600 Tasting Notes
A review of Miesna Christmas Tea by The Metropolitan Tea Company, Ltd.
Company: The Metropolitan Tea Company, Ltd.
Tea Name: Miesna Christmas Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: black
Region: India
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Liquor Color:
Leaf Characteristics:
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes
I fixed for myself today this fine Ceylon tea with a steep time of five minutes. Tea’s color is lovely malt amber and the aroma is of the apple spice with a rich smoothness in the cup when sipping of this tea.
Why I like having this tea is because of what the spices conjure for this time of year; heady cinnamon with crisp apple taste leaving a slight tartness with every gulp when swallowed. The aroma is most enticing as it makes you feel warm and tingly; appreciative of being inside where it is warm and comfortable.
Preparation
A review of Basil Mint Pu-erh by Numi Organic Tea
Company: Numi Organic Tea
Tea Name: Basil Mint Pu-erh
Tea Type/Varietal: pu-erh
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Liquor Color: darken amber
Leaf Characteristics: Tea bag when steeped is pungently strong. That pew-eh, earthy dampness aroma permeates.
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
I am continuing with my Numi Organic Sampler pack and this time the tea is Basil Mint Pu-erh. I opened the tea package and remove the bag and put this in my cup; adding the cold water to the tea, I put in the microwave for a few minutes and leaving it to steep until very dark.
Tea smells strongly of dampness and moisture with hints of the mint coming through mildly. This tea has great herbal aroma with a smooth flavoring. If you like pu-erh tea in its traditional form (heady moisture/dampness smell) than this is the tea for you. The mint is an adage as it soothes and comforts the digestive with an overall calming effect.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes
I fixed another cup of this tea, using same tea bag with a steep time of five minutes and the water is very hot. Tea’s aroma continues to be that heady/heavy damp wetness from stock piling of moisture; tea is a darken amber and I find I like this color as it means that the is malty and smooth. So I take sips after sips of this tea reveling in the ancient mysteries that is offered.
I like this Basil Mint Tea quite a bit. The mint is not overly done; it leaves the pu-erh as it should be; the mint is just around for a soothing cup of pu-erh tea.
Preparation
A review of Cozy Chamomile Tea by Bigelow
Company: Bigelow Tea
Tea Name: Cozy Chamomile
Tea Type/Varietal: Herb
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light yellowish-brown
Leaf Characteristics:
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
This is a tea I snagged from my in-laws tea box as I have been doing when around their kitchen after dinner. I saw that they have added some new tea to the tea box/chest. I decided some chamomile would be nice to have about now.
I take one tea bag and put this in my cup and add the tap water to my cup and placed this in the microwave for two minutes.
Tea’s aroma is of the lovely sweetly Chamomile; you can smell its smoothness and wanting to relax just with the aroma alone. I happily take my cup and inhale the scent a bit more and I feel an easing of the day’s events melting away. So I continue with sipping my tea slowly and contentedly until all gone.
The herb chamomile is known for its relaxing qualities and I can certainly attest to this as this was the lasting effect it had on me. My mind was set for tranquility and the tea accommodated nicely.
Preparation
A review of Mandarin Orange Spice Herb Tea by Celestial Seasonings
Company: Celestial Seasonings
Tea Name: Mandarin Orange Spice Herb Tea
Tea Type/Varietal: herb
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: K-cup/ tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: dark amber and not brightly at all
Leaf Characteristics:
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 30 seconds
I spent another day at the library and as a treat while taking a break I purchased a cup of tea made with the Keurig Brew K-cup. This tea was Mandarin Orange Spice Herb Tea by Celestial Seasonings. The tea’s K-cup was placed in the Keurig Brew K-cup and a cup placed underneath it while the water dispenses with the tea. I think it took about 30 seconds.
Tea’s color is dark and malt like but not as dark as Goya malt per se. Tea’s aroma is bold/roasted and orange in scent. Taste wise the tea is smooth and very citrusy from the mandarin orange and spice. I don’t know, something about this cup did not strike me well.
I think that ones’ mood along with a cup of tea goes hand in hand; nothing was done differently in fixing the tea so it should have been fine but the taste I was left with was not to my liking.
Tea’s color was fine, malty amber in color; the aroma was of orange but not of zesty fruitiness and yet the taste seems to reeks (over drip) of the orange flavoring. I am saying that I like mandarin orange but not as tea I guess, well not this cup of tea. Sorry!
Preparation
A review of Green Tea Powder by Hamasaen
Company: Hamasaen
Tea Name: Green Tea Powder
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Japan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup / teaspoon
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: very dark green
Leaf Characteristics:
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 180 Fahrenheit
Time: 30 seconds
This tea powder is part of my morning rituals. I take a small teaspoon of the powder and put this in my cup and add the hot water to it and stirring it vigorously until powder disappears. Unfortunately for me on this morning of rushing to get out the door, the tea ended pasty (mud-like) residue in my cup and the color was a dark green and when I tasted it, it was the most astringent that I have had as yet.
I realize in my rushing that I did not take adequate time to properly mix the tea powder and water; and the color seems to indicate this as well since so very dark (muddy like). I drank it just the same and derived no enjoyment since taste was pungently bitter of mine own doing.
I have always known how to make a bad cup of tea and now I have indeed experienced as such. Some would say, dearest all of your teas have been poorly made since not having the right equipment. Well kudos then!
Preparation
A review of Immortal Green Tea by American Tea Room
Company: American Tea Room
Tea Name: Immortal Green
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Region: Japan
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: light greenish brown
Leaf Characteristics: the tea leaves are finely with bits of peaches and smelling of peach and Sencha green
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 175 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes
I was sent this tea as part of sampler pack from An International Tea Moment and I am happy to say that all of the teas have been very good. The finest of quality green tea and this Sencha tea is a good way to end this journey.
Sencha is considered Japan’s most popular tea distinguished by its delicate sweetness and having a very mild astringency. Sencha teas are picked during late February in warm climates to the end of May in cooler climates and Sencha teas are high in vitamin C. –New Tastes in Green Tea by Mutsuko Tokunaga
I steeped one teaspoon of the tea for two minutes and strained the tea while taking in its intoxicating aroma…which is sweet and fruity peach and teas color is lightest green, light brown and when I sip the tea it is mildly astringent at first sipping but dissipates as I drink more of it.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
Using the same tea leaves I steep the tea longer and hotter and I find the aroma is more intense; the leave are small and plumper (with a light green color) and the aroma seems livelier. It is peach tea and I like this hot as most would enjoy it cool since it is peach tea making for fine iced teas. In fact this reminds of Den’s Tea iced peach tea that I enjoyed earlier this year. Both are Sencha tea and I think the peach freshness is equal as well. However, I seem to remember less or no astringency with Den’s Tea; and yet this tea seems sweeter. So how can that be?
In all this an exceptional Sencha tea; it is lightly smooth with very pleasant aroma of fresh peach. The tea is as sweet as it is astringent; sipping first the astringent and ending with a mildly sweet aftertaste. As teas is bitter there is the freshness of the peach for balance in taste and flavor.
I must again say thank you to An International Tea Moment for sending these my way. I have enjoyed having this experience serving as reinforcement in explaining why I like green teas.
Preparation
A review of India Spice Chai Tea by Celestial Tea
Company: Celestial Seasonings Tea
Tea Name: India Spice Chai
Tea Type/Varietal: Chai
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: K-cup/ Keurig machine
Liquor Color: Dark chestnut
Leaf Characteristics:
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 30 seconds
I was at the library for most of the day and while there, I paid a visit to the bookshop next door. This was a break time for me; I was pleasantly reminded that the book shop offers cups of (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and cider) made with the Keurig machine. So I asked for a K-cup of Celestial India Spice Chai Tea. I took the K-cup over to the machine and placing a cup underneath it, I hit the start button and within about 30 seconds I had my tea ready and nicely hot.
The tea has lovely spicy aroma, tea’s color was rightly for the chai…that darken chestnut making for a lovely malty Assam tea. Tea is smooth and sweetly with a complex layering of spices like cinnamon, cloves and cardamom with hints of nutmeg giving it that vanilla bean quality. By this I mean it had creaminess to it without having to add milk to it.
I enjoyed this cup of tea that I sweetened with packets of white sugar. Yummy!
Preparation
A review of Green Tea & Blackcurrant by London Fruit & Herb Company
Company: London Fruit & Herb Company
Tea Name: Green Tea & Blackcurrant
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ tea bag
Liquor Color: purple
Leaf Characteristics: Tea’s aroma from tea bag is sweet and fruity
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes
This was my morning cup of tea of choice since I was in a rush to be out of home today and leave in-laws alone/ to have peace and I did not have to be rude or annoying as I have been. I am sorry for me.
I put one tea bag in my cup, adding the boiled water to my cup and left to steep for a couple of minutes. Tea’s color is purple with a fruity/licorice like aroma.
I drink this tea every now and again. As I sip the tea it is warm and fruity in taste, with the hibiscus giving the tea a little citrusy touch to it as well. The tea has slight dryness when swallowing and yet it is sweetly; the dryness is not like tartness of an apple which would make this tea like white wine but as this is Concord grape like wine, it is dry with a somewhat similarity like port wine.
This tea does not taste like port wine; I am just trying to explain the dryness at back of throat when swallowed. Overall, tea’s color is purple with a fruity aroma and the lasting taste is that of grapes (blackcurrants) and hibiscus.
Preparation
A review of Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey by Arizona Tea
Company: Arizona Tea
Tea Name: Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey
Tea Type/Varietal: green
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: iced tea
Liquor Color: pale brown
I have had iced teas made by Arizona Tea company and they have mostly been a good drink to have while having dinner or a meal. I am happy to say this Green Tea with ginseng and honey is just right with my noodles. It is lightly sweetened with the ginseng and honey; this combination gives it a citrus flavor. I mean that the tea was like having a cup of tea with lemon and honey.
The tea is cold and smooth and I could discern the ginseng in the aroma along with a citrusy zest to the palette once tasted. I don’t usually like iced drinks but this Arizona brand is quite pleasingly light and once in a while to have a cup of it does no harm I think to say.
A review of House Green by Tea Source
Company: Tea Source
Tea Name: House Green
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region: China
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Liquor Color: light green
Leaf Characteristics: leaves are fuller when steep and smells very green/broccoli like; so very yummy aroma.
1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes
I am enjoying sampling of these green teas and this is by far the best of the teas that I have sampled. After steeping the tea for a few minutes the tea’s aroma is so green and yummy/veggie like of steam broccoli. Tea’s color is lightly green and when I sip of the tea it is very nice and cleanly refreshing.
I don’t find it to be astringent but good for me kind of tea. So I sip and sip until done and fix myself another cup of the tea using same tea leaves.
2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 195 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes
Note: With this next steep tea is very mild and again I must say there does not seem to be any astringency. It is a freshly aromatic tea smelling very much of greens and pleasantly sweet aroma. Overall this tea is smooth, cleanly with no after taste. I find that I like this tea best in what I have sampled to date. Thank you to the folks at An International Tea Moment for sending me these samples to enjoy and experience.
