtdoor

Yes, this sounds so good. The question is, will it taste like Cinammon bread to me? It’s ok, it’s rhetorical, you don’t have to answer. I always read reviews and then when it’s my turn, not so much, not with straight teas anyway.

caile

haha, I know what you mean. :)
I drank this without recalling my previous review and although I knew it was going to be somewhat of this flavor profile, I was surprised by how much like raisin cinnamon bread it was – really good. Next time I make it I hope it turns out the same!

gmathis

Hmmm…makes me wonder what would happen if you threw some golden raisins in a steeping basket with something else…

caile

Might be nice! :) Although this was more like the dark raisins, not the golden ones.

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Bio

Love of tea.
Raw puerh, oolong.

Likes: bitter/sweet
Dislikes: seaweed

Location

MB, Canada

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