50 Tasting Notes

69

all fairtrade and organice bagged teas were on sale this week at the local store. (2 for 1) so I picked this one.

this is o.k. for a bagged green tea. Tea is yellowish and no bitterness. Even sense of sweetness.

Mmmm, may even bring a few bags to work….

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 45 sec

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60

an Assam first flush from my sub from Golden Tips in India.

i haven’t had many first flush Assams: I prefer the bold, strong, maltiness that usually comes with the 2nd flush.

This lacks boldness, and maltiness. Instead, there are floral notes, with a sweet aftertaste.
It tasts like a bagged tea, .. someone may like this, but I won’t.

Flavors: Floral, Sweet

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 15 sec 1 tsp 200 OZ / 5914 ML
donkeyteaarrrraugh

ooooooh! this sounds fascinating!!!!

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81

Devine.

Flavors: Muscatel

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 500 OZ / 14786 ML

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73

found this in my basket from my Golden Tips subcription, which ended for me this month… all good things seem to come to an end too quickly :)

A spring flush from the renowed Teesta Valley gardens.

1tbs/220ml. 90 C. 3 minutes.
golden brown tea.

This tea reminds me of my nan. She loved to drink darjeelings, and whenever I came over, we shared a cup & some home backed apple cake.

It’s good, dark brown cup, strong, yet smooth.
Lovely cup that brings back golden memories….

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 220 OZ / 6506 ML
ashmanra

Aw, I wish I could have had a nan! I hope to someday be one, and I hope I will be a great one who will be remembered fondly like yours.

Sandra Vdplaats

I hope to be a nan one day too, to share my memories with my grandkids(or maybe have a cup of tea :)) until then, kicking and drinking teas! loads!

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79

This is the second tea I received from a complimentary box from Curious Tea. I opted for the mixed box: including this Jun Chiyabari from Nepal and a Sencha Fukujya from Japan.
The mixed subscription typically contains a wide variety of tea that includes anything from gree and white tea to black tea, oolongs, pu ehr and others.

This review is for the Sencha Fukujya from Japan

Thi sencha is a later harvest sencha, and enchanted dring growth by partical covering from the sun.
Appearance: Dark green needles, and a lovely spinach/seaweed smell.

Basically, I have 2 teas that you can wake me up for any time of the night. - darjeelings and Japanese greens.

Teas from Japan were my first introduction lo loose leaf tea, and has been my no. 1 ever since. I have tried to enlarge my green tea preferences, by trying Chinese greens, Nepal greens, or any other green teas on the market, spending and trying, and spendig and trying, even more,…… alas, to no avail. It mostly turned out a hit or miss…..
My taste buds seem to be quite set on Japan, and Japanese tea only.

o.k., I admit, I have some pi lo chun, and some xinyang maojian teas in my cupboard, when friends are coming over…. but soon as the door closes on them, it’s back to the ‘spinach soup’ they so dislike for some reason I cannot apprehend…
oh well, no hard feelings :) more for me…

2 tbs/500 nml. (my chatsford ’Polly put the kettle on little teapot with strainer :)) steep: 1 min, 75 C. yellowish/green liqor. Sweet & vegetal smell.

As this is a later harvest sencha, it’s not as outspoken and green as an earlier harvests can be, but it’s nice.. a wonderful every day sencha… easy, and very drinkable, esp. for newbies to sencha tea.

Flavors: Marine, Seaweed, Spinach

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 1 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

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87

Complimentary box from Curious Tea. I opted for the mixed box: including this Jun Chiyabari from Nepal and a Sencha Fukujya from Japan.
The mixed subscription typically contains a wide variety of tea that includes anything from gree and white tea to black tea, oolongs, pu ehr and others.

Thank you very much Alex for this generous offer to preview and taste the box.

Received 2 teas, each 50gr., neatly wrapped and containing tea cards, so that you can keep these to remember the tea you have tasted.

Tea: Nepal Jun Chiyabari FF

fluffy leaves, with many green and white tips. Smells very sweet, with the appreance and smell of a first flush top grade Darjeeling.
(and I love, love Darjeelings…. )

1 tbsp, let it steep for 2 min. (I hate to burn my teas, and usually opt for shorter steeping times – 3 min. is adviced…)

appearance: soft golden/yelowish liquor, almost like a white tea.
Hints of apricot, flowers, honey, with a very sweet aftertaste… all very delicate, none to overpowering…

wow! appears to be green FF, but also has oolong nuances.
What a pleasant suprise.

This tea can easily compete with any top grade FF Darjeeling. No bitterness whatsoever, a wonderful and very delicate tea,with hints of honey (moving towards an oolong).

Will def. be looking out to find out/buy more of this tea!

Flavors: Floral, Honey, Orchid, Sweet

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 200 OZ / 5914 ML

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70

A proper morning kick, though quite a standard assam IMHO. Miss the maltiness of other assams I tried from Golden Tips.
This one is o.k. but I probably won’t buy this again.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 200 OZ / 5914 ML
donkeyteaarrrraugh

have you had a particular favourite so far?

Sandra Vdplaats

from golden tips Assam Enigma and Assam Mankota Exotic come to mind. They were excellent Assam teas – Rounder teas, maybe less bold, but sweeter. From a domestic vendor, I buy the Assam lattakookan TGFOP in bulk, it’s the least strong of the lot, but love, love the taste of that one. (there is a review on Lattakoojan from Butiki – I get mine from hotsoup in the Netherlands)
I guess tastes differ. Prefer mine bold, but not to the point that they become bitter when oversteeped. The Assams I prefer have a friendly, round, sweet taste, with just a tad of umpf.

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90

echanting tea with hints of caramel and chocalate in the background.

Will be my standard stock tea. Good, any time of the day.

Flavors: Caramel, Chocolate, Fruity, Muscatel, Nuts

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec 10 tsp 34 OZ / 1000 ML

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100

Arya Diamond Limited Edition Darjeeling tea.

Rare topgrade tea from controlled organic cultivation, from India. It is harvested only in very limited quantity.
A Limited Edition Second Flush Darjeeling organic tea from the renowned Arya Tea Estate.

The Arya Tea Estate was founded by Buddhist monks when he settled in Darjeeling, mid eighteenth century. They cultivated a variant of the Chinese tea plant as well as other seeds and plants necessary for practicing Ayurvedic medicine. The Arya Estate is located in the heart of Darjeeling spread over 300 acres. Located at an altitude of up to 1820m and 1500m on average, with slopes of up to 60 degrees, it is one of the highest and steepest tea gardens in Darjeeling.
The Arya Estate preserves the legacy of the monks with respect for the environment and commitment to sustainability. They have their own hydro -power system and are certified Organic by IMO Switzerland. Above Arya produces beautiful artisan tea.

Brewing guide: 2g per cup and 10 g per pot (about 1 liter ), 90 degrees water , steep 3 to 5 minutes .

A real gem this is. I am biased, since I love love darjeeling, but this is simply the best you can get. A treat, a rare, and wonderful tea. (and you don’t have to be a darjeeling lover to love this tea. !)

A perfect balance: not too sweet, nor too fruity, or an too overpowering taste of muscatel. Magnificent.

One of my favourite teas, ever. A gem !

Flavors: Chocolate, Fruity, Muscatel, Nutty

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 45 sec 1 tsp

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72
1 tuo/5gr. 500ml. 85-95C. steep for approx. 1 min.

Easy shu pu ehr with thick sweet taste.

No complexity , and was a tad disappointed at how quick I had to brew longer to get a good cup. Got 5 steeps out of 1 tuo, had participated more…

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 45 sec 5 g 500 OZ / 14786 ML

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Profile

Bio

48 y/o mom of 3
freelance translator, proofreader and writer; Tea addict
black teas: Assams & Darjeeling teas
Green: Japanese Sencha & Gyokuro
Oolongs: Grand Pouchung, aged anxi rou gui, Huang Jin Gui, aged oolongs, Darjeeling oolongs
pu ehr: mainly sheng, trying shou pu ehr! so far so good :)-
Favourite home brew: London Fog and Chai Latte

Location

the Netherlands

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