MlesnA

I have tried a side-by-side comparison to other Uva region tea I have. See other review here: http://steepster.com/Martin-CZE/posts/439063

I have received both tea bags from Izzy I believe, however 2 years ago I think, but both were foilwrapped.

This one is, sadly, the worse one. Izzy mentions it needs milk, but here I am drinking tea without any additivies, so plain black tea. And steeped rather short, on low level set by producer — 3 minutes.

It is very, very astringent and bitter. Honestly, it doesn’t deliver much more. Very tannic and unpleasant. And that drying aftertaste!

Not a fan, indeed.

Smells artificial grape, tastes ‘nothing but surely there’s something there’, nothing like tea

I think this is the first Mlesna tea I’ve tried that hasn’t been too bitter. Finally!

The Ceylon tea base is smooth, plain and quite light. The cinnamon is gentle but definitely detectable. It’s pleasant and is great for washing down biscuits and cakes and sweet things.

There’s actually some natural sweetness to this tea, I think. Maybe it’s the lightness of the cinnamon, but it instantly makes me think of cinnamon spiced treats, rather than a heavy chai.

Besides that, there’s not much else to say about this tea. It’s plain yet pleasant.

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/mlesna-cinnamon-tea-review/

Another tea from Izzy, thank you!
They say “An exotic tea”.

Well, I guess not for us living in temperate climate; but whatever.

Let’s talk about the tea, which I have steeped for 4 minutes. Well, let’s say it is nice, yet quite basic cup of Ceylon balck and somehow resembling apple fruit flavours. Can’t tell if red or green apples, rather a combination of both (it’s pictured that way) as it was sweet as well a bit tart. The base is same for all the teas I guess, simple Ceylon, no malty notes; rather a citrusy base. Nothing to write home about — as well about whole tea; because it was just too simple and not complex.

One tea bag received from Izzy, thank you, and thankfully only one.

This is so basic cup. I am used to drinking teas plain and well, this tea is indeed screaming for mercy of milk. It’s so tannic, bold, strong and… boring! It’s like you got a cheap tea bag, very low-end and it tastes like that. It’s maybe a single origin, but certainly doesn’t taste like the others I have tried. This was just plain and boring. And bitter. And… nothing to write!

Luckily, I used a bigger volume of my vessel and steeped for shorter time. So it was drinkable without the milk. But completely forgettable, cheap stuff.

Would you recommend this tea? Nope, I wouldn’t. It is sold as better but actually it’s rather a great dismal. Don’t expect any complexity, it’s not here. Not even the malty or any other notes. Just a bitter and tannic cup. Finished it, and well, I was hoping for something else.

I did not get on too well with this tea.

Initially, the teabag smells malty and brisk with a sweetness that reminds of me sticky ginger loaf cake. But that’s gone by the time you’ve brewed it and there’s nothing left but a generic, plain black tea aroma.

Slightly malty and brisk, but mostly just tannins.

The flavour was unbelievably bitter with a weird sweetness sweeping in at the last second as you swallow. That sweet bitter combination reminds of orange pith. And the body of the tea is quite light and watery too, I found.

Definitely one to drink with milk and honey!

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/mlesna-sabaragamuwa-tea-review/

Martin got around to reviewing this tea before I did – and I completely agree with his note. This is an okay tea but nothing special, and definitely reminiscent of an English Breakfast blend.

It’s smooth, pleasant and bright, although I found that the tannin notes and malt are dominating the aroma more than the flavour. But then, I only brewed for 3 minutes to drink it without milk.

I also found some bitterness on the back of my tongue at the end of each sip. It’s subtle though and doesn’t detract from the overall experience.

Taking pictures for the blog in winter is hard. I’m out of fresh flowers from the garden, so I made do with a little fox pot plant and matching face mask: https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/mlesna-kandy-tea-review/

A tea bag from Izzy, thank you

Quite okay.
But I am not really fan of cream earl greys, so I am a bit affected. The base is decent, nice bergamot flavour and the creamy note is okay; smooth and a bit vanilla like.

I don’t know what to write more about this tea. Simple, creamy, citrusy… just not that great. Something is lacking. I don’t know what. Maybe a better, bolder base?

Note: add milk. MlesnA advise on the tea wrapper that it’s best consumed with milk. Massive understatement.

This tea is a lot. It has a bold character that really smacks you in the face. Or tongue, I guess. It’s not going to be everyone’s “cup of tea” but I can stomach it.

The astringency and bitterness is extreme, but by adding milk, you turn this tea into a very crisp and palate-clearing cuppa. I cannot drink this tea without milk.

I get notes of bergamot in this tea, as it’s got that crisp astringency and briskness to it. Although, I think if you used this tea to make an Earl Grey it would be too much. There’s a hint of maltiness that pops up as well, with a generous splash of milk.

At the end of the cup, you’re left with a drying sensation in your mouth.

My blog review is shorter than usual. There’s not much to say other than “damn, that’s bitter!” So, ultimately, I’m only recommending this tea to masochists that like a very brisk cuppa with a lot of milk.

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/mlesna-uva-tea-review/

I have received another tea bag (pictured, not by me though) from Izzy, so again, as always, thank you.

Loolecondera is, apparently to Czech MlesnA distributor, a very first Ceylon plantation, where in 1867 James Taylor started to grow tea. They offer this tea even in loose leaf, so I have edited the listing accordingly.

Anyway, I expected somehow basic black tea and it is exactly that. Steeping for two minutes were alright, and I get that typical black tannic, unflavoured tea. There is no malt, nor too strong tannic taste. It was just a tea-ish tea. What I have expected from BOPF anyway, right? Steeps super quickly and doesn’t deliver anything unique or unexpected.

Okay.
Buying a 100g tin for 10,59 USD? Nope. It looks nice though. They have majority of their teas, but the price seems too high for me and quality not that worth.

After I was mildly impressed with the single origin Ceylon teas by BOH (sachets) and Basilur (teabags) I was looking forward to trying more single origins from Mlesna.

But…. this tea sucks.

It brews very quickly into that dark peat brown tea colour and has a generic, hearty and tannin black tea aroma. It’s bold and rich with a hint of malt, but lacks a distinctive character. There’s nothing that makes it special.

The flavour is incredibly bitter – almost unbearably bitter. You need to add a lot of milk and sugar to make this tea drinkable. And I don’t usually like sugar in my tea, which says a lot about this one.

Yet, I did finish the cup and it does work well for washing down sweet, sticky foods. Pancakes, waffles, cake, etc. So it gets a middling score for that, but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it. I’ll use the rest of this tea in baking.

Pssst. Martin. I sent you this tea but I see you haven’t logged it on Steepster yet. Can I say sorry in advance?

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/mlesna-dimbula-tea-review/

Not sure if exactly this one, as tea bag from Izzy is saying just Kandy Tea. Thank you, not all are bad.

This one, is nothing amazing. But not a bad cup. It is just too simple — because of tea bag I suppose.
It is nice and fullbodied black tea, without any flaws, and after 4 minutes steeping pretty much strong. Some may add milk, but not me. But as of flavours… well I think just tannic and malty, quite a common combination, bold and brisk. Luckily not a bitter cup.

I asssume this is the region where are sourced leaves for English Breakfast teas, because this tea highly reminded me this blend, but something was lacking. But English Breakfast is a blend, so it makes sense it isn’t exactly that.

A tea bag from Izzy which I am grateful for; though…

If I had other tea bags, I would dump them. Luckily I got only one. Because… all the plus points are awarded for the dry aroma smell and for nice tea bag design. Yep, it’s that bad. The aroma is reminding a maple, though not really maple on first sight(ehm, smell). It’s a bit hidden.

Brewed for 3-4 minutes, I guess it would be exactly in the middle… 3:30. There aren’t any steeping parameters on this foil bag.

Okay, the smell is creamy. Nothing bad actually, why not in maple tea, right. But the sips were… oh what? Maple? Are you sure this is supposed to be maple? It was rather artificial vanilla, and weirdly creamy, but again a artificial note of that + it was stinging my tongue.

Next points awarded for finishing the cup of NOT A MAPLE TEA.
Blergh. Never more.

Getting any information about this tea is, as usual from MlesnA, quite a hard work. I found out that one Czech company carries it in FBOP loose leaf quality, I got a tea bag from Izzy (Thank you!) and there is nothing on MlesnA website.

Its foilwrapiing is thin and I cut it throuth which grinds my gears. And some, rather quick, search of “Sabaragamuwa” teas didn’t deliver much results too. I found one blend from this province in higher quality by Czech merchant; and two blends are available from Upton Tea Imports. It is probably sold under other name which remains as a mystery to me.

This tea I selected mostly because I was quite craving for plain black/green tea. This one sounded pretty well and I never heard “Sabaragamuwa” before. Nothing even on Steepster.

Honestly, it wasn’t that great. Yes, it was plain black tea, but somehow standard Ceylon, bit heavier in tannic profile instead of light teas; maybe hints of sweetness which were caramel-like. But it wasn’t sweet. It was bold and enjoyable, but there wasn’t anything what would say “wow” to me. If I would order black tea somewhere in restaurant, it would be a good tea, but my taste buds are saying it was mediocre even for a tea bag.

Another tea from Izzy Thank you.

A tea I had big troubles to find anything about. Official website seems to be around 15-20 years old. Getting some information about the tea, or actual blend is pretty much non-existent. Searching there isn’t showing any results to this tea. But this tea bag was fresh and nice.

I prepared this tea with a plan to daydream again a bit, to calm down, to chat with friends. But instead I had to bake Christmas goodies (something like this: https://www.toprecepty.cz/recept/16443-jemne-kokosove-cukrovi/ — coconut cookies)

Ah, tea. Well, I was sipping it now and then while I could take small (read: 20 seconds) break. What do you expect? It’s cinnamony; sweet cinnamon, but not like Hot Cinnamon Spice by Harney. Base is bit citrusy as Ceylon tea is used (it’s Sri Lanka company after all). Light and it seems it helped me with a headache a bit, though it could be only that I drank something hot.

This tea is among 4 others from postcrossing. It’s nice to get some random teas with only one condition. You have to send back some as well.

This is decent black tea with lemon flavour.

There is almost none astringency from tea, lemon tastes quite genuine, as well aroma from it is decent. Tea, as well lemon tasted very fresh and overall I was quite happy with this one after few hours of work with scythe and morning exam… (still don’t have results, so probably in Monday)

Teabag from Izzy, thank you!

As I am only one who wrote a tasting note to this tea… and I am writing now again, it will be pretty much similar.

Dry scent is strongly cardamom and cinnamon. Am I the only one who thinks cardamom smells sometimes like a coniferous sap? I think that was the scent I wasn’t sure about last time. And somehow similar to bubblegum too; probably fruit aspect of the tea.

Anyway brewed and steped for 4 minutes; and I think it was just right. A decently fruity, but certainly not that prominent as I thought it should be and again, mostly cinnamon and cardamon in flavour. Calling it tropical fire without any fiery notes is a bit dismal — a little of ginger would be very interesting I think. I think this one was fresher too (than I had last time), because it was mellower and noticed the fruits as some blend of tropical ones. Couldn’t pick any fruit in particular unfortunately. Keeping 72

Received from postrcossing back in February and forgotten. Along with 4 more tea bags, from Greece. But tea is from Ceylon :)

Upon opening the foil wrapping, a familiar aroma came up. I still haven’t found out what is it, but I know it!

The brewed tea is quite nice. I noticed “fire” made from cinnamon (again!), base tea is quite okay, quite basic. And cardamon. I expected some spicy notes, but there are not any! It is rather mellow, and not fruity at all tea.

Bit above average. I have probably expected bit more.

I have had this tea from foil tea bag. It must be quite old, as it was from huge bags section, but we will see.

Dry aroma was saying that this tea is apparently flavoured, but I could not find any flavours listed. (I found out later, that I am blind and I haven’t saw “Vanilla Grenadine Tea” on backside).

But I put that bag in mug, used boiling water and waited 3-4 minutes. Then I took the bag out. It was somehow aromatic, but I could not found out, what exactly it is. Vanilla? Yeah, some sweet notes, but not vanilla like I think.

After few minutes I took first sip. It was very similar to aroma, with one differencce. The base tea was quite strong and noticeable. When it cools down, the taste profile became more clear and I clearly noticed a pineapple flavour and bit like pomergranate, no vanilla. It wasn’t that overpowered as it could be (and sometimes even is), so I have liked it.

Moreover, this tea is apparently full of caffeine.

I tasted this tea in Sri-Lanka and it was absolutely delicious. Served in a small ‘Pepsi shop’ is was piping hot.

The water was boiling, so I was tasked with waiting for it to cool down. The teabag still floating, my tea was getting stronger by the minute. After several minutes passed I was able to take my first sip… it was a delight.

Spicy deliciousness!!

I tried this tea – I have stage 4 breast cancer – and my mom tried it as well – she has diabetes.
We read lots of good things about graviola and were very encouraged.
1) Tea tastes awful. Like dirt or grass. It’s positively disgusting. (I drank it au naturel, no sweeteners).
2) I had itchy skin, severe headaches, very low blood pressure causing extreme exhaustion (no energy to even stand). I’ve been on it for a week.
3) My mom had a strong allergic reaction, hives and severe itching up and down her arm, exhaustion, no energy. She took benedryl to feel better. She’s been on it for a week too.
Because of this, we are discontinuing the use of this tea. I hope others had a more beneficial effect from taking this tea. For me, not so much. For my mom, not so much. Best of luck in your future treatments.