2145 Tasting Notes
There are a number of rose and lavender teas that remind me of potpourri, they’re absolutely cloying, but the flavors in this blend are delicately balanced and don’t overpower each other. Each sip yields a gentle layering of flavors, first the peppermint, followed by rose, then the faintest hints of lavender and jasmine—it’s absolutely exquisite.
You can read my full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2016/2/9/tuesday-tea-white-tea-rose-melange-rishi-teahtml
It’s surprising really how much of a difference 10°F can make in a cup of tea. At 185°F this tea was slightly sweet with only the barest hint of a floral note. The strong earthy flavor obscured any of the more complex notes I was expecting, leaving the tea tasting more like pu’erh than oolong. Increasing the water temperature only accentuated the deep earthy flavor of this tea. If I had started out with a blind sample prepared with boiling water I never would have guessed I was drinking oolong. I also found it fascinating that unlike fresh tea, this tea didn’t turn bitter or develop an astringency when I chose to use hotter water or an extended steeping time. The flavor only became deeper and more earthy, with a slight mineral note at the end.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2016/2/2/tuesday-tea-1960s-phoenix-dan-cong-life-in-a-teacup
Preparation
This is one of those teas where I enjoyed the scent more than the actual flavor. It smelled like a nice juicy blueberry, but the flavor was tart and slightly medicinal. I decided it wasn’t what I was in the mood for at the time, so I added a little bit of sugar and stuck it in the fridge for later. I found it much more enjoyable the second time around, the german rock sugar I added really helped draw out the blueberry flavor. This is definitely one of those teas I prefer cold over hot.
I suppose I didn’t realize just how much lavender was in this blend when I ordered it, but the sample I purchased consisted of about 80% lavender. I do enjoy lavender in my tea, in small doses, but large amounts like this tend to be overpowering. I decided at the last minute to do a short (4 hour) cold-steep in an effort to draw out some of the other flavors—it actually turned out fairly well. The flavor still leaned strongly towards lavender, but I was able to taste the peppermint and lemongrass as well. This was a nice end of the day cup of tea, but not something I’m likely to order again—there is just way too much lavender for my tastes.
I have a facial cleanser that is lavender. One time I bought a pure lavender tea thinking it was going to be amazing, but all I could imagine is drinking the cleanser!
so funny you should say that, I actually picked out some of the lavender to make a lemon lavender sugar scrub so the leftover tea didn’t go to waste.
haha nice!
It’s been a while since I first discovered this tea, it was sent to me by a friend during one of our massive tea swaps—the person I was swapping with was trying to introduce me to Guayusa, one of the base teas used for this blend. The flavor is a mixture of sweet and tart, tasting mostly of berry with hints of hibiscus and apple. The base teas—guyusa, green rooibos, and jasmine green tea—only offer the barest hint of flavor to the overall blend which could be a plus if you aren’t normally a fan of tea. Whether you drink it hot or cold, this is one delicious tea that is sure to bring a smile to your face.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/12/22/tuesday-tea-happy-tea-art-of-tea
Preparation
I’ve been hearing a lot about this shop lately and with good reason too, their decadent sounding teas are absolutely delicious. I picked up their chocolate lover’s sampler as well as a few holiday blends during their Black Friday sale and have been happily sipping on them since they arrived. This blend in particular hits all of the right notes for me. The White Peony tea used as a base adds a delicate baked flavor and gives the tea a slightly creamy mouthfeel. There are hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, and the sprinkles add just enough sweetness to pull everything together. The overall flavor reminds me of the eggnog I buy every year from Sassy Cow, one of our local dairies. I think A Quarter to Tea really hit the mark with this one, I can’t wait to dig in to the rest of the blends I purchased.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/12/15/tuesday-tea-eggnog-pound-cake-a-quarter-to-tea
Preparation
I decided it was time to finally secure the proper matcha accouterments—a bowl (chawan), a bamboo whisk (chasen), and a scoop (chashaku). MatchaDNA was kind enough to send me one of their large handcrafted bowls to get me started. They come in two sizes—small and large—are available in black or white, and are made with lead-free food safe glaze. The measurements of the large bowl are fairly standard: 4.5″ across the top and is 3.25″ tall, which gives you plenty of room to use a traditional bamboo whisk, or even a milk frother to prepare your matcha.
Because it is lightweight and has gently sloping sides, the bowl is very comfortable to hold, even if you have small hands. I find that I prefer this style over the much heavier, straight-sided bowls that are traditionally used during the colder months. If you’re looking for a bowl to use year-around, this open style is perfect for everyday use—it’s even large enough to double as a rice or soup bowl, something that anyone with a small living space will appreciate.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/12/8/tuesday-tea-handcrafted-matcha-bowl-matchadna
This was one of the blends featured in September, but I feel like it’s the perfect tea to bridge the flavors between fall and winter. The combination of spearmint and peppermint is refreshing and doesn’t overpower the tartness of the apple or the warmth from the cardamom. There is a delicate balance to these flavors. It isn’t a flavor combination I would have thought of, but the apple, mint, and cardamom pair together beautifully—leaving me wanting for nothing.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/12/1/tuesday-tea-apple-mint-cardamom-52teas
Preparation
My son has taken an early interest in tea (which makes his mama proud) so I decided to order the ice cream trio. We’ve spent the last month mixing up fun blends like vanilla with strawberry bits, peppermint cacao chocolate, and chocolate coconut. We ran out of sprinkles early on in our experiments, little man decided to munch on them as he created his blends, so we’ve refilled the glass container a few times already.
Unfortunately Adagio doesn’t sell refills for this set, but you can purchase additional base teas for $2 per sample-size package (chocolate, vanilla, strawberry) and raid your kitchen for new add-ins to fill your jars. The possibilities with this set are endless which is one of the reasons I think it’s so much fun.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/11/24/tuesday-tea-mix-match-ice-cream-trio-adagio
You don’t see flavored darjeeling very often, so I was intrigued when I first saw this blend. The flavor of the bergamot is bold and citrusy, just the way I prefer my Earl Grey and it doesn’t have any of the sharp, bitter notes that I see from time to time in the teas made with the more traditional Yunnan Dian Hong or Ceylon black tea. It’s smooth, citrusy flavor immediately made it one of my new-favorite teas to enjoy. I’ve managed to drink my way through half of a 100g package in the last two weeks, so it’s a good thing this is affordably priced.
You can read the full review on my blog:
http://www.notstarvingyet.com/index/2015/11/17/tuesday-tea-earl-grey-citrus-black-tea-golden-tips
