13 Tasting Notes

95
drank Chai Matcha by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

This flavored matcha made me SING, it was so good! And the fact that it finally started feeling like fall this week in NC made it all the more delicious. I whisked 2 ounces of 160 degree F water with 3 perfect matcha spoonfuls of this Chai Matcha + 1 perfect matcha spoonful Grand Cru Matcha then split it into 2 latte cups, and then whisked in 7 ounces of frothed, warm vanilla almond milk into each cup. An absolutely luscious, tummy-warming, flavored chai latte.

It reminds me of a wonderful chai drink I make from scratch with cardamom pods, coriander seeds, etc., which I got from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen Cookbook by Katz. But this chai matcha latte is a little less time intensive.

I’m going to have to stock up on a lot of this stuff, because I’m sure it’s seasonal, and I will want this all year round.

Flavors: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cream, Smooth, Vanilla

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 0 OZ / 0 ML

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82
drank Gyokuro Yamashiro by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

This is my first sip of a gyokuro. As someone who leans toward straight green teas, I really like it. This steeps to a beautiful bright yellow-green color. It tastes fresh and vegetally-green and can be enjoyed without any sweetener (I added just a few drops of pure lemon juice, as I customarily do). I will enjoy this a few times a week and will definitely use my frequent steeper points toward this more pricey (but worth it) tea in the future.

Flavors: Butter, Grass, Smooth, Vegetal

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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75
drank Honey Drop by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

This is a mild, sweet herbal blend that has the added benefit of providing a boost of vitamin C. And it really does taste like the traditional Ricola throat drop flavor, as purported :-) It reminds me a bit of another herbal DAVIDsTEA, Midsummer Night’s Dream. This will be a nice fall/winter go-to tea in the morning and/or evening, to boost immunity during the flu season.

Flavors: Honey, Melon, Orange Blossom, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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65

To be fair, I’m not always a fan of just any spicy, chai-like tea (though I do have a few that I like). This one is OK, mostly because I like the strong cardamom note it has. I received this as a sample with my last order. I probably won’t stock up, but I would sip a cup if someone offered me one.

Flavors: Cardamom, Maple, Sweet

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 14 OZ / 414 ML

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82
drank Mao Jian Jade by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

I like my straight green teas. And this is one I can see being a daily go-to brew. I added a tiny amount of honey and just a twist of fresh lemon. It’s mild and smooth, slightly astringent, with just a slight note of lettuce. A really good afternoon tea.

Flavors: Astringent, Green, Lettuce, Smooth

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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85
drank Citron Oolong by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

Enjoying a late afternoon cup of this smooth, lemony, lightly flowered oolong. And I like it! Definitely steep at 185 degrees F, a little cooler as the package suggests, for about 4 minutes or a 4:30. This one really just hits that late afternoon sweet craving for me. I did add honey, but just a drizzle.

I’m thinking this one may be good iced, so will try that soon and report back :-)

Flavors: Fruity, Jasmine, Lemon, Smooth, Sweet

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 14 OZ / 414 ML

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85
drank Moonlight White by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

I tend to like green-citrus-floral notes, but this white / puerh tea is surprisingly smooth, light and enjoyable. I added just a little honey, nothing to make it too sweet, as the comments I had read mentioned there was already a note of honey in the aftertaste of this one. This is really a lovely change of pace for this green tea-leaning taster. I will definitely go to this tea to switch things up every once in a while. It was on sale online at DavidsTea, so I’m glad I went for it during a flash sale and got a real bargain for this rare blend. I may have to hop online and order some more before it’s gone!

Flavors: Earth, Honey, Smooth, Sweet, Toast, Wood

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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78
drank Vanilla Orchid by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

Just a quick note on my first try at this one. I’ll be back to update, I’m sure. I tend to prefer straight teas, but a hint of flavor is ok so long as it accompanies well. And the vanilla in this tea does do that. I agree with others who mentioned that the vanilla and creamy notes come out more as the tea cools. The package said to steep at 185 degrees F, but I steeped at 190 degrees F. The dry leaves smelled wonderful - strong vanilla. But the wet leaves and tea itself did not have such a strong vanilla scent; in fact the wet leaves smelled a little like formaldehyde. Thankfully the tea did not smell, or taste, like that :) The tea itself was not very strong, a bit watery, but the hint of creamy vanilla was nice.

I still prefer a good straight tea, but I can see myself reaching for this one out of the cupboard, especially for a light dessert tea.

2018-07-04 Just tried this tea again with a little vanilla almond milk to make a latte — not too bad.

Flavors: Cream, Orchid, Smooth, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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80
drank Sencha Ashikubo by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

I like straight green teas, but I’m definitely still learning about them and tweaking my steeping techniques as a result. For this tea, I agree with those who have recommended steeping at a lower temp (165-170 degrees F) and for shorter intervals. This tea does lend itself well to re-steeping. So far, I’ve found an initial steep between 1-2 minutes at 170 degrees F to be ideal. The right steep produces a smooth, mellow grassy green note. I do add a little honey and a squeeze of lemon, but I tend to do that with most of my green teas. The squeeze of lemon comes in because of scientific research showing how just a little bit of citric acid added to green tea boosts the absorption of catechins (antioxidants in tea that have an anti-cancer effect) by 500% (see “The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen” by Rebecca Katz & Matt Edelson).

Flavors: Bok Choy, Grass, Green, Smooth

Preparation
170 °F / 76 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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80
drank Butterfly Jasmine by DAVIDsTEA
13 tasting notes

I’m a fan of Silk Dragon Jasmine (DAVIDsTEA), so I figured I’d like this one. And I do, but maybe not quite as much. The jasmine note is definitely stronger in this tea. I think I like it just a little more subtle. But overall, an enjoyable, smooth, slightly astringent jasmine perfumed green tea.

Flavors: Astringent, Grass, Green, Jasmine, Smooth

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Profile

Bio

I’ve recently made the turn from being more of a coffee bean gal to a green tea maven. I’m partial to straight teas. And I’ve just begun to explore oolongs. I do enjoy a fruity-floral-sweet herbal cup now and then as well. I’m by no means an experienced tea taster, but I’m learning (and enjoying every sip)!

Location

Charlotte, NC

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