1236 Tasting Notes
Matcha does not belong in a tea bag. This is most likely a culinary matcha. I wonder if there’s much in there as I don’t really see it. There’s some dust on the bottom but after touching it I don’t believe it is matcha as the texture is too tough. Either that or this is a very poorly ground matcha. And the coloring is fiercely terrible. The liquor color is more akin to black tea. When it first hits your palate it’s not too bad. Grassy notes and wet leaves and some slight vegetal notes. But it changes so quickly. The astringency kicks in like a bucking bronco and before you know it your face first in the wall with a leftover palate of bitterness. The wet leaf has stems and leaves and some of them are so very tiny…
No aroma. The leaf is very very small. The wet leaf has a decent smell. It kind of reminds me of the Lipton Raspberry iced tea I used to like before discovering what tea really tastes like without sugar. Yeah, it’s that exactly. Can definitely tell they used flavoring. It’s decent. The taste reminds me of that Lipton blend as well. But there is also an unpleasant note. Something like if you were to lick the air in a hair salon. Don’t go try that for my sake, don’t want anyone getting arrested. It also tastes old. Like maybe it has been sitting for a bit in this bag.
TeaTiff TTB
Well.. the aroma from the dry leaves smells like old, damp, musty house. So I’d say this review isn’t starting out well. The leaves look decent. Not all cut up and torn but a somewhat nicely twisted shape. The color is very brown for a green. The package has pretty artwork on it. The taste is… okay. Not the best jasmine I’ve had. This one steeps quite quickly. With a touch of honey, it improves a bit but I would not seek this out over it’s loose counterparts.
From the new oolong sampler. Once again, thank you Anne for the chance to try these out. This has been an amazing oolong journey.
Dry leaf: Well this is a surprise. I was not expecting a cake. Though it’s shaped like a brick, square shape so I shall you you a tea brick. Olive green hues that range from lighter to darker with large leaves and stems. And a few fuzzy buds
Dry aroma: Floral. Jasmine. Gardenia. Slight but definitely there.
Initial aroma: Slightly creamy, somewhat vegetal, butter cookies. Fresh. Light butter, a bit of asparagus,
Flavor: Floral, notes of gardenia and a bit of lilac
Mouthfeel: Smooth
Aroma cup: A bit of butter, a freshly snapped lilac flower branch
Wet leaf aroma: Buttered something.
These last two oolongs really blew me out of the water. Such immense flavor and range. The only thing I think that needs a bit of revision is the tea brick. As someone who has tasted a wide variety of tea, I know what to do with it but it might utterly baffle others.
TeaTiff TTB
A nice mix of dark chocolate colored leaf and golden fuzzy buds and is mostly tightly twisted. Woody aroma. The wet leaf becomes a muted milk chocolate with green olives mixed in. The smell is a pile of fall leaves long since forgotten. Very dark liquor color. Opaque, deep golden brown. That is a punch in the face. If you like a tea that will talk sweetly to you while it’s warming up and then utterly wreck you to make sure you are walking out the door in top form, you’ve found a good one. Brisk yet smooth. Astringent with its pinky pointed. There is a bit of cream and a side of cedar wood balanced smoothly with an old decaying tree.
Oolong tasting box
Dry aroma: Fruity. Dessert wood. Stone fruit. Roasty notes. Sweet plum candy. Charcoal. Bit of dark roast coffee. Lychee. Gosh is that lovely. There is so much going on. It’s perplexing and yet refined.
Dry appearance: Dusty, dark chocolate, tightly twisted, long leaves
Initial aroma: Deep roast notes and roasted plum, lychee
Wet Leaf: Fruit bread. Charcoal, ooo ooo oh man… there is a scent like this at Bath and Body Works. I don’t shop there anymore but man it reminds me of that lotion…
Flavor: Unexpected freshness. Charcoal roasted lychee. Let the second infusion sit too long and now I have burnt fruit.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and slightly silty.
Aroma cup: Slight cream, roast, fruit
On another note… I just made some fantastic corn bread with masa harina. Can’t wait for chili tonight.
Dust and fannings. This is why I hate when people use the word premium for their leaves. I just had a “premium” oolong this afternoon and now this is being called premium… Come on now. Also their main website isn’t working. Though it says “It Works” Which is .. weird. The lemon jumps out right away. Kind of sweet like a lemon drop candy. Earthy. Pile of wet and dry leaf. Dry wall. My lemon drop descended into a pile of leaves and without rinsing it off, I put it in my mouth. Well, it’s not terrible but I wouldn’t seek it out either.
From the oolong tea collection 2023.
Thank you again for the opportunity to try all of these oolongs!
Dry Leaf: Lightly twisted, dusty, dark chocolate color, long leaves
Dry aroma: Drying, floral, mineral, stone fruits
Initial aroma: A lot going on here. There were almost too many aromas for me to keep track of. Charcoal, dark chocolate, & mineral notes were the first that popped out.
Flavor: Deep roast notes. Charcoal. Slightly burnt toast (but the good burnt where it’s not enough to ruin the toast but add a nice touch to it). The minerality gains more traction with the second infusion. A bit more fruity notes with the third infusion. Still very heavy on the roasty notes. The fifth infusion is a bit more ashy with wet charcoal and wet rocks.
Mouth feel: astringency here and there but not always present. Smooth. Also a bit of ashy sensation, almost like the silty sensation you get with some matchas.
Wet Leaf: Perplexing. The aroma is light and thus difficult to discern. A slight rye bread note along with raisins. Develops more in the second and third infusions.
Aroma cup: Milky, slight chocolate milk, almost a new house smell to it as well. Which sounds weird but it truly reminds me of walking into a newly opened business building. Also if you stick your nose into the leaf more it reminds me of a candied plum packaged in plastic. Slight spices, like the spices used for glogg or apple cider.
If you are expecting a Big Red Robe sensation you might be slightly disappointed as this one, I feel, leans heavily towards the roast notes. The usual mineral and floral notes are quite a bit subdued, however, don’t let that stop you from trying it, it’s very pleasing.
Feelin pretty good. Might be a bit tea-drunk. Time for some pizza.
