86

Steeper beware!! this one brews up STRONG!!!!
I had the bag in for two, maybe three minutes and it ended up more bitter than a scorned woman. That had never happened to me before. A new experience to be sure. No matter. Heaps of agave fixed it right up (and I mean several. At least four times more than what I normally use, if I use any at all)
Next time, I’ll try it with a one/two min steep and see what that reveals.
Anyhow, once that was dealt with… the bitterness was peeking out for awhile, and I couldn’t taste much beyond the agave/bitter aspect. Almost like black coffee. I was not impressed.
However once it cooled a bit, I started to see the wine influence. Not quite ice wine per se, but definitely wine. There was that mouth drying sensation, along with a definite grape-like puckering. Like sweet green grapes. or maybe a hybrid green/red grape. Certainly not a plain red grape of course. No, it was not quite that sweet.
I went in for a second steep and that one was quite lovely as well. I added only two swirls of agave this time and steeped for three full minutes (plus an accidental twenty extra seconds). and guess what? it was still strong! not quite bitter. More what I expected the first infusion to be. any longer and I’d have bridged bitter territory. I’m still a little shocked at just how intense it was. Is it possible they added tea dust? I’ve heard it can make a tea bitter…
but that can’t be, I enjoyed it!! I could never like the taste of tea dust. right?
If it hadn’t been for the work event I was obliged to attend, you can bet I’d have stuck around for a third or even fourth cup.
Oh and I figured out what it reminds me of!! Cloud nine from David’s tea! I don’t know why, it just does. Maybe I need to do a side by side comparison one day. It has been some time since my stash ran out.
And for those who may (or may not be! I’m not assuming anyone reads me haha) wondering, yes I did break my tea buying ban. Again.
Ice wine tea had been on my list for ages, and this is the first opp I’ve had to get a decent version. When the shopkeeper said that people come specifically to her store for that tea, well who was I to shun it?! it was no longer in my power… the decision had already been made… sighs

Tina S.

Heee! Tea ban? What tea ban? These do not exist in our universes. :D

Cheryl

Oh oh, we are paying attention … (gives you the momma-bear look) … haha, one at a time isn’t a huge sin, eh?

Indigobloom

LOL no I suppose they don’t!! if only the tea purchases came with extra cupboard space…

Indigobloom

I also justified it by the fact that I now have an extra tin :-D

Tina S.

Tins are totally something that call to me too. Tormenting things, they be!

Indigobloom

Cheryl: hides
yes, one at a time! yes, yes that is how it is :P

Indigobloom

tormenting, no kidding!! How many teas have I purchased because it comes with a tin… they might as well be sirens!

Tommy Toadman

i got some of this on order it sounds realy good o me :)

Indigobloom

Tommy: I look forward to reading your review!! just don’t steep it too long :)

SimplyJenW

Ah, we all give in to the allure of a good cuppa. What I did…I rewrote my no-buy rules, kind of like Kirk and the Kobayashi Maru..My tea ban just includes black tea……(So I have bought a few oolongs, some green, and a gaiwan!)

Tina S.

Wait, did you just make a Trek reference related to tea? I think I love you!

SimplyJenW

Well, it was an unwinnable scenario…… Yes, I am a big fan of many things that are only cool in geekdom.

Tina S.

Hey, who am I to say anything when I have the Delta as my picture on a tea site? ;)

Indigobloom

Hmmm maybe I should rewrite the my rules!
and I <3 Star Trek. I don’t care what anyone says, Cpt Janeway rocks!!!

Dinosara

I just realized the other day that my rule will be broken too… the NY Coffee and Tea festival is in late February, and I can’t expect myself not to buy any tea there! So yeah, already writing exceptions…

Indigobloom

ahh well you deserve it, after all that denial Dinosara! :P

Dinosara

Haha, thanks for being my enabler. :D

Indigobloom

anytime Dinosara, it’s what tea buddies are for ;)

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Comments

Tina S.

Heee! Tea ban? What tea ban? These do not exist in our universes. :D

Cheryl

Oh oh, we are paying attention … (gives you the momma-bear look) … haha, one at a time isn’t a huge sin, eh?

Indigobloom

LOL no I suppose they don’t!! if only the tea purchases came with extra cupboard space…

Indigobloom

I also justified it by the fact that I now have an extra tin :-D

Tina S.

Tins are totally something that call to me too. Tormenting things, they be!

Indigobloom

Cheryl: hides
yes, one at a time! yes, yes that is how it is :P

Indigobloom

tormenting, no kidding!! How many teas have I purchased because it comes with a tin… they might as well be sirens!

Tommy Toadman

i got some of this on order it sounds realy good o me :)

Indigobloom

Tommy: I look forward to reading your review!! just don’t steep it too long :)

SimplyJenW

Ah, we all give in to the allure of a good cuppa. What I did…I rewrote my no-buy rules, kind of like Kirk and the Kobayashi Maru..My tea ban just includes black tea……(So I have bought a few oolongs, some green, and a gaiwan!)

Tina S.

Wait, did you just make a Trek reference related to tea? I think I love you!

SimplyJenW

Well, it was an unwinnable scenario…… Yes, I am a big fan of many things that are only cool in geekdom.

Tina S.

Hey, who am I to say anything when I have the Delta as my picture on a tea site? ;)

Indigobloom

Hmmm maybe I should rewrite the my rules!
and I <3 Star Trek. I don’t care what anyone says, Cpt Janeway rocks!!!

Dinosara

I just realized the other day that my rule will be broken too… the NY Coffee and Tea festival is in late February, and I can’t expect myself not to buy any tea there! So yeah, already writing exceptions…

Indigobloom

ahh well you deserve it, after all that denial Dinosara! :P

Dinosara

Haha, thanks for being my enabler. :D

Indigobloom

anytime Dinosara, it’s what tea buddies are for ;)

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Profile

Bio

Let’s see… I’m a tea and workout fanatic, I work in HR, and most of my friends consider me to be an egg. White on the outside, Asian on the inside :)
-from philosophy to food, I love it all
Otherwise, what you see is what you get! I can be very straightforward and yet shy.

Also, I’ve started taking tea sommelier classes and it is an absolute blast! Well, so far I’ve only finished the first out of eight courses, but I am really looking forward to the next one.

Anyhow, if your curious as to how I rate things, this is how I work…

0-25
Like eating dirt, or some other unsanitary indelicacy that mentioning in my profile here would likely get me banned.
I don’t think I’ve found cause to banish a tea to the wasteland yet though so who knows what it’d inspire ;P

25-50
You know that expression “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”? I imagine drinking that water would be terrible enough to warrant this rating!
I’d never make my enemy drink this, but perhaps I’d throw it at them. Good thing I don’t have any enemies!

50-70
This is “tea”?? I tried finishing the cup… but my body rejected it. There may be others who enjoy this tea, but it’s beyond me!

70-80
I tried liking it, and I can almost get there! I certainly don’t hate it, but something is holding me back. Allergies? Men in white suits? who knows… certainly not me!

80-90
Lovely tea! Not my all time fave but close. I likely wouldn’t repurchase, but may decide to based on many factors: price, accessibility, whether it fills a “tea gap”, medicinal applications, and how often I crave it.
Every once in awhile I find the sweet spot that bumps these up to 90+. Those are the days I need to buy a lotto ticket!

90-95
Sweet Camellia! this is realllly good tea! Don’t talk to me until I’ve finished my cup…

95-100
Tea of the gods. I would do anything to get my hands on more of this liquid gold!

Location

Toronto (Mississauga, but I work in TO)

Website

http://hrslinger.wordpress.com/

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