1704 Tasting Notes

90
drank Pearl by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

Superficially, I really love this one because it’s creamy, naturally sweet and relaxing. The flavor combo was brilliant with the base. The jasmine leads as described, but seamlessly transitions into the apple and pear flavors from the chamomile and flavoring, and ends on a sweet vanilla note. I easily would get five to six cups out of this one western, though shorters steep times around a minutes are best.

Either way, impressed with how it uses jasmine pearls and chamomile. You really don’t see apple combined with vanilla too often, and this one works incredibly well.

Flavors: Apple, Chamomile, Cream, Creamy, Jasmine, Pear, Sweet, Vanilla

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80
drank Renewal by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

Starting it off at an 80, but I can see it going higher. This tea is a lot like momo, but a little bit more floral and drying, and less heavy on the fruit flavoring. It’s still got a very peachy flavor, but more like a peach flavor for a white wine. Actually, this tea has the feels of a white wine. Either way, it’s very good and is actually a fairly pink looking tea. The rose and goji are nice editions, and the rose doesn’t make the tea to heady.

I’m digging it, and usually get 4 cups western. The leaves of the Tie Guan Ying are surprisingly durable. It’s not too complex in flavor, but it starts off more rose and goji, then transitions into the peach. Either way, it’s a flavored floral oolong done right.

Flavors: Floral, Goji, Orchid, Peach, Rose, White Wine

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90
drank Cancer by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

Loved this one: it’s another “reminds me of Hawaii” tea. The floral jasmine marries the ginger, and the fruit flavors actually enhance the two together. The combo reminded of the jasmine and ginger that grew in Hawaii, and specifically, the combo gives of a tuberose aura. It’s got the feeling I get when I was at one of the beaches at sunset before Luau’s, as fishermen cast their nets. The tea also is a very bright orange color that’s super light.

Anyway, I did this both western and gong fu. Western really let’s you appreciate the florals in the smell and taste. Western makes the tea lighter, but still really comforting. Depending on if I use heavier leaves, the flavor dominates more giving more Japanese candy or bubblegum flavors without being fake for a naturally delicate tea.

Anyway, I like this tea for nostalgia and novelty. Ginger does not get mixed with mango that often, and the vanilla or cream flavor was a brilliant way to marry it. I’m most impressed with the fact that the ginger enhances the jasmine and doesn’t overpower it. Highly recommend this one. So far, I’m enjoying the earlier sign releases more.

Flavors: Bubblegum, Cream, Floral, Fruity, Ginger, Jasmine, Mango, Ocean Breeze

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90
drank Virgo by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

Kept going back to this one western as a work and tumbler tea. The ashwaganda is pretty nice, and the profile is insanely smooth. I’m impressed that the tea uses a japanese black tea base that’s smoother than normal, and the cocoa flavor with the berry give me tootsie roll vibes. It’s like an earthy, sensualist package for productivity. Definite win for theming a tea for Virgo. Later steeps on rebrew bring more of the subtle berry flavors.

I like this one because it’s reliable with a little bit of complexity, but it’s straightforward. There’s also a little bit of a green note to it that zings it up under a hidden tootsie roll body.

Flavors: Berry, Candy, Chocolate, Herbs, Malt, Silky, Smooth

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drank Taurus by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

HIGHLY unusual one. Borrowing the marketing tagline, the ingredient profile is insanely decadent and luxurious. Smelling, and better yet, drinking it, the tea gave me intensely boozy vibes. I’m thinking liquor filled boozy chocolates.

The flavor was very complex, and I get the hints and profiles of each ingredient-the carob, fig, chocolate, coffee leaf, pineapple, and mango are very forward. The rest of it mingles, and the flavor combines reminds me of an amaretto sour….but chocolaty.

Anyway, I’ve only had this tumbler style and it did evolve. It got a little bit more muddled and pineapple leaning towards the end after about three refills of my bottle. Either way, definite fan of this one. I need to come back to it to wax poetic. Very smooth and silky. It’s more rich than busy, which is what I like about it.

Flavors: Amaretto, Chocolate, Coffee, Fig, Malt, Mango, Pineapple, Silky, Sweet, Vanilla

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85
drank Leo by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

Wish I had more of this one to judge in my sample. Love the idea of using vanilla flavored black tea pearls-I miss that from some previous blends.

The pearls are actually small compared to the orange peal, so orange is going to dominate. I felt like I was drinking a fancy version of EmergenC. Not a bad thing by any means, but I had to to push the tea western and tumbler/grandpa to get fuller flavors with 3-4 pearls to conserve. I got all the flavors of the ingredients-the vanilla and caramel are particularly more pronounced after 3-4 minutes western in my mug having more yunnan malt/cocoa profiles that mix well with the flavors.

The tea is actually really straightforward. I had a feeling it’s more complex with more pearls, but pushes forward into the creamsicle vibe well. I enjoyed it, though it was a little bit too expensive for what I got despite coming back to this flavor frequently. The majority of these teas actually lean towards the 80’s and 90’s for me, but the price is holding back most of them. This one mainly suffered from being a weaker tea for the quantity despite really enjoying the flavor and profile. I’m glad I got the signs in the combo samplers, and I would recommend this one. The lions mane also helped with my headaches and bloodsugar issues keeping it more level by 10 mg.

Flavors: Caramel, Citrus Zest, Citrusy, Cocoa, Creamy, Malt, Orange, Orange Zest, Thin, Vanilla, Viscous

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90
drank Gemini by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E07s5ZYygMg

My first song pairing. Cheeky, I know. It makes me think of my gemini girlfriend.

This is a really fun one. I’ve had a few really good watermelon teas (looking at Liquid Proust’s long gone blend days and Fraser Watermelon Oolong Sachets), and this one has the same distinct sweet crystaline vibe of watermelon with a lot of other compliments. The Mulberry is very forward for me with the pomegranite, whereas the florals enhance the fruity qualities rather than distract from them. I expected the jasmine to clash, but it enhanced the mouthfeel. This is good 2 grams western, or 3 grams gong fu. I kept on getting a lot of small cups out of the leaves despite being a flavored tea, closer to the 6 range in how many I got.

Obviously, I’m into this one. It has more of a summer vibe for sure I’d see for iced teas, but I like it hot. It’s also not bad for a dry and phlegmy throat.

My next few reviews are going to be superficial. A lot of the zhena teas aren’t actually one note, but since they are flavored, picking up on the subtleties is going to take a few notes. I also have the rest of the Zodiax to go as I wait for Scorpio and sagitarius. I highly recommend this one for watermelon lovers though. Only downside is cost, but this one does stand out.

Tastes like strawberries
On a summer evenin’
And it sounds just like a song
I want more berries
And that summer feelin’
It’s so wonderful and warm
Breathe me in
Breathe me out
I don’t know if I could ever go without
I’m just thinking out loud
I don’t know if I could ever go without…

Flavors: Berries, Floral, Pomegranate, Spring Water, Sugarcane, Sweet, Watermelon

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drank Libra by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

I really wanted to love this one, but I had a hard time with it. I’m a libra rising and was excited about the pistachio rose dessert flavor direction.

Trying it out straight, it was actually soapy and astringent. There are numerous people raving on the site, but my tea was very off balance, even with 30 second steeps and no more than a teaspoon. I actually had to add sugar to cut back on the white astringency and cloying, heady flavor.

I haven’t decided on the rating yet, but it’s overpowering compared to the other blends so far. It definitely taps into the fake niceties of the sign, but I feel like I’m missing something. Again, I love the idea and the ingredients in the blend-especially the use of white pearls for the base. However, I taste pistachio paste sitting in a soapy rosed up milk bath. White tea is also a common ingredient in soaps, so….the tea could be adding to the soapy taste too. Is it the cake flavor throwing me off if there is one?

Sugar cut back the astringency and balanced the pistachio and rose together, giving more middle eastern dessert vibes. I really liked it, though again, too cloying for frequent drinking. Anyway, I might change my mind on it. I think I’m using too much leaf, but we’ll see.

Flavors: Artificial, Astringent, Bitter, Floral, Nuts, Pecan, Pistachio, Rose, Soap, Sweet

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72

Sipdown from 2019!

This one grew on me. It’s very green been tasting, but mildly refreshing. I’ve also grown fond of green teas again the last few months, and so has my wallet. I finished this one.

I’m pretty impressed with how smooth it is gong fu. It hovers between fruity and savory, but very slightly. Rakkasan Tea company actually uses this one for a fruit tea base, and I can see it working out. Sometimes I get whiffs of vanilla with the green bean, sometimes apricot or jackfruit. Their are other times that border a little bit on grain and collard greens like a sheng. Either way, not bad.

Flavors: Apricot, Asparagus, Astringent, Grain, Green Beans, Savory, Vanilla

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82
drank Capricorn by Magic Hour
1704 tasting notes

This one has grown on me. I still prefer the other blends, but it’s been more enjoyable in the fall. It’s technically a winter tea if you are going by the Capricorn sign, but the maple, apple, and pumpkin flavors together are distinct for a fall harvest. It works cold, but I prefer it hot so far.

My girlfriend continues to love it. The apples were more prominent recently than the pumpkin making me enjoy it more when I think “caramel maple apple”. It’s also not bad for when I’m sick. Feels good on my throat. I taste hints of spices. Still earthy.

Flavors: Apple, Apple Skins, Caramel, Earth, Fig, Floral, Malt, Maple Syrup, Nuts, Pastries, Pumpkin, Spices, Wood

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Bio

First Off, Current Targets:

Whispering Pines Alice
Good Luxurious Work Teas
Wang Family’s Jasmine Shanlinxi
Spring, Winter Taiwan High Mountain Oolongs

Dislikes: Heavy Tannin, Astringency, Bitterness, or Fake Flavor, Overly herby herbal or aged teas

Picky with: Higher Oxidation Oolongs, Red Oolongs (Some I love, others give me headaches or are almost too sweet), Mint Teas

Currently, my stash is overflowing. Among my favorites are What-Cha’s Lishan Black, Amber Gaba Oolong, Lishan Oolong, Qilan Oolong, White Rhino, Kenya Silver Needle, Tong Mu Lapsang Black (Unsmoked); Whispering Pines Alice, Taiwanese Assam, Wang’s Shanlinxi, Cuifeng, Dayuling, Jasmine Shan Lin Xi; Beautiful Taiwan Tea Co.“Old Style” Dong Ding, Mandala Milk Oolong; Paru’s Milk Oolong

Me:

I am an MSU graduate, and current alternative ed. high school social studies and history teacher. I formerly minored in anthropology, and I love Egyptian and classical history. I love to read, write, draw, paint, sculpt, fence(with a sword), practice calisthenics on rings, lift weights, workout, relax, and drink a cuppa tea…or twenty.

I’ve been drinking green and black teas ever since I was little living in Hawaii. Eastern Asian influence was prominent with my friends and where I grew up, so I’ve been exposed to some tea culture at a young age. I’ve come a long way since I began on steepster and now drink most teas gong fu, especially oolong. Any tea that is naturally creamy, fruity, or sweet without a lot of added flavoring ranks as a must have for me. I also love black teas and dark oolongs with the elusive “cocoa” note. My favorites are lighter Earl Greys, some white teas like What-Cha’s Kenyan offerings, most Hong-Cha’s, darker Darjeelings, almost anything from Nepal, Green Shan Lin Xi’s, and Greener Dong Dings. I’m in the process of trying Alishan’s. I also tend to really enjoy Yunnan Black or Red teas and white teas. I’m pickier with other teas like chamomile, green teas, and Masalas among several.

I used to give ratings, but now I only rate teas that have a strong impression on me. If I really like it, I’ll write it down.

I’ll enjoy a tea almost no matter what, even if the purpose is more medicinal, for it is my truest vice and addiction.

Location

Michigan, USA

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