1746 Tasting Notes
I will try this one again and again. The oolong is decent and very similar to a white tea. But the description was totally off. Saffron and bits of the almond with the oolong are the only things I can taste. The Vanilla is basically nonexistent. I tried steeping with more and less leaves and time, but the result renders dry, saffron crackers for taste. Considering that the price normally is also close to 30 bucks for 100 grams, totally overpriced for what they say they sell you. Luckily I got this for 14, but I have yet to be satisfied with this one. All of their other teas are incredible though, which also pushes the review subjectively down.
There might be hope for this one, but so far, I’ve been extremely disappointed. This is one of the first teas that I’ve been hypercritical of, which is saying something.
Flavors: Drying, Hay, Saffron, Wheat
Here I thought I disliked Darjeelings, but then this well priced tea comes along and proves me wrong. It has all the kinds of notes I love: muscats, guava, roses, sweetness, plums, with a ‘touch of fire’ exactly as Teabox describes it. Actually, it’s like a juicier version of a Laoshan. Again, this one is undeniably a Darjeeling, but fairly complex. I also got five good steeps of it, with the same flavors present but exchanging in dominance. There was a lingering cocoa note here and there, and I would say it’s mildly astringent, but in a tart way. That profile is more owed to the muscatel and grape than anything else. This one and the Glenbury Spring Chinary Black are my favorites from Teabox thus far, and maybe my favorite Darjeelings.
Now I know that I prefer muscatel teas and like I’ve said in my previous reviews from Teabox, they are one of your better bets to get a great black Darjeeling tea. I’d recommend for black tea lovers, Darjeeling lovers, lighter tea lovers, and newbies. As for that one Oolong…I still have issues with it. No vanilla to be found whatsoever.
Flavors: Grapes, Guava, Muscatel, Plum, Rose, Smoke, Sweet
Preparation
I was incredibly impressed with this one. I’ve had very few other floral teas, and man, does this taste like sweet orchids and honeydew melons. I steeped for about 3 minutes the first time with a heaping tea spoon and it was fairly vegetal at first with a sweet pea sweetness followed by the florals, but then I steeped it again five more times and it got sweeter and sweeter and sweeter. It has a black’s bold body, but the orchid is more like an oolong note, and the color and overall sweetness is a lot more like a green tea. This is really a black tea for green tea lovers. I personally tasted little astringency, but that mild astringency is again closer to an oolong or a green astringency being grass like. If you otherwise steep it lighter, it’s not nearly as astringent. This is perhaps one of the best teas that I’ve had from Teabox just by it’s sheer sweetness, strength, and full profile. I’d only say it’s complex because of the little nuances from other teas it offers, but an expert would better answer the question of complexity.
Like I said before, Darjeeling Blacks are Teabox’s specialty. I’d recommend a try, but to those who like unusual, grassy teas, green teas, and unconventional Darjeelings.
Flavors: Flowers, Grass Seed, Honeydew, Melon, Orchid, Peas, Sweet, Sweet, Warm Grass
Preparation
Again, accurate description (unlike the freakin’ Indian Marigold which has little to know vanilla flavor in it as of yet. Steep it longer they said….ggggrrrrrrrrrr) Anyway, I liked this tea. It was more like a classic Darjeeling to me with a pleasant astringency and Citrus like acidity. Takes sugar or honey well, but as for milk, that depends on preference. Any Darjeeling lover would like it and a good introduction to Darjeelings. At this point, I think that Teabox’s Darjeeling blacks are guaranteed to be good. I can’t really vouch for the rest of the types. I personally liked their more muscatel options as citrus is hit or miss for me, but still, good.
Flavors: Astringent, Citrus, Flowers, Grass Seed
Citrus and green chili is what I get. And that’s exactly what they described. Highly spicy and savory, not just in a tea note way-it tastes like someone added spices. I personally think it would be a better culinary tea and a really great quality one, but not one that suits my desert like preferences. Definitely tastes like a black tea and a Darjeeling, but again, more soup and food like than anything else.
Flavors: Astringent, Citrus, Spicy
Okay, I’m going to try this again. Over steeped for 7 minutes and it tasted like salty, astringent crackers. I get bare hints of the natural ingredients, and the oolong is closer to a Nilgiri Frost or a white tea. The ingredients would work really well with this base if only I could taste them. Otherwise, the dry leaf smelled like crackers, and the liquor tasted like crackers. The black Darjeelings are way better from this company so far, but again, I need to make sure all the ingredients get in my cup before I make a final judgement. I hope that it is not nearly as dry.
Andrew recommended it, and it turns out to be a familiar friend from Grand River Coffee. I don’t like chai powder chalky mixes, but I really liked this one. I think the mango makes all the difference. And the sugar. Mom even liked it and she is not a chai fan.
More oolong leaves made this tea perfect for today, and I am so glad I snatched some before it sold out. Got four great cups out of a heaping teaspoon. The oolong is so good and so crisp, almost like an apple dipped in a thin layer of caramel. The chai spices really bring out the natural notes this time making this one of the best chai blends I’ve had yet. But that’s just my personal opinion, and I am biased to the brandy oolong.
Flavors: Apple, Caramel, Smooth, Spices, Sweet
Preparation
Finally got around to trying this tea that LP gave me with an actual kettle and stove on hand. What I got: smokey, leathery, thick, and sweet. It almost stuck to the roof of my mouth. This is my first Black Gunpowder tea and I prefer this one way more than green versions of it, but I slightly prefer oolong versions. I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. A good breakfast or afternoon tea during the winter. I tasted very little astringency and brewed this over and over. Would recommend generally, not highly. Honestly best for black tea lovers, and for those who like more masculine profiles.
Flavors: Leather, Malt, Mineral, Smoke, Smooth, Sweet, Toast
I told you about those Indian oolongs…
I know, I know. You don’t like them for the reasons mentioned above, and on the previous note. The oolong base is actually not horrible though. On the dryer side, yeah, but I think that this tea could have been blended better, hence my complaints about the nonexistent vanilla. I might blend some more vanilla in to improve it. You probably saw the other complaint earlier I had from Teabox. They suggested to steep it longer. I did the first time, and that was at seven minutes. GRRRrrr….