Tea Time

Another share from Sil! This tea I found a little too harsh, but I should have been a bit more careful with the volume and infusion time, as it appears to be a CTC. Reading some reviews, I see that my expectations should be in line with a higher quality version of Red Rose, so I’ll go into the last couple cups of it with that expectation, and a lighter hand. It certainly wasn’t terrible, but was a bit too strong/astringent to drink straight.

Was hoping I’d reviewed this previously, as I know I’ve had it before! But sadly, I didn’t. Anyhow, the dry tea smelled like almost nothing, so my hopes for it were pretty low – but it actually brewed up with a good amount of flavour. And the pear was actually pretty good (I didn’t find it too sweet, as Sil did, but that’s perhaps age-related). However – the rooibos flavour ruined it for me. It was medicinal in the background, and although I’ve had worse rooibos, it was enough to turn me off it. So, I drank the cup, and will drink the next, but not interested in drinking this again.

Thanks for the share, Sil!

This remains as one of my all-time favourite teas – another one that I’m sure I’ve reviewed in the past, yet there are no tasting notes saved for this tea… when will the Steepster Thief be finally caught? What is the point of taking the time to write out my thoughts as reviews if they are prone to random disappearances? What can be done to prevent more innocent casualties? This town needs a hero…

The jasmine aroma for the dry leaf is amazing. Floral, sweet and sultry, seducing the senses into instant relaxation. The aroma of the brewed tea is just the same, especially when combines with quality green tea. The flavour is full-bodied and slightly vegetal, just how I like my green teas. I always forget how good this tea is because I have so many other ones I am wanting to finish, so I put off drinking this one until I remember again how enjoyable it really is. It’s like re-discovering an old friend who has never left your side in your absence.

Its late in the day and i just need a drink, something stronger than this tie gun yin. Second steep on 6min. First steep I had earlier and sadly all i remember is that it was pretty clean tasting and a typical green oolong. This time i get more creaminess and depth, not alot though.. not like if i tossed the basket and brewed some ripe puerh. But i dont play favorites so here we are. I write this review in the dark and with head phones on in the middle of my dining room, curled over the keyboard, pecking at it intently, like a prospector panning for gold. Really I am just trying to reach a conclusion for this tea. I think I should’ve brewed it longer but i dont know.
This has been the first review of this year,and the year seems almost over.. to bad. I guess I have some time to make up for. I brewed this western style, and i expect the rest of my reviews to be this way, at least for a while. I dont know much about tea, and definitely not oolongs , but i think this is just an average tie guan yin. This is a go-to when i cannot make up my mind. its been a hot day and Im tired, i need something stronger.

-nycoma

Sipdown (124)

Thank you Sil for the share. I am currently sipping on this tea as I try to reorganize my cupboard. Since I am on reading week and I got my cupboard to a much more manageable number, I figured it was time to go through and figure out what’s up. Alas, my scale is broken and only shows half the numbers so the weights are ball parked. Oh well, at least it shows what I should be trying to work on and what I have more manageable amounts of so I guess in that sense it is still helpful.

Anyways, as for the tea, it’s bright and reminiscent of the Red Rose tea I used to have when I was younger, though better quality. However, I was never a huge fan of Red Rose so though I can appreciate this, I think I am more than happy with my sample. Also, near the end of the sip, the citrus notes I am getting to create the brightness turn a slight bit bitter/alkaline.

HGTTB

This is a very sweet pear tea. Maybe even too sweet? Something in it is just coming off a bit cloying though I am wondering if that is just the result of drinking multiple different teas at a time. Also, I am picking up some of the woody rooibos though it isn’t particularly offensive. I think I go through phases where I am more sensitive to the rooibos base and as of late I have been noticing it. It’s not ruining the cup but it’s not improving it either. All in all, this is okay but not something I’ll seek out again.

Thanks Sil for including a sample of this in your most generous box.
MMmmmm Tanzania – I would LOVE to go to Kenya and Tanzania, that’s number one on my wish list – safari in Africa…. sigh – oh well will buying those lottery tickets…

This tea is not at all what I was expecting. It’s really rich (as in thick with a nice mouthfeel) but tastes on the lighter side. It’s a little fruity, maybe a hint on the woody side, but there is some malt. I might have been a little aggressive with the leaf so I cut back on steep time and there was no astringency at all. This is a pretty decent black tea, and not at all what I would expect from an African black. Really happy to have tried this Sil

This is quite a decent cup. Bright, steeps quickly, strong. Would likely make a decent cup even with less than optimal steeping conditions, like in a restaurant. Nothing exceptional and I’m not sure I could have told you it was Assam without looking, but it was good. :) Thanks, Sil!

Sil was nice enough to share some of this with me. It’s a pretty nice CTC. A bit of maltiness in a fairly moderate strength tea. Steeps quickly of course. On the wishlist it goes to remind me to get some at some point. :)

I’ve been eyeing my cupboard, and Its time to sip down a few of the samples I have.
My sister gave me this ages ago, wit steep time and temps, but not what it is…..
Its it green? It looks like a green tea to me. However Steepster thinks its a rooibos? Hmmm.
Well, whatever it is, I’m not particularly impressed with it. Its not a strong flavor (and I do think it is a green. Maybe? It does not look like a rooibos). (maybe I have the wrong listing?)
In any case, Not impressed. Glad that this sample is now sipped down.

super weird. no tasting notes for this one though i’ve had it multiple times… frown I’m a little tired of things poofing around here. I just wish i had a way to export my data so that i could keep track of things outside of steepster. This tea isn’t my favourite. I just can’t seem to brew it correctly or in a way that takes the edge off of the one taste i’m not a fan of…not that ou’d know it by the lack of tasting notes.

sipdown! airport time in an hour or so and i’m scrambling to get a few more things organised as well as a bit of work done and tea drunk up lol I finished off this one since i’ll have maybe a half day of tea drinking in november with the travelling that’s happening so i might as well get a few sipdowns in :) This one has grown on me…i found with about 2.5 min steepings it was a perfect morning cup…a little bold, a little astringent but smooth and just what i need in the morning :)

backlog from yesterday. This was a great cup of tea yesterday! I am still working on some of my older teas but i’ve found that the few older ones i have left are much tastier when i drink them at home rather than on the go. so i’m trying that. :)

mmm i keep forgetting to write notes on this tea. I’ve had it a few times now and figured since i’ve shared a little of this with a few people, i should get to writing a note on this one. this is an interesting tea. it reminds me of “red rose” from my chilhood but a better quality lol. this is more of a milk and sugar sort of tea for me with a rich thickness to it, a slight bit of malt and a brightness here that i could see turning bitter if over steeped.

I don’t mind this tea, but it’s not really what i wanted in a pear rooibos tea. Mostly i think i’m doomed to be ever disappointed with all pear teas lol. I’ll be passing the rest of this off to someone else as well since i can’t see myself reaching for this before other teas in my cupboard heh

So this is another tea that i opened up yesterday to try. when i brewed it up, it smelled REALLY rooibosy, so i was a bit worried..however in drinking this, the rooisbos taste isn’t nearly as present as the aroma would have you believe and this turns in to a rather pleasant rooibos pear tea. Could it be MOAR pear like for me? for sure! but it’s not bad :)

ohhhh Cavocorax your giant bag of teas here is calling your name….no really lol

I pulled this one out tonight to finish it off and leave the last little sample for cavo. I have a vague recollection that she had liked another similar tea before so wanted to save a sil sized cup for her to try. I quite enjoyed this variation on the theme, though i’m not sure how badly i need a caramel rooibos in my cupboard. I think i’d prefer the fruit caramel i have from tea G…or the decaf caramel as well….maybe not.. either way, enjoyed and now it’s done!

Final Count: 81 (though in other news, i did a quick check and i have a mere 52 non puerhs in my cupboard)

still loveing this one – another from the other day. I really do want to try to remember to make this as a latte though..just for fun :)

love this one, had a fantastic time drinking this on the drive from ottawa to Toronto :) it’s creamy and caramel-y and delicious!

mmmmm another cup of this tonight just for kicks! I am really enjoying my cupboard the past few days…just drinking what i want, when i want. I just wish i had more downtime to sit with my puerhs!

mmmmmm…opened this one tonight in celebration and it’s a good one! I’m generally a fan of caramel rooibos blend but this one is even more delicious than others that i’ve had. the caramel here is almost rich enough to come across like coffee if that makes any sort of sense. It’s just a darn delicious cup to end the evening with!