Tea Thoughts

Sipdown prompt: April 1 – April Fool’s Day – Don’t have tea. Just kidding! Have a fun cuppa! — but again not a full sipdown. Though I guess the remaining 3 grams from Kaylee will be finished once I return home. Thank you! Tried first 3 grams before leaving to Germany as it looks as the wackiest and most colourful blend in my cupboard right now; that was indeed on April 1. I haven’t got time nor mood for writing tasting note April 1 and April 2, so… now it’s April 3 and I am trying to recall it.

Well it was definitely floral as much I can remember; and there are notes saying rose but for some reason I recall rather violets, but not really sure if it is correct or it is my dull memory.

It was refreshing enough to be drank in hot days and we have really warm days recently; with highs about 28°C on Saturday coming up. In April! Foolish weather!

More detailed note will follow.

TTB tasting: This is such a fragrant and pleasant tea, great for night time. I’ve had it twice already in the evenings. When I first open the package, all I smell is the roses. After steeping it, I can taste the lime, rose with a subtle floral taste from the borage as well. It’s a really mellow tea even though the rose really comes through, I love that it’s just three ingredients and it still taste amazing! Love it.

Day 11 of the Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown box. Brewed this up Western style and drank it in between PT, meetings, and eating sufganiyot. I spent probably too much time trying to pin down the flavors here and still am not entirely satisfied. I liked it, I just can’t seem to describe it very well. Maybe buckwheat and honey – but soft buckwheat, not the roasted kind. It did feel very cozy, like putting on a pair of warm fuzzy socks.

Adventageddon Day 11 – Tea 3/4

Made this as a large Western style pot of tea today and drank it while working at my desk this afternoon. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the tea, but there also wasn’t anything at all to it that hooked me and drew me in. It feels a bit unfair to compare them, but every other white tea in this countdown has had at least one very memorable and standout tasting note and this one was honestly just a little bit flat and boring. I suppose, in some ways, that made it a good choice to have desk side for mindless drinking. I just really couldn’t get into it though…

Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0uqf7gOYTS/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCEKBwHUc-c

Adventageddon Day 5 – Tea 1/4

Gongfu!

Very cool to see another version of the GABA Coin that was included earlier in the advent! I brewed this gongfu at my desk for most of the workday and it was really nice. I’m always a little skeptical about how much GABA teas really help me focus, but I do feel like i had an especially productive day today so maybe it was the tea after all.

Definitely not fair to directly compare this to the Honey GABA Cake since I made that as a teapot but this one gongfu – however, I’m gonna do it anyway. So sue me. I found this one a lot more focused on the grain/cereal type of notes, and a little bit roastier. I enjoy those flavours in a tea a lot, but something about the sweeter and more nuanced flavour of the honey version does appeal to me just a little bit more.

Today’s Advent Photos: https://steepster.com/teas/tea-thoughts/105141-flower-gaba-cake

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTB2h64Gh5A

Did anyone else notice that Steepster just 404’d? Sipdown of a tea that comes in a special shape for ashmanra’s sipdown challenge. This was part of the winter countdown box and I usually don’t count advents toward my sipdowns, but since it’s a coin and also I had forgotten that detail until I sat down to write the note, I’m making an exception. It’s got a hint of a honey note and a roasty grain note that’s reminding me of buckwheat today, though not quite. Looking at my previous note, apparently I had considered steeping this coin gong fu style since I did the first one Western-style. Alas, I drank most of this while working and didn’t want to be getting up constantly for more water (and had forgotten to check my previous note!).

Day 5 of the Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown box. I had a lot of work to do today so I brewed this up Western-style, using the whole cake in a spacious steeper and a 10oz mug. I did 95c for 2 min for the first steep, with a very very quick initial rinse, and I was amazed at how quickly and thoroughly this cake blossomed in the steeper. More than anything it reminded me of those little toys that expand in water. I don’t know if they’re even still made, but I remember loving them as a kid because they were tiny and then when you added water they’d get way way bigger (or so it seemed to me at the time). This had the same spirit of rapid, joyful expansion into something fun. Definitely a smooth drink, with a dominant roasted savory flavor and a gentle sweetness. It reminds me of toast with a thin layer of honey on top. There’s a second cake, which I suspect would yield many steeps if brewed gong fu style, but given how much this one expanded I’d probably break it in half for that.

Day 4 of the Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown box. I opted for a heavy-handed leaf when I gong fu’d this, partly because it’s a chilly day and partly because I didn’t want to leave half the packet languishing in my tea drawer. This generally isn’t my favorite type of oolong, so to me this seems fine but not astonishing, you know? If I want something with a heavy roast, I’d rather reach for a tie guan yin than a rock tea. The heavy minerality just isn’t my scene. So to me this seems like a pretty standard mid-range rougui – roasted, tastes like rock soup, and despite all the digital ink spilled by countless tea companies (and my own love of cinnamon) I still can’t really discern a cinnamon note. But I think that’s more about how rouguis generally taste to me and less a reflection of the quality of this specific one.

Adventageddon Day 4 – Tea 3/4

Gongfu!

There was actually quite a lot of tea stuffed into this little packet so I split it in half and will finish the rest another time. I love this tea though; made me so happy to see a Rougui included – especially on a day I was working from home and could take the time to brew this gongfu in my nice, relaxing tea space. Medium bodied in addition to a more golden, medium roast with notes of brown butter, lightly charred peanuts, cinnamon sticks, allspice, and pleasantly woody tree bark. Even a bit of a raisin-like fruit undertone that pushes this into a borderline spice or fruit cake territory.

Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0cpM5NuW5Z/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAOZJPquY_w

Day 2 of the Tea Thoughts Winter Countdown box. I love that Nazanin has been increasingly experimenting with sourcing teas for the countdown boxes. It adds another dimension to the way that the boxes help me explore new-to-me teas. I probably should have tucked one of these little cakes away for later, but I ended up drinking both of them: one last month as a sneak peek and one today for a proper note. It’s just such an easy drinker, dangit. Made gong fu style both times, the result is smooth and sweet, with a very slight mineral note. Dark honey, almost jammy but not in a heavy way. I accidentally let the cup cool and it made for a great iced tea – I can see this being really good on a hot summer day!

Adventageddon Day 2 – Tea 4/4

This was the last tea I drank today, as a little treat for myself after going and doing a giant grocery store haul. I decided to make it in a tea for one pot instead of gongfu, which is how I would probably usually brew this. I didn’t feel switching it up since there were actually two of these oolong coins today – I’ll have the change the try it gongfu in the future.

Visually the coins themselves are really interesting looking – I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a ball rolled style of oolong pressed into coins or really any other shape before. Because it’s ball rolled the coin itself breaks apart super easily which is actually a bit of a plus since sometimes coins can be so tightly compressed that it takes ages for the leaves to seperate and fully open up.

The liquor is a warm caramel-like brown that seems to appropriately mirror the smooth, sweeter flavour of this tea. Honey is pretty spot on. It’s just very pleasant and golden tasting with a very, very gentle roast and grain note to what is otherwise a bit more of a fruitier berry-like mid sip. Round on the palate with a clean finish. I’m glad that Nazanin included two coins because this is definitely something I’m going to want to revisit. Maybe, if I’m lucky, they’ll eventually make their way to her store. I’d totally buy more.

Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0Xf_rYOG6Y/?img_index=2

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLKX-dPV2jE

Gongfu!

This was a morning before heading in to work! I was initially caught a smidge off guard by this tea as the white tea is quite a bit more naturally herbaceous and savory than Inhad expected; I got so many notes of both fresh and dried rosemary and oregano in addition to the more expected hay and floral profile. The orange peel is well incorporated, and the little strips of chenpi are so flipping cute! They reminded me of Bitterleaf’s Orangeo & Shuliet minis, which have the similar strips throughout. Very aromatic and zesty, with a lightly medicinal pith note offset by a natural sweetness!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwBNbrQu-ww/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1m0nLG7Ics

So glad I added these tea cakes to my last order. I never tried white tea with dried orange peel. It is very good. I used half a cake and brewed it gung fu style. I enjoyed four steeps out of it. I probably could have gotten more. It was good plain but adding a little bit of orange blossom honey made it taste even better.

So glad I ordered this tea with my Countdown to Summer box. I have wanted to try her teas too. I thought the ingredients were interesting. Never tried borage and dried lime. The borage is a very striking blue when wet. The rose buds are pretty. Very unique flavor. I like the flavor of the dried lime. I like it with raw honey. I am looking forward to trying all the Countdown to Summer Box starting June 15th. Hope I can wait a week to unwrap each day. It has been a few years since I ordered a box and I’m so glad I did!

Brought this one with me because I thought my mom might enjoy it since she’s a huge EG drinker. I made us both a mug yesterday morning, and it was pleasantly calm and relaxing. She was hesitant since she’s not very into sweet cinnamon teas, but the cinnamon notes of this blend are more subtle and warming without the red hot candy flavour, and it works with the bergamot and rose to create a highly aromatic, complex and still relaxing cup.

Right before I left for vacation my recent orders from W2T and Tea Thoughts arrived. I managed to sneak in a cup of Nazanin’s first tea blend, Deltangam, in my new W2T teacup before leaving; it was so rich and aromatic with cozy, warming notes of cinnamon alongside heady rose and a very floral-leaning bergamot!! The rest of the haul will have to wait until I get back to be explored, though of course it’ll be competing for my attention with all the tea and teaware I’ve accumulated while here in Vancouver and Victoria…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CswV3u1J_Ik/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=480o6a8SBgY

Definitely the least “Halloween themed” tea I had today, but I just wanted something really light and delicate as a bit of a palate cleanser between other teas. Also a caffeine break. Not everything I drank today was caffeinated, but a lot of them were and I did cram everything into a pretty tight time frame.

This was soft and subtle, with the most distinct note being a really bright, zesty fresh squeezed lime note. In fact, it didn’t really taste like much else aside from the lime. Genuinely made me think of just drinking hot water with real lime in it. Very simple, authentic, and fresh.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzE927Gulv0/?img_index=1 (6th Pic)

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgiC_sdPVdg

Got this is a recent Tea Thoughts order!

I’ve been so curious about Nazanin’s tea blends, so I’m happy to finally have ordered them. This one just looks so beautiful. The borage in particular, with it’s deep sapphire blue hue, is such a visually striking colour and it makes those lime segments pop so much!

I thought the taste was pretty soft, but looking at the ingredients list that’s to be expected and I think it also works with the idea behind the blend itself, which is to be calming and introspective. I mean, the whole tagline on the front of the bag is “a tea to bring you stillness” and as I sipped on the delicate floral and lime notes of this soft bodied blend I felt that was very apt for how it was making me feel emotionally.

I am going to want to revisit this a few more times and really sit with how it makes me feel in addition to the taste, but snap impression so far was positive!