149 Tasting Notes
I ordered this tea from Teavivre, since I didn’t have a single white tea in my cupboard, but was really craving it. My tea arrived on Saturday and was such a happy surprise.
After a day of feeling like I was fighting off a cold on Sunday (I have not been sick in over 2 years, so I have no right to complain, and I think I’ve beaten it off, because I feel almost 100% again this Monday morning) and drinking apple cider vinegar all day, I thought this would taste really nice last night. So, I did this up in my porcelain gaiwan (about 3 grams of tea), using 90C water. I rinsed for 5 seconds, then steeped for 45 seconds (70, 90 second steeps after…). The tea leaves are really beautiful, with their white hairs and delicate structure.
This tea is so lovely! Very light floral, with honey notes and that mouth feel I so desire in whites.
Since it was getting late, I stopped at 3 steeps last night, but have continued on this morning.
This cup in front of me has a honey golden liquor, with sweet floral notes on the tongue, and hints of grass and honey. This cup is like liquid sunshine… I love it.
This is definitely a white tea I’d like to have on hand at all times. :D
Another Dexter sample. THANK YOU! :D
Oh, was this tea fun… how it changed with each steep! It started out real malty and caramelized sugar like, and then a hint of stone fruit showed up in the scent of the liquor. It really smelled like an opened jar of apricot jam. I didn’t begin to actually taste that stone fruit element until the 5th steep, which was so interesting to me. The caramelized sweetness transitioned into rock sugar, while the malty bread note was present from beginning to end (although, I’m not done drinking yet….8 cups in…).
I really enjoy this tea! I love a tea that takes you for a ride, and this one surely does.
Short steeps were my thing here, along with the 85-90 C temp recommendation.
I found an old imitation thermos in my basement yesterday, and that has made keeping my water warm for gongfu so much easier. It’s not the best quality thermos type thing…but it does the job if I don’t need the water boiling hot (with this tea, it was perfect!).
On my 3rd mug of this… it’s so perfect.
I think I tried this way back, but I had forgotten how wonderful it is. Another Dexter sample (she’s amazing!) that has me wanting to order more of it. :D
She really is an enabler, isn’t she? haha
LOL not so amazing if I sent you something you had tried before – sorry, must have missed it. Happy though to remind you… :)
Oh, no, not at all! You sending it WAS amazing! I think I had it 2 years ago as a sample I ordered from Verdant, and I know I didn’t log it on here. I really had forgotten about how much I liked it (I drank it ALL day…just kept resteeping). Your selection of samples could not have been better. :D
Chocolate and Genmaicha? That sounds like a really good match of flavors! Genmaicha alone I’m not the biggest fan of [though don’t hate it or anything]. I can easily imagine the good things chocolate flavors would do for it.
This doesn’t do the popcorn thing that I get with genmaicha… this is all chocolate goodness… It’s like the rice adds more warmth to the cocoa notes. It’s really delicious… and I love how it’s one of those resteepers that just keeps giving cup after cup of great tea. :)))
masked185 – it’s black tea, cocoa nibs, touch of dark oolong, MN wild rice and jasmine rice. Totally different from traditional genmaicha but totally fabulous. :))
Wow that does sound good! Do you mix it yourself Dexter? Or is it from a specific shop?
Just realized it says “by verdant tea” :D
I’m only on my second infusion of this…but it’s SO delicious already.
Hints of cocoa, nuts, dark chocolate, wheat, baked bread…. So very good.
Dexter sent this my way, and I am most definitely adding this to the ‘yes…you love this tea’ list. Thanks, Dexter!
I’m plum tuckered out this morning, after having a late night shoveling workout… chipping away at the driveway that my car keeps getting stuck in… There are layers and layers of snow that just don’t want to come up.. But, they must, I say!
I know I should go out and work on it some more…but I’d rather just sit inside and drink this tea. :D
Flavors: Bread, Caramel, Cocoa, Dark Chocolate, Raisins, Wheat
the 2013 version was even more wonderful….
I’m definitely going to have to order from YS at some point in my life!
Once I get rid of a bajillion teas :/
hahaha
Yup..I’m going to have to place an order at some point, too, whatshesaid. So yummers!
Sil, Dexter said the same thing! :D
Wow.
Just, wow.
I have all my samples from Dexter (THANK YOU!!), but I needed something I could make quick, and the brewing directions were written on the baggie, so I went with this one. My daughter was waiting for me, since she wanted to watch Doctor Who together (she picked out “End of Time Part 1”…she just likes to see me get weepy over that cafe scene with The Doctor and Wilf….every time. it gets me every time!).
I sat down with my mug and took a sniff and was blown away…. this smelled like the most REAL vanilla…high quality vanilla…I have ever smelled in a tea! And the chocolate notes swirling with it… just Soooo unbelievable amazing in scent.
Sipping, I was just as amazed… Right now, this could possibly be my favourite flavoured tea… it has everything I want in a flavoured tea!
So unbelievably good!
I think it’s awesome that you watch Dr Who with your daughter. My sister and dad watch Star Trek and vintage Dr Who together.
Smells like real vanilla because it is! :D glad you loved this one!
Always glad to see other Whovians! (I’ve been watching for 33 years) Anyone interested in swapping tea for Doctor Who books? I accumulated a ton during the hiatus (‘89-’05). I’m always open to a swap! :D
Yeah, she loves watching Doctor Who with me. :))) And that’s so sweet about your sister and your dad!
Whispering Pines, I can completely tell it’s real vanilla. So great! (and, I think I’ll use my mackinac island mug for this tea next time ;) )
Mmm I think I’ll have to get one of those mugs! I plan on dropping by the ice cream shop that inspired it and making some for the owner :-)
Aww, that episode… ;o;
Carol Who, I will most DEFINITELY keep that in mind (I swapped with you before and loved the books you sent!). When this winter decides to depart, and I can actually get around my town like a normal person, going to the post office won’t seem like such an insurmountable task. lol I’d love to swap then! :))
Dexter, thank you so much for sending me some of this to try! Oh, do I love this… And, I was a little worried that I was falling out of love with flavoured blacks… but then I have this, and it’s a big, “nope! you still love these types of teas, you silly girl!”
What is not to love when you’ve got caramel and almond?
The best part, too, is that this base is so easy going… never weird or bitter or strange (I’ve learned that I can be picky with the base of flavoured blacks).
Yeah… I need to get some of this at some point. :)
This is a really lovely tea… I’ve steeped it 7 times already in my gaiwan, and it just keeps giving me fabulous liquor.
Roasted carrots, buttered parsnips, and winter squash….savory, but with this really refreshing crispness as the final note. Not bitter or astringent, just crisp and refreshing.
The leaf is gorgeous, starting out curled and tight, unfurling more and more with each steep… the liquor colour is really beautiful, too.
Thank you so much, Dexter for sending me this to try! I really love it! :)))
Thank you so much inspired by jane for sending me this to sample!
This tea is more than tolerable and most definitely handsome enough to tempt me, so check your pride at the door, Darcy, and sip away! :)
The tin these sachets come in is really a keeper, and the sachets themselves are of high quality. No skimping on leaf here, as the sachet plumps up entirely, awaiting its multiple steeps. The lavender goes so nicely with the green base, and the hint of lemon as an accent tempers the floral element, preventing the tea from becoming perfumey. Such a refreshing tea, and I’m sure it would take honey as a nice compliment.
I made a whole event of tasting this tea, running upstairs and turning on Colin Firth’s Pride & Prejudice. Watching Lizzie stroll the grounds of Pemberley while I sipped this tea was truly a delightful experience! I’m so happy I got to try this, because these are definitely teas I will keep in mind for myself, and for fellow Jane Austen lovers as gifts.
Flavors: Lavender, Lemon
I chose this as my first tea to try out of my AMAZING box from Dexter (THANK YOU!). Since she thinks so highly of this tea, I had to give it a try… and I am so very glad I did!
It’s so roasty and full bodied…so rich and decadent.
There are honey notes and almost fruity qualities, too… It really is just absolutely marvelous. Tobacco and dark roast coffee I’m also picking up… So good!!
Yup. This is getting added to my restock list. :)
I can’t thank Dexter enough for sending some my way to try!!
ETA: After my second steep in my gaiwan, I had to go fold some laundry. During this break between steeps, I really noticed the chocolate note left in my mouth… It’s really fantastic! yes… definitely purchasing this one at some point. :)
I can’t thank Dexter enough for sending some my way to try!!
YAY!!!!! This is my favorite dark oolong and it always makes me happy when others like it too. :))
OH, it’s Soooo good, Dex! I made sure to write it down on a paper list in my tea drawer with the heading “RESTOCK!” lol. It really is just absolutely delicious.
Sounds great! I added it to my wish list.
How does it compare to a jasmine type tea? I’ve had little luck with floral teas so was curious :)
I’m not much of a jasmine tea fan, so to me, this isn’t like that at all. The floral is more of just a hint of something naturally occurring in the tea, it’s not the taste of floral being added (since this just white tea in its natural form…no additions here :) ).
I see, I saw the word peony in the title and thought maybe it had actual flower in it like with jasmine green tea.