615 Tasting Notes

79

I love the name of this tea (though it was better a couple years back when the blender went by Essin Em on Adagio, but I digress), and it’s another Adagio blend I’ve been getting since my first blend order in 2008.

It’s not outstanding, but it’s a solid blend of flavors iced or hot. I cold steeped up a pitcher of it yesterday (about 10 tsp in my 2 qt pitcher for about 18 hours, because I forgot to pull the bag out), and have been really enjoying it this morning. Even Fiance appears to have drank a cup or two this morning.

The primary flavor is the tea, but the caramel adds a richness to it that isn’t normally present in Adagio’s base. The vanilla definitely smoothes it out, and the ginger, while a more subtle ginger flavor especially when cold steeped, definitely adds a bit of intrigue. It’s even more present in the aftertaste, mingling with the vanilla and reminding me a bit of a ginger cake.

Cheers to a tea I haven’t grown out of.

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more 10 tsp 32 OZ / 946 ML

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54

From CANTB

I realize I haven’t been doing many reviews lately, which is even sadder because I have this amazing teabox chilling here right now. But I’m more occupied with life than I had been in the past. Fiance and I finally okayed our desire of a teensy tiny wedding with his parents, so it looks like that might finally happen this year/early next year. So yeah!

The beginning of the sip is a really nice, robust tea. It’s rich and smooth, with just the slightest bit of astringency.

The mango flavor kicks in sometime between the tea hitting your tongue and swallowing, and I don’t care for it much. Despite being ‘natural’ flavoring, it just doesn’t taste like mango and is almost a little overripe fruity tasting.

Perhaps this would be better iced, but I didn’t really care for it enough to try.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Courtney

Yeah for getting everything okayed for a small wedding. :)

moraiwe

Yes! Yaaaay! His (extended) family is all local, so it was definitely a huge concern. We didn’t want to make a mess of familial politics.

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66
drank Rose Congou Green by DAVIDsTEA
615 tasting notes

From CANTB

A very perfumed rose brew, with a subtle sweetness lurking behind a dominantly floral cup. The sweetness is kind of savory and vegetative, but isn’t necessarily instantly recognizable as tea — it does pair nicely with the rose, though.

It’s not quite as POW with the rose as other blends I’ve had, but it’s definitely not something I could recommend to someone who didn’t really like rose tea.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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80
drank Jasmine Green Tea by Rishi Tea
615 tasting notes

From CANTB

A slightly sweet and vegetal green with a strong, but not overwhelming amount of jasmine. It’s not quite as immersive as I like my jasmine, and doesn’t quite live up to the ‘experience not a taste’ feeling that I get with some of my favorites.

Even so, I could see this as being a more inexpensive fix to my serious need-of-jasmine problem.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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53
drank Browncoat Genmaicha by 52teas
615 tasting notes

From CANTB

This is one I had considered ordering in the past. Because Firefly and genmaicha and chocolate. Yes please!

This is a pleasant toasty genmaicha, but a let down on the chocolate front. At first, I thought that element was a complete write off, but about halfway through the cup I started getting the aftertaste of cardboardy chocolate (reminds me of really cheap chocolate bars).

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
carol who

Oh, too bad! Love, ,love, love Firefly~

Kaylee

Me too!

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38
drank Blood Orange Pu'erh by DAVIDsTEA
615 tasting notes

From CANTB

I don’t mind the pu’erh part of this. It’s deep and rich and has a bit of body. But there’s too much and hibiscus and not enough orange for my tastes. Thankfully it lacked the metallic taste that hibiscus can sometime impart, though.

The hibiscus tartness got even stronger as it cooled.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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82

From CANTB

Huh. I was expecting something more savory. But I’m not disappointed overall.

This is sweeter and more peachy (and not an offensive gummy-like peach either) than I was anticipating. There are lots of buttery veggie notes, though. The corn comes out stronger and adds a savory sweetness that is unique, but pleasant.

Overall, a really unique, inspired brew.

Preparation
165 °F / 73 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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66

From Considering A New Teabox

This was a good one to start with. It’s an inoffensive lemon flavored black tea.

Without a doubt, it’s better than Lipton, but it doesn’t have much more personality than a cup of it with a wedge of lemon.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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43
drank Pom Tango by DAVIDsTEA
615 tasting notes

I’m kind of grateful for teas like this that remind me why I don’t race onto the DT website and throw everything that sounds good into a cart. I love mango and pomegranate, the latter is easily on of my favorite fruits and seriously fun to eat, but I’m so eh about the blend.

Both the mango and pomegranate seem to come through, but I guess I’m not finding them really natural. It’s all right until I swallow, then it tastes like gummies that were left in a hot car where they all melted together but I ate them anyway. (I don’t reccomend anyone try that for comparisons sake).

I’ll try the rest iced, but I’m just thinking this one isn’t for me.

Thanks for letting me try it, though Shadowfall

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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72

I’ve never had a sweet potato pie or casserole, so I really couldn’t tell you how this ranks up with the real thing.

But it is a good cup of tea, so there’s that.

It has a sweet starchy quality, and tastes like caramelized sweet potato and honey. There’s a mild amount of creaminess in the cup, as well. And even with the all the flavors coming through, the tea does as well. I don’t always like Lupicia’s black base, but I think it went really well with this one. The astringency in the cup just slightly reminds me of a starchy dryness.

I remember trying Adagio’s Sweet Potato pie waaaay back when it first came out, and I unfortunately can’t remember much about it. I don’t recall it being this sweet,but iI’m not necessarily comfortable making comparisons.

Thanks for the sample Dustin!

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Profile

Bio

Intro:

Name: Lauren
Location: Wisconsin (previously a Chicago girl)
Occupation: Student by day and super hero by night
Super Hero? Yep!
Which One? I can’t tell you that! Secret identities and such. Just know I’m not the hero they want, but the hero they need.
Sidekicks: Fiance and two budgies, Skitter and Gandalf

Hobbies:

Reading, writing, cooking, video games, computers, drawing, crafting, papercraft. Oh and tea.

A brief history:

I grew up in a family where the only working coffee maker was in my dad’s office. So the name of the game for my mother and I quickly became (bagged) tea. In 2004/2005, I discovered Adagio Teas. I don’t remember how it happened, or why I decided to pursue a purchase but here we are. I haven’t looked back.

My tea tastes have changed over time and I’ve moved from liking solely flavored teas (mostly black and white) to enjoying Darjeelings primarily, though malty unflavored blacks, fresh tasting greens, and lightly oxidized oolongs come in pretty high on my list, too. Of course, I still enjoy a good cup of flavored tea. I prefer caffeinated teas, as I have a horrible caffeine addiction that I don’t plan on kicking any time soon.

Red rooibos and lapsang souchong (or other strongly smoky teas) are my arch nemeses and I will see them defeated and removed by force from my cupboard. Like all thing, there are exceptions, but I assume they’re guilty until proven innocent.

I really don’t like negatively rating things, because I feel like if you don’t have something nice to say, you probably shouldn’t say it. But in the interest of non-biased tea reviews I’m going to give it a shot. I view every tea as a potential adventure so I’ll try most things at least once.

I love trading and swaps are always welcome! Please note, though, what it in my cupboard includes amounts ranging from a couple cups to 4 ounces or more, so please PM me to find out if what you’re seeking is available in that trade amount.

According to my spreadsheet, I also have about 100 other 1-4 cup samples that are not in my cupboard.. Feel free to message if you’re interested in see the spreadsheet for possible swap options as well.

Tea Ratings:

100-95 Nectar of the teagods that has been bestowed upon my unworthy tongue. I will never let this tin run empty.

86-94 These are the teas I would like to keep regularly stocked, but sometimes life gets in the way. Lovely teas, but not quite god tier. I still get cravings for these.

74-85 Good teas, but not amazing. I enjoy these, but may or may not restock once they run out. I would still recommend these to others.

60-73 Not bad. I’ll gladly keep drinking my cup, and wouldn’t say no if someone offered me this tea. I probably won’t rebuy these as there is likely something else that is comparable and better.

47-59 Certainly drinkable and might even have some characteristics that I enjoy, but I won’t pick it up again

30-46 I’ll probably finish my cup, but this tea isn’t to my taste OR it’s just overwhemingly mediocre. Life’s too short for bad tea.

11-29 This cup is in the sink now and I will never willingly consume this again. If you see a tea rated this way, I probably followed it with mouthwash.

0-10 Please say a prayer for the cup I destroyed in the process of disposing of this tea in the quickest manner possible. I may need tea therapy before I drink a similar tea again.

Location

Wisconsin, US

Website

http://atinyteapot.tumblr.com/

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