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Here I thought some Gaoshan would contend me. It did for a day before the strumpet called Facebook marketing slinked into my page. Because of the logarithm from my Magic Hour following, this company was recommended. Angry Black Tea is the kind of company I’d buy from with clever marketing, and I haven’t received the tea yet, but wanted to confess and rant. I’m actually curious about this sampler because most of these black teas are Japanese or Korean based blends, some of which having a scenting or smoked element. One of them is smoked with cacao beans, and another with Yuzu wood. Definitely unlike most teas I’ve come across online. Only problem is that each sample is 20grams. Japanese blacks are a strong hit or miss for me. I like them roasty and savory, but they can be too woodsy, floral, or grassy. I hope these have the smooth quality they advertise, and I look forward to trying them out. $34 for a hundred grams and free shipping isn’t terrible. I just hope I don’t regret the impulse buy, and hope I can share some of this stuff.

I’ll review each tea as a sample on this page, bullet paragraph style when I get it. I hope these are fun and are teas I drink often rather than wait on. Magic Hour’s Virgo resold me into the idea of Japanese black tea bases anyway.

I sipped down, and actually added vanilla almond milk creamer, which I never do, and it was a masterpiece. I overbrewed the leaves and time to about 4 minutes, so a latte was in order. I could still taste the nuance of the different spices, the rose, sage, and the mint, but they were harmonious in a creamy, nutty, body amidst a nice malt from the black tea base. Like a middle eastern dessert. My girlfriend was raving, and asked for more. I used to not like cream and sugar that much, but the almond milk and oatmilk creamers have been game changers.

I’m still enjoying the sheer amount I bought of this one. Every once in a while it’s a little too vegetal, but I find going light on the leaves western or the steep time gong fu is the best way to go. I still love this one, and was surprised to find this one was replaced by a Vietnamize one instead on their website. I wonder why they no longer bought the Taiwanese one.

Paru’s got some really interesting offers I wanted to try, like their Silk Oolong which is Qin Xin, as well as a jasmine infused version. Their Vietnamize Milk Oolong that replaced the tea I’m drinking now is infused with corn and soy scenting, supposedly giving it a sweeter savory dessert quality. I really want to try them out, but they only sell them in 2 oz servings for 23 bucks each, and only offer free shipping over 75 bucks… The dread of California shipping.

Even Hugo Tea’s bags went from being $36 to 42, and then now to 56 for a bulk bag of 100 sachets. I have other companies to go with still, and I am trying to save up on tea, but I had to complain. If anyone gets access to the three I listed, I’d be happy to trade my many blacks I’ve collected.

Leafhopper, I’m going to try to figure out how to relabel a bag and send you some this. I’m also waiting on a What-Cha order and a Spirit Tea that I’m excited about. Long Feng from What-Cha, and a Lishan and Taiwanese Shuixian Oolongs from Spirit.

I got more of this one because I was craving the floral combo of green bean, snowpea, and plumeria. I don’t always like super vegetal tea, but I like it when it’s on the fresher green end. Upping the rating considering I got another ounce of this to savor. I was going to get two, but I’m trying to cut back on some spending and enjoy my tea more slowly. The majority of this oz is going to Leafhopper for the swap I’m collecting. This is the first time I don’t have an ample amount of Gaoshan to trade! Most of mine is flavored right now and black teas I’ve been neglecting despite being higher quality than usual, and I’m in the time of year when I switch from wanting black tea to Greener oolongs more often….even though Green oolong is something I ALWAYS drink, I get withdrawals without it starting between spring and winter.

I held off this one for a while, and decided to drink my remainder all at once, dubbing my serving “Tumble-fu”. I emptied likely well over 10 grams of the tea in my tumbler, rinsed it with 190 F water for about 12 ish oz, and dumbed it into a mug. Malty, but soooo much richer in flavor swinging into a fruity category. I kept getting cranberry in the profile, which was so much welcomed. I still get floral and a little bit of caramel elements, but red fruit, florals, and malt dominate. There’s bitterness and astringency, but enough fruit to hold it off and add to my experience.

Second cup….I left it steeping. It’s juicier and richer in the cranberry category, but malty and dense with a little bit of dryness and bitterness. As it cools, there’s a little bit of butter.

I might write more if I decide to brew it up again. I’m just happy I got a good session out of a mess of 14 grams that I brewed with abandon.

I finally got my 50 grams, and Chroma was extremely kind when I contacted them about my order. They fully refunded me, and got my tea about three days after. I wasn’t upset, but I deeply appreciate it.

I’ve only had the tea western and tumbler/grandpa. The aroma steals the show reminding my of an almond joy, or a coconut stuffed piece of dark chocolate. Flavor wise, it’s pretty close, but it’s more savory and buttery. I mostly taste the Laoshan and don’t get to much of the other ingredients in flavor, but some. I get more of the rice and coconut in the mouthfeel and aroma.

I can see why people rated this lower and wrote about liking it. It’s not quite as complex as the original blend was, and I think it’s due to the lack of oolong and a few other ingredients. Otherwise, this tea is a frickin’ deal and a good way to get Laoshan for cheaper. I’m clearly into it, but I’m not ready to rate it quite yet. I also got to comment-this tea is pretty to look at even steeped. The black tendrils accented by the white coconut is really cool.

I plumped some Eco-Cha club tea, the charcoal honey roasted oolong, pretty much…12-20 grams? Flash steeped it, still had a lot of flavor, toasty. Either way, I finished it and feel good about it, even if I only had three cups from it.

Weirdest combo I can imagine, but it’s got all the things I like in a tea thrown together in a blend. It reminds me of a passionfruit infused chocolate I got from the Minnesota Institute of Art. Smelling it, it’s more passionfruit, brewing it, it’s got the vanilla and dark chocolate as a subtle background. The tea has a lot of resemblance to the Cancer and Diamond in profile and texture, but it’s complex. It’s heady floral version of passionfruit and lemon peel brushes against the tongue, and it ends in a creamy and silky bittersweet end with the dark chocolate without clashing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last beyond three, or really, two steeps western.

I’m into the weirdness. If it were stronger I’d rate it, but I need some time to enjoy it.

Interesting combo, intensely fruity and floral. Depending on the ratio I get in my bag, the oolong makes the fruit and floral flavors absolutely sing while the black tea helps add malt and natural sweetness. When there’s more black, it hits more in oolong territory of flavor, but the black tea despite being Sri Lankan has the same notes I get from Taiwanese or “Honey” blacks. Honey does come up. The flavoring is a secret, but there’s vanilla and stone fruit in the profile. Both leaves are hefty, and this is no low grade mix of Tie Guan Yin and Ceylon. Heady, but not cloying. I can dig it. I wouldn’t want it everyday, but the texture is amazing.

I caved and went for a monthly subscription for the Wanderlust. I’m intrigued to see how each location is portrayed.

Trying it out, it’s in the vanilla rooibos chai realm for sure and typically comforting, but the coconut and rice make it better and cut back on some of the mate’s herbiness, creaming out the spices. It tastes better with cream and sugar, or almond milk cream and sugar, but it’s solid as a straight tea. However, it sings with additions. Even my mom liked it and she doesn’t enjoy chai.

I have very little of this one left. I don’t think I’d pay the price for it online right now, but I wouldn’t mind having more around in the future. I need to linger. I wish I had a little bit more to make a better decision. I like it and it’s just one spectrum above normal, and the idea makes it stand out from typical blends. This is also more of an afternoon tea, not a night tea…the Yerbe has sneaky caffeine.