I’m testing out the leaves from my order a while back. This is possibly my favorite tea! Sadly, I think the leaves may have changed from the sample I had a while back (possibly a new batch?)
Steep #1 // waited 14 minutes after the water boiled // 3 1/2 min steep
Two teaspoons of this one. I’m not sure if I did something wrong, but the NUANCE isn’t here anymore. The dark chocolate flavor is here, but not as deep as before. And now any of the hints of fruits (like apricot or plum) are missing…even the sweet potato and squash isn’t there. It’s still very good, but it lost what made it so special. Maybe if I steeped with one teaspoon of leaves the fruity flavors would reappear. If I oversteeped this time, there would be a deeper chocolate flavor. Kind of disappointing.. I want the lovely leaves from my sample back!!!
Steep #2 // waited 14 minutes after boiling // 4 min
This cup is exactly the same as the first cup. It just doesn’t have that SPECIAL anymore. It’s very good, but I feel like other teas like this are better now (like the Teavivre I had the other day). Note to self: I’ll try one teaspoon at some point and another try with two teaspoons after waiting for 20 minutes.
Lesson learned: If a tea is your favorite, order as soon as possible. Do not wait for another harvest/batch! (I’m guessin g that is what made the difference here.) There are so many factors, even before a tea gets to the drinker, that the leaves are bound to be different.
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I hate it when that happens. I’ve made that mistake before a few times :(
Butiki – I see your like! Can you confirm if this WAS a different batch? I would have received my sample in the mail around June 2013 or a couple months earlier.
Hmmmm, it might have been from 2 different years depending on when you first purchased or sampled the tea. We usually purchase this tea once a year.
I had to look up through my e-mail… the sample was sent out 6/4/13 and my order was shipped out 11/4/13, if that helps.
The harvest date is in July, so yes you did receive tea from 2 different years.
Aw, the other harvest was my PERFECT tea. Like I said, I learned my lesson in getting a tea from THAT harvest if I especially like a tea that I’ve sampled. It’s nice to know anyway! thank you!
You’re welcome. Hopefully next year will be even better.
I hate it when that happens. I’ve made that mistake before a few times :(
Butiki – I see your like! Can you confirm if this WAS a different batch? I would have received my sample in the mail around June 2013 or a couple months earlier.
Hmmmm, it might have been from 2 different years depending on when you first purchased or sampled the tea. We usually purchase this tea once a year.
I had to look up through my e-mail… the sample was sent out 6/4/13 and my order was shipped out 11/4/13, if that helps.
The harvest date is in July, so yes you did receive tea from 2 different years.
Aw, the other harvest was my PERFECT tea. Like I said, I learned my lesson in getting a tea from THAT harvest if I especially like a tea that I’ve sampled. It’s nice to know anyway! thank you!
You’re welcome. Hopefully next year will be even better.