A sample from S&V — thanks very much! I know I have tried a Nahorhabi tea in the past. Looking at the leaves, I remembered it a bit. So much gold in them there leaves! But not fully gold. This is the look of leaf I find so promising and appealing before I steep them up! The leaf also has a look that I would describe as “choppy”… whatever that means. The flavor is just what I wanted today. It’s assam, but not a super strong type — it’s sweet, fruity, layered, actually a hint of gardenia. Maybe just a hint of tomato soup. It’s bright, refreshing, maybe a hint of citrus like a marmalade or maybe just the barest hint of some other flavored jam (strawberry or guava?) So maybe a mix of marmalade/strawberry/guava jam? Why isn’t that a thing? Then at times it most reminds me of Yunnan. Delicious. The second steep seemed much more like a traditional assam flavor, losing its uniqueness of the first steep for a bit of harshness. Either a 3 1/2 minute steep was too long, or this one is just fine with one teaspoon instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons. The high rating I’m giving it is much more for the first steep than the second.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 1/2 min steep
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
shop.Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea.com
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandalatea.com
verdanttea.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
