53 Tasting Notes

87
drank Lemon Yunnan by Samovar
53 tasting notes

Yup, drinking this one again and I have the same sentiments as last time. A well rounded cup that balances the fine line between lemon zest (this tea’s dry leaves smell amazing) and a strong black cup.

Granted, I’ve been drinking a bit more coffee these days than tea (I know, I know, shaaaame) so my first reaction was to wonder where the zing was. Needless to say, I got re-accustomed to it in no time.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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88
drank Toasty Almond by Tealish
53 tasting notes

Had this one again the other night, and this morning too (surprisingly). I wasn’t expecting much of a second steep from such a small amount of tea (I only used 1 tbsp, and that seems like a small amount for a herbal tea) but I was pleasantly surprised.

I still haven’t tried this in latte form, but it’s day will come. This is actually a really good after-dinner tea that’s almost like a substitute for dessert, considering the scent and flavour that comes from it.

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91
drank Maiden's Ecstasy by Samovar
53 tasting notes

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70
drank Scarlet Sable by Samovar
53 tasting notes

First impressions -

Smell – This is Ocean of Wisdom mixed with Lapsang Souchong.

Looks – Same as smell, but in general this is a wickedly evil looking tea with its general red and orange hues mixed in with very black leaves.

Taste – The smokiness of this tea is definitely the prominent flavour here. If you’re not a fan of smokey teas, you need not read further. I’m getting some hints of the roobios, though at this point (while the tea is still very hot) it’s more of an aftertaste. We’ll see if that changes in any way as it cools.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
Raffi

Got a solid second steep out of it (not enough time today for more steeps) and now I’m getting much more of the roobios flavour over the smokiness. Interesting.

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77
drank Santa's Secret by DAVIDsTEA
53 tasting notes

I’m a little late at logging this one. I have a huge backlog of tea to go through, but here I am, finally trying to uncover Santa’s Secret.

I like this one quite a bit. The peppermint is very evident (and I love peppermint), and the addition of the spices and mini candy canes is a subtle, but nice, touch. I managed to get two good steeps out of a tbsp in a 12 oz mug, which is pretty good, and it has enough kick to get you through a rough work day.

Hopefully this tea makes a comeback next winter.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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85
drank Peppermint Yerba Mate by Samovar
53 tasting notes

Wow.

Wooow.

I mean, I love peppermint and all, but this is crazy. This is my third (and final) Yerba Mate from Samovar, and what a way to top it off. I’m going to have to experiment with this more to get more of the Yerba Mate flavour out (the peppermint is overpowering, but I’m not chalking that as a complaint because I love the stuff).

That’s really all that can be said at this time. I’m just enjoying this one.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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76
drank Kuki Yerba Mate by Samovar
53 tasting notes

So after trying Sweet Yerba Mate the other day, I gave this variant a try.

I can definitely taste the lack of licorice in this one, and the addition of green tea in it’s place. Mostly the same comments to be said about this one, except instead of a sweet taste I’m getting something a little bit more bitter. Perhaps next time I should try letting the water cool closer to a green tea temp before infusing, even though Samovar recommends boiling water for this one.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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78
drank Yerba Mate by Samovar
53 tasting notes

Well this was definitely a new experience.

My first foray into the world of Yerba Mate. I recently got interested in a few varieties from Samovar, but I wanted to go with the “original” before trying any deviants.

First of all, portions of this tea is so fine that not even my laser cut infuser could keep it all in. So I can imagine that my first infusion is going to taste different from subsequent ones, but we shall see.

First impressions are that it’s very grassy, but not as bad as some other people had made it seem. There’s a very sweet, grassy initial taste that leaves behind an interesting aftertaste, almost slightly bitter in nature.

As a black tea fan, I can actually say that I like this. I haven’t gotten a chance to see how good it is with multiple infusions, but at least the first infusion was bursting with flavour.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 30 sec

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73
drank Russian Blend by Samovar
53 tasting notes

It’s hard to actually describe this tea any better than the other countless tea logs have already done, so instead of attempting to re-describe the flavour, I will stick to describing what I think of it.

I brewed this at work so there was no way of me going for the traditional steeping method, as interesting as it sounds (jam in tea? really? I gotta try it some day) so instead I opted to brew it the simple way. I like the strength and flavour, though my tongue seems to be telling me that it’s slightly similar to Lychee Black, another Samovar tea. I only had sample packets of these two teas so I suppose to really tell the difference, I’ll have to try them again some time.

Overall, I’m a fan. It hits the sweet spot (potentially literally) in my dark, black tea oriented flavour preferences. Once again, I’ve yet to try a Samovar tea that I have not liked.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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