139 Tasting Notes
There’s is a citrus/bergamot thing going on in this tea – and that is exactly the problem. I don’t like bergamot. Why am I drinking this tea in the first place? I got it as a free sample with my last order. As I am always open to try new tea, even those I know I usually dislike. Sometimes there are surprises. Not this time.
Others have given it a high rating, so I guess it’s good to those that like bergamot. I will not be giving this a numeric rating.
This is DELICIOUS! Bi mu dan always tastes slightly fruity to me anyway, so it goes perfectly with the cherry flavors. It’s not overwhelmingly cherry, but gently cherry, to match the gentle white, with a hint of vanilla. I can’t find the brandy, but that’s a good thing because I don’t like brandy.
I really like this.
Preparation
I was interested in this, it came right after I had complained about cherry flavoured teas were so few and far between, but I was rather turned off by the brandy. I had the pina colada honeybush and found the alcoholic note in that one completely unacceptable. I don’t much like any kind of alcohol at all.. Now I don’t know… If the alcohol isn’t very strong… It does, in all other ways, sound like something I would like.
That’s interesting, I never liked the pina colada honeybush either, but never could put my finger on what bothered me about it. Maybe it was the alcoholic note.
On the other hand, my palate isn’t very sensitive, so maybe that’s not it.
This one, however, is very good. Cherries and white. It’s already sold out, but I could send you some if you like.
I saw some more of it had become available so I ordered some myself. If you still want to swap, though, I’m game. :) I’ve followed you so you can PM me.
Right now I’m drinking the last of my stash of this tea. I am thoroughly enjoying the tea, yet at the same time sad that there is no more.
Funnily enough, just this morning I wrote on a discussion thread about the whole limited-edition tea concept. I said that I am occasionally very sad when a tea runs out and I know I cannot get any more of it. This is one of those teas.
It’s a strange one, I will admit. Peanut butter? In tea? As a peanut butter addict, I just had to try it. As strange an idea as it may be, it really works. It’s not salty, yet I’m getting the salty sensation of peanut butter, and together with chocolate sweet, it is great.
Frank, if you read this: please, please, please make another peanut butter blend sometime soon! (preferably with chocolate in it too)
Compared to the other samples I tried, this one is less toasty, but also less sweet.
It’s like a “lite” version of the other types. Which is not to say that this tea is bad, because it is not. I am currently on my second infusion, which I am enjoying greatly.
It is, however, less impressive than the other samples. Good, but not outstanding.
I will preface this review with a fact: I am not a huge fan of camomile. I like the smell of camomile and will occasionally have a cup in the evening, when I make it for my daughter, as it’s the only tea she will drink, but I almost never reach for the camomile on my own.
I do, however, love love love rooibos.
And so, this blend was intruiging.
Camomile only seems gentle and unassuming, but in this blend it actualy managed to overpower the rooibos. I was hoping for a better balance, but I’m getting mostly camomile and only a little rooibos. It’s there, but taking a clear second place to the camomile.
I do think, however, that this tea will be good iced, or as a base for other blends. Perhaps I will try to mix this with a bit of plain rooibos, vanilla rooibos, or maybe green rooibos, to see if it mellows out the camomile a bit.
This is GOOD! It’s a little smoky, but also sweet and the two mix together wonderfully.
So far I’ve tried 3 of the 6 samples and found them to be very good.
The prices in this tea shop are reasonable and I have this suspicion that in spite of an overflowing tea cupboard, I will ultimately convince myself that I just have to have some more of these Wuyi Oolongs.
