The Tao of Tea

Starting my Sunday with this Nilgiri. A nice full bodied smooth tea.

A cup of this every so often is a nice change. The aroma is amazing. With a teaspoon of sugar, it’s almost like drinking a dozen roses!

A light roasty flavored oolong, much like a cliff oolong tea. Drinking it with some 75% dark chocolate. Ummm nice end to a day!

Enjoying a flask of this #tea, one of my faves of all time. If you haven’t tried this one from TaoOfTea.com you should! Yummm!

Rose Petal Black was one of my stock teas at school this year, since it’s just sweet enough for me to drink without added milk or sugar if necessary. That said, it’s not a particularly stellar tea; I’m not sure I’d buy it again often.

My roommate loves this stuff and brews it by the vatful. It is certainly very distinctive: sort of like walking through an old-growth forest and burying your nose deep in the rich loam. (At least, what I imagine this would be like. I have never actually done this.) Sometimes I like it plain, more often I add honey to mine. Surprisingly good iced as well.

A bold leaf, as I remember it.

This is a Chinese green that has some similarities in flavor to a mild sencha. I think it is the vegetal taste that makes me think of that. For me, this is a great Chinese green. Sweet, smooth, not salty at all. I’m now out of this tea but it’s on my short list to order again.

Not a big fan. It’s kind of raw tasting to me with little actual flavor. Too much herbal flavor, not enough (or any) floral or citrus aromas or tastes. Too boring for me though I do know at least one person that has fallen in love with it because of the mildness. For me, it is just a nice base for flavoring teas. I put some almond extract with it and it was pretty good. But plain, yeah, just not my thing.

In the mood for a Darjeeling and this one really hits the spot. Tastes fresh, a bit buttery.

This is a really solid, well-rounded rich black tea. I love the big leaf twist. Balanced. A perfumed woody character plays of the slight bitterness and gives a honeydew sweetness. A basic, morning black that’s very clean and delicious.

Steeped 3.9 grams in 6oz for 3:30. This is a solid cup, if a little mellow and quiet. There’s a gentle malt character and bit of fruit, but it’s somewhat generic in terms of overall expression. Otherwise, it’s really fresh, bright, and crisp, just not as complex as I had hoped. For the price, it’s a solid deal on an Organic Nilgiri. I was pleasantly surprised to find it held up for a second steep at 4:30.

It smells like hay/barn/summer and I mean it in a very nice way. The lemon is not too overwhelming.

had this with some chocolate chip cookies today. very complimentary.

Got this in Portland last year. A very durable tea. Strong on the caffeine levels, smooth on the acidity level. Perfect after a large breakfast. The digestive properties of pu-erh’s are very active in this one and the caffeine wakes you up. Brew it in boiling water for 2-4 minutes depending on how strong you want it. Starts getting watery after 4 steeps at that length.

My last of this one. Used a little more leaf to finish it off and really can taste the buttery flavor. I’m sad to see the last of this tea.

Still a solid, super-floral, lilac-heavy delight.

This is easily my favorite tea right now. So much great fresh flavor. This has really opened up the world of greener oolongs to me. And it wasn’t even that expensive!