1704 Tasting Notes
The last of my GABA sampler. This one was my least favorite so far, but it was still pretty good. The reviews on their website were pretty accurate, with the “roasted sun-dried tomato” description coming to mind. So do the notes of mushrooms and sweet potatoes. It was very, very soupy and savory. It was practically a broth. The roasted nuts oolong quality was there, but under everything else. As for steeping, another accidental gong fu western combo.
I would recommend this one to try something different, and maybe even more as a culinary tea than anything else. This would make some awesome flavoring for chicken or dip. Or, it might be good while eating a sandwich or bite sized meals. Again, not as sweet as the other three of the bunch, but likable.
Flavors: Broth, Mushrooms, Roasted, Roasted Nuts, Sweet Potatoes, Vegetables
Preparation
Thank you, Andrew, for acquiring this lovely black tea. I had some pretty high expectations of it. I knew that it was going to be chocolaty, and a lot like a Loashan black. I was right, and the description is accurate. I steeped this one very lightly four times gongfu, with a bare teaspoon in 4 ounces of water just under boiling. I will have to come back to this one when I used more leaves or better steeping practice, but this session was a success.
As hinted, the overall taste was very chocolaty with a roasted profile and hints of salt, a little caramel barely there, and a little bit of raisins. Sweet in every brew. More chocolaty in steep 1 at 30 seconds and two at 50. More salty in the later ones.
Solid, but not quite as good as the other ones I’ve had. This may be due to the minimum amount of leaves, but I kinda hoped for more complexity. Still really good and highly enjoyable. A lot of people would enjoy this one at the sheer soft chocolate profile, more so for intermediate and experienced drinkers, then maybe, just maybe for newer drinkers.
Flavors: Caramel, Chocolate, Raisins, Salt
Preparation
Really a green Jin Xuan Oolong, but with a little bit of a vegetal green tea astringency. The first few steeps all gong fu (30 seconds then upping 20 seconds every time) had the consistent characteristics of a Jin Xuan but with a strong walnut note like a green tea. Still creamy, floral, sweet, and vegetal.
Then at steep four, it changed. More almond like, a little bit tart, and similar to milk. I’m not quite sure what to point to in terms of taste. A lot of the prior notes were still there, but there was a push towards fruity, almost pastry like.
Steep five, the transformation came full circle. The tartness turned into something like lemon custard, which I’ve very rarely tasted before. Many people on steepster have already had this moment with other teas, but now, I’m having mine. It really tastes like a lemon tart. Wow….
Steep six and seven got weaker, but six still had some lemon and cream left over. I could probably brew this one up a few more times in the fridge for several hours. Not today, though.
By far this was the strongest of the GABA samples from Taiwan Sourcing. I was really impressed with the strength and complexity of this supposed green tea, and every steep had power. The tasting notes were not delicate by any means. They were apparent. Thus, I’m giving this one a higher rating for the sheer surprise, strength, and complexity. The calming effects of the GABA are a bonus. I might read this again and think what the hell was I ranting about. Yet, I need another session to be certain.
Flavors: Almond, Creamy, Custard, Floral, Green, Lemon, Milk, Pleasantly Sour, Sweet, Tart, Thick, Vegetal, Walnut
Preparation
I added a lot of leaves-perhaps 8 grams at most to an 8 ounce cup. It was very floral and again nectar like. I was able to brew it seven solid times, but that was due to the sheer amount of leaves I used. This tea was awesome with so many leaves, which is a shame. If it were stronger, I think this would have been a much better tea. Overall-too faint with ordinary steeping parameters, but good with liberal use of tea leaves.
I steeped this one more by instinct than anything else, not even really timing the soak. My best estimate for the first one is a minute and 25 seconds.
I got what I expected from a white tea: creamy mouth feel, with the taste and aroma of hot hay. Not the sweetest silver needle I’ve had, but one of the thicker, more starchier or grainier ones. Mildly reminded me of beer, but far more nuanced and graceful. I am going to have several cups based on the strength of this first steep. Looking forward to them. I think this might last me all day.
Flavors: Creamy, Grain, Hot Hay, Thick
Preparation
Wow, this one surprised me. At 15 seconds, this tea tasted like walnuts. Then steep two at 30 seconds, a little muscatel, but still nutty and creamy. Had the same qualities one might expect from a Jin Xuan, being creamy, sweet, thick, and kinda grassy.
Then-what do you know- I let it sit for two minutes by accident. Again, I was surprised. White grape, and muscat raisins. That’s what it tastes like. Astounded at the sheer complexity of this GABA. Steep four, more muscatel and grape like, being similar to white wine for some reason. Oddly refreshing. Let’s see what else I comes my way with this one. So far, the only thing that hasn’t come my way is the GABA effect that I get from the blacks. I actually feel kinda hyper, but that’s after three cups today.
Flavors: Creamy, Grass, Muscatel, Sweet, Thick, Walnut, White Grapes, White Wine
Preparation
I got a sampler pack from Taiwan Sourcing to see what their tea was like, and when I saw they had a sampler for GABA in green, black, oolong, and roasted oolong, something beckoned me to get it. I am a college student in need of caffeine AND relaxation. Based on my experience with GABA before, I can get exactly that. Although the studies for the GABA are contradictory, some do show promise for those with ADHD or ADD, and I’ve almost been diagnosed with one of those conditions, so they help me.
This one had a molasses type taste which I was kinda expecting based on the distinct possibility that I’ve had black Jin Xuans before. I brewed this in a combo of gongfu and western, starting off with 15 seconds. Sweet, and molasses like, but too light. At 30 seconds, more molasses and an Asssam like malty note. Still sweet, and definitely like a black tea.
Steep 2 at about 50 seconds, there’s again molasses but with a strong sweet potato starchiness. Something about it almost reminded me of a plantain. The same went for steeps 3 and 4 each at about 2 and 3 minutes.
Mandala’s Black GABA has my favoritism for now, but I think that this one requires more experimentation to get the other flavors that are hiding. Really enjoyable, though I was expecting a little more. Expect an eventual update on this one.
Flavors: Earth, Floral, Grass, Malt, Molasses, Nuts, Sweet, Sweet Potatoes
Preparation
I’m mostly tasting the rose, grape, pomegranate, and the green tea. I also say overall herbal. It’s also fairly sweet from the pomegranate and rose flavoring which I’m digging. Good with honey or without for me. I’m not too sure about the skin detox effectiveness, but somehow, it helped with my headache. Hopefully the skin detox helps with my breakouts, though there would be no surprise if it doesn’t. Glad I got this on sale, because I would haven’t purchased it otherwise or rated it on the higher end.
I got this on sale, and I mainly got it for the L-Theanine supplemented in it. That amino acid with the chamomile makes this to be a pretty potent sleeping potion at least for me. I also like caramel, and the ingredients did not look half bad.
The cup is fairly sweet on its own and the caramel is palpable, but so are the herbs which may be a welcoming sign or a turn off for some people. Again, this stuff knocks me out, but that might not happen for everyone. More of a tea for newbies and those craving sweets at bedtime. For other people, no matter how experienced they may be, might think that the blend of herbals is too distracting, or the sweetener in this is too herbal and artificially replicated.
Flavors: Caramel, Herbs
Preparation
This is one of the better Pu-Erh’s I’ve had, and honestly, it reminds me more of a green tea with the same grassy, bittersweet tang. I definitely get sour notes, and it is also fairly sweet like a pineapple skin. Tropical might be a way to describe it. I am glad that I sampled this and I think it deserves a fairly high rating, but I am not a huge fan of it merely put of preference. This tea might be a better introduction to Pu-Erh- it’s more grassy or even broth like than musty.
Flavors: Broth, Grass, Sour, Tropical