6106 Tasting Notes
12 Days of Tea #1! Also, 1000th tasting note! Wooooooooo!!!!!!
Last time I tried this tea as a sample, it was not great. I couldn’t really taste the cotton candy. This time however? WOAH! Delicious!! So anyone who wants to try this tea – now is a great time to buy a reblend, because it’s fantastic. All pink cotton candy flavouring with a nice black base. I’m so tempted to pick this one up, but I think I’ll hold off due to having too much tea already.
One note: I didn’t even attempt to re-steep this, as all the aroma was gone after the first infusion, and usually once that happens, the second infusion is mediocre at best.
Preparation
This was… not as good in a travel mug as I had hoped. However, I think I like the later infusions of this one more, so hopefully I’ll get to those later today! Or tomorrow. I did gulp the whole thing down cold though… :D No wasting this one!
Another delicious mug of this yesterday. Thanks so much to Sil for figuring out that 2.5 minute steeps are what make 52teas taste delicious!
Preparation
Wish I hadn’t run out-this is one I would re-order if they ever had it available again. Until Sil posted his helpful advice, I think I had steeped it a little too long, and though I liked it, I didn’t love it until I cut back on the time, and by then I didn’t have much left. I’ve thought about trying David’s Pumpkin Chai to see how it compares. I like S&V’s Pumpkin Pie Black quite a bit, but would like something for when I’m in the mood for more spice.
I had figured that out a long time ago. :)
agreed! i over steeped today…learned my lesson! 2.5 min all the way!
Drank some of this in the travel mug yesterday. I think I overleafed; it was way too strong. I think one of the keys with this tea is short infusions and not a ton of leaf; also, I don’t think the delicate flavours are robust enough for a travel mug (it really just tastes strongly of jasmine, and almost soapy).
Hmm. I’d never even considered how a travel mug could influence taste. Interesting!
Some travel mugs do. I have two stainless steel ones. One I used for flavored teas. The other for plain teas. They are similar to yixing where, even with washing, they have a tenancy to absorb flavors of teas that you had in previously. I have noticed that you can’t taste lighter teas very well in them. But if you use mostly black teas and then try to use a green tea…well you aren’t going to taste much green tea.
This is why I no longer use travel mugs or thermoses. Sad.
Oh! I guess this will have to be for black teas then! :0 Now I know!
I have a fantastic travel mug. The tea is so hot, it is spill proof, has an infuser basket. But the truth is, more than half of the tea experience for me is the aroma, and when you are drinking from a small opening like that it is severely diminished. I don’t mind units teas in a Abel mug or thermos, but the good stuff really needs to be poured in a cup to me!
Quickie note as I’m at work and therefore should be working. This tea definitely doesn’t smell like a typical genmaicha… still toasty, but much more vegetal/seaweedy. I find the seaweedy part interesting because IIRC that’s not a flavour I associated with Laoshan Green. Granted, I think I only have the autumn and spring versions; perhaps the summer version has more of the marine notes. Anyhow, it’s in a Timolino, and I’m definitely tasting the toastiness, and although it still smells quite mariney, it doesn’t taste such. It’s good, but I’ll have to compare it against other genmaichas I have at some point! For now, tentative rating as it’s good but not mind-blowing (then again, it is in a travel mug).
Preparation
Okay, I’m at work and I took a sip from my Timolino (forgetting what was in it, of course), and I was all “what IS this?! It’s delicious!” And then I remembered that it was this tea. Holy delicious. I may like this one even more than Laoshan Black. Either way, it’s getting 100 for being so awesome.
Preparation
Honestly, I don’t know if this is the specific Laoshan Green I grabbed this morning… but I think so…
Anyways, I have sadly concluded that while this tea is amazing fresh, it is…. less than awesome after sitting in a travel mug for hours (unlike most black teas, which withstand sitting quite well). I had assumed such, but figured it was worth a shot. I did have a sip when putting it into the travel mug, so I know it did initially taste all delicious, vegetal and green beany, but it developed bitterness while sitting. Also, my one Timolino appears to be tainted with lemon (I blame Good Morning Sunshine!) and so it had the addition of lemon flavour as well, which was… interesting.
Preparation
I discovered that this one takes to a thermos quite well, so it had been added to the morning rotation. Luckily I still think that DavidsTea’s Salted Caramel and this tea actually taste eerily similar, so I suspect I can replace this with DT’s version once my bag is done (although I think this is one tea that Teavana did keep in their Canadian stores when they bought out Teaopia). Anyways, deeeeeelicious.
They have kept this at Teavana as a Canadian Classic or something like that. I like it way better than salted caramel.
I have yet to compare the two side by side, to be honest, so I could be wrong about my recollection!
Well, the two teas both have caramel in them, so there is some similarity, and the oolong of the creamy nut is a darker oolong more like a black, so another similarity I guess.
This week is a five-day series of sleep, starve/drink protein shakes while doing lab work until the wee hours of the morning, come home, eat, sleep, repeat. So no time for tea decisions, I’m sticking with the most easily visible. So, more of this guy. Still love it, and yes Sil, there will still be some left for you. It just might be in the original packet…. because the rest is all gone…
I made the horrifying discovery earlier this week that I’m nearly out of Laoshan Black! I think I had only ordered 1 oz., and have been drinking it in my Timolino, which takes a double helping of leaves… and I just made a huge Verdant order. Argh. I guess I know how I’ll be spending my voucher!
Oh, and this was delicious as always. Still can’t believe that a straight black tea can taste this amazing.
I think this is where i’m going to struggle. To pick up reblends on decent sounding teas or not. Especially since there’s a chance that there won’t be any left by say day 5 of day 1, so grouping up orders may prove difficult.
Congrats on 1000! That is awesome.
OMG 1000!!! that’s bonkers! amaaaaazeballs!
also… sheeeeesh on 1000…i’m at 600. We need to plan January get together!
Wow, Congrats on 1000! I have yet to reach 200!
Congratulations on 1k!
1000th?! Holy Mary Mother of God! You certainly do love tea. :P Congrats my friend! :D
Also, I think this one does re-blend extremely well. Better than most 52teas’ in my opinion.