545 Tasting Notes
Backlogging. Last Saturday afternoon.
I’m not too fond of this Sencha and don’t drink it often. But I found myself wanting an unflavored sencha and thought ‘go drink it then and use some of it up’. So I did. Grassy and better than I remembered. Perhaps I will try it again sooner.
Preparation
Backlogging. Last Wednesday morning. (Will I ever get through my tealog backlog? It just keeps growing!)
A generous sample of Dark Roast Mate was the second of two surprise inclusions in my tea swap with LiberTeas. I have never had mate before and the dry mate did not look or smell at all like I expected. It looks like dark dark brown chippies, much like rooibos or honeybush, and smells roasty, toasty, and slightly molasses-y. More reminiscent of coffee than I thought, given that some people on here had mentioned that it doesn’t taste like coffee.
I steep my husband up a mug the previous evening before he went on night shift. Steeped for five minutes, I thought it was a bit weak and could benefit from more steep time. I resteeped a second mug for him which was weak but still had plenty of drinkable flavor.
So, when I steeped mine that morning, I steeped it for two minutes longer. The mate was a dark dark brown and smelled similar to the dry mate but fainter. I enjoyed the first third of the mug but then the flavor turned overpowering to me and I gulped down the rest cause I needed the caffeine. I was put off by it and didn’t resteep. I haven’t had any since since I think I need to get the memory of the taste out of my head before I try it again. I did like the mug I made my husband so I know it was likely steeping it too long.
I’m rating this mate a 60, which is the beginning of my nice range (60-70), cause I liked it initially then messed up the steeping. I suspect it will change with further drinking and better steeping.
Preparation
Backlogging. Last Monday night.
A surprise inclusion in a tea swap with LiberTeas. I"m not a chamomile fan, unless it’s a less noticeable flavor in a blend, so I’ll admit that I wasn’t sure if I’d like this one. But the colorful dry tisane and barely there chamomile smell got my hopes up about its drinkability.
Nocturne, as I like to call it, has a happy multi-colored dry tisane, containing small lavender colored seeds, larger purple hued pieces ranging from royal purple to magenta, chamomile flowers, very large sheer flower petals, and golden green honeybush chippies. It smells of the distinct floral scent of lavender foremost, with a bit of chamomile and the sweetness of the honeybush beneath it.
I steeped up a mugful using the steeping parameters in Liberteas tealog for it. Fragrant and inviting, darker than I expected. I taste lavender, only a bit of chamomile, sweetness from the honeybush, and just a hint of tart from the hibiscus. This tea is unique. I was expecting something similar to a sleepytime blend.
I gave it a second steep cause I usually try one for each new tea. Surprisingly for a tisane, it was moderate in strength, compared to the first steep, and flavorful. I enjoyed consuming it.
I’m rating this tisane a 70, right on the border between nice and good (nice = 60-70, good = 70-80).
2nd steep: 9 min 30 sec.
Preparation
Backlogging. Sunday afternoon.
This is the tea session that began what is turning into a week long Kenchanjangha addition. It’s also really fun to say Kenchanjangha. I also thoroughly enjoy sniffing the dry Kenchanjangha leaves before steeping. They smell like something I can’t quite put my finger on yet so I keep smelling them and trying to figure it out. I got green, toasty, roasty, a bit of sharpness, a very slight bit of smoke, and some peach this time. All three cups were as good as always.
1st steep: 2 min.
2nd steep: 2 min 15 sec.
3rd steep: 3 min.
These steep times work well as a good place to start. This tea does not take a fourth steep.
Preparation
Backlogging. Last Friday afternoon.
This is the second time I’ve steeped this tea and as it was a bit too bitter for me last time, I lowered the water temperature 10° with good results. It came out more like what I was expecting this tea to taste like the first time and I liked it.
2nd steep: 4 min.
Steep this tea lower than 180° F.
