10919 Tasting Notes
Sipdown (1338)!
…I hate the name of this tea. It’s so… awkward.
The tea itself wasn’t the best either – I can appreciate that they were seemingly trying this interesting take on a fruity and nutty profile, but the flavouring used is AGGRESSIVE to say the least. It’s a very harsh and artificial tasting orange combined with an equally strong almond/marzipan note and the result in a mighty cloying and fake taste cup of weird nutty fruit punch. I don’t think I’d be willing to drink this one again.
Grandpa Style!
I’m pretty sure this is wholesaled from Rishi – they carry a Tuo Cha style under this same name, and I recognize several of the other pu’erh blends on the Tea Runners site as Rishi catalog offerings, like the Pu’erh Ginger and the Vanilla Mint…
I only point it out because I actually tend to really like the pu’erh offerings from Rishi; they usually feel so well balanced and the quality of the tea leaf itself is really good for wholesale. I’ve not tried these tuo cha direct from Rishi, but assuming (and that feels like a safe assumption) this is the same… it’s not good, and that caught me off guard.
For starters, the leaf itself is so finely cut/mulchy and light that it didn’t actually sink in my mug when I attempted to brew it grandpa – something pretty shocking for a compressed style pu’erh like this. So, I ended up having to basically use my front teeth as the filter for the leaf as I drank – definitely annoying. The taste!? Not off at all, but pretty boring. Not the standard I’ve come to expect.
Yeah, this was a miss for me.
I can’t help but wonder if it’s the type of cinnamon that Tea Runners is using, or maybe just the quantity of it, but regardless NONE of the “cinnamon teas” I’ve tried from them thus far have actually tasted like cinnamon… it’s almost like they’ve forgotten it in the blend.
That said, the orange in this blend is divine. Very sweet and juicy, with a natural brightness to it that coats the whole palate following each sip. It tastes familiar, and I can’t put my finger on exactly why – but whatever the reason, I was very into that quality of the blend. It was especially nice with the sweet notes of the honeybush, too. I can’t even picture how it would have tasted with cinnamon though; that feels like it would have been a really weird juxtaposition if the cinnamon notes had come through for me.
Cold Brew!
Sipping this one currently and not totally sure what to make of it. The dry leaf smells delicious; very “pastry raspberry” with a bright sweetness and hint of honey/nutty aroma from the rooibos with undertones of lavender. The taste, however, is very lavender forward. It initially compliments what is a well rounded, sweet red fruit note and a nutty and mineral note heavy rooibos profile. It’s very “Rooibos de Provence” in its flavour profile, just without the typical blueberry in that composition. However, while the taste starts quite delicious it finishes a bit too lavender heavy for me – it lingers on the back of the throat, and is a smidge perfume-y.
My gut tells me it might work a bit better hot.
Ah, I didn’t know Tea Runners sourced from TeaSource. I always really liked this one. I’m really crazy for lavender, but unless they’ve changed their ratios, my warm cuppas always tasted “too light” on the lavender to me and more like strawberries ’n cream.
It gets a bit weird in terms of tea sourcing, because there’s definitely SIGNIFICANT overlap between TeaSource and Tea Runners. One possibility is that Tea Runners is buying from TeaSource, but I think the more likely is that both Tea Runners and TeaSource are buying from the same wholesaler; at least partially, anyway. I only say that because I know that, for sure, some of the TeaSource blends are catalog – but I’m not well enough equated with the entirety of what TeaSource carries to know if it’s all coming from that wholesaler or just partially. Tea Runners definitely uses at least two wholesalers that I know of though – and one overlaps with the same one I know TeaSource is purchasing from.
Sipdown (1339)!
Finally finished off this sample today – had intended to do so in February, but I guess this was pretty close to the beginning of March so I did pretty good all in all. It was sweet and floral, with fresh garden pea notes. Ultimately ended up being a pretty interesting and enjoyable tea in my stash, and in a future where I own less tea I would welcome something similar to it back into my stash!
I’m starting to realize that 52Teas has a very distinct maple flavour; it’s syrupy and sweet but with a roundness to it that I quite enjoy – it’s a bit boozy, too. I like it a lot here when paired with this more roasty tasting oolong. The body and mineral notes of the tea compliment that top note sweetness really well; and there’s just enough of a nuttiness from the oolong that it kind of makes me loosely think of a cheesecake crust. Add to that a perfect kiss of creaminess, and this is a pretty darn good stab at a Maple Cheesecake. Regardless, I love this maple flavour and even if it’s not the most accurate it’s very tasty!
Sipped on a mug of this tea while making supper yesterday!
It was a little bit drying in the back pockets of the mouth, but mostly this was a really nice mix of florals with some emphasis on a more metallic/sharp hibiscus. Not always a fan of hibiscus with some of those more tannic and earthy notes, but the mineral of it actually felt like it added to the natural feeling of the blend and I like an earthier note mixed with florals, typically.
Do I keep forgetting that I’m trying to be finishing off this sample? Yes. Do I keep enjoying each cup that I make, despite that? Also yes.
The main issue is actually that the sample bag is just very small. So, mixed in with all the other sample bags near my kettle and the mugs in the same area, it very easily gets covered up by other things and not seen. Need to be more conscious of that.
Flavors: Floral, Flowers, Garden Peas, Malt, Peas, Sweet
Sipdown (1337)!
Finished this one off at work during the week – at first I was unimpressed with the cup because it was all spice and no toffee, but then I got caught up in a conversation with a coworker and when I came back to my tea it was cold. However, it seems that as the tea cooled more of the sweetness and toffee-esque flavours seemed to come out, so it actually ended up being a good thing.
That said, I’m glad to clear another chai out of my stash.
Had this one last weekend and I’ve been putting off the tasting note because I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to say for this tea. I’m still not sure, to be honest.
This was the January Subscription tea – 100g of small batch shou in bamboo. I’ve had a mixed success rate with bamboo scented/stored teas, but I was curious about this one. I started by having it Western style, and I actually resteeped the leaf because I was enjoying it so much – I veeeerrrry rarely resteep tea when I’m having it Western style. It was so cozy and comforting – one of those cups of tea that just hugs you from the inside out and makes you feel safe and secure. However, describing the flavours… arg!
It’s smooth. Damn smooth and silky. Definitely had this toasted/fired note to it, but a lightness to the top of the sip that felt like it was the bamboo. It was weirdly complex and simple all at once. I will 100% need to try this again to be able to form some more proper thoughts, but suffice to say I liked it a lot.
The name could be worse… at least it isn’t “Hey-biscus!”
You make a valid point! XD