4277 Tasting Notes
I always wanted to try this one, as I KNEW Lupicia would do a fantastic job with the pineapple. Thanks very much, Cameron B! I also remember Cameron sent over some other Lupicia barley teas years ago, and I loved those. From the first sniff from this teabag, it seems like REAL pineapple juice was just poured over this barley. The pineapple could not be more authentic. And then I just knew it would be so wonderful paired with the rustic, roasty toasty barley flavor. It’s so good. Now I want some of my beloved pineapple pizza. The second steep, I left the teabag in for quite a while, so it was more barley than pineapple, but that’s okay!
From Tiffany a while ago, thanks very much! I think a few shops carry this cute heart shaped tea, but I don’t think I have had it from TeaSource yet. It’s fairly small, so I’m hoping there is enough here for me to get a full flavor for my tastebuds. The rose is definitely there — it’s sweet, yet a BIT perfumey. Reminds me a little of cherry flavoring. I can’t taste much of the base at all. I went into this thinking it was puerh, then realized it’s a DARK tea. The second steep lets more of the base seep through, while the rose also changes from sweet/cherry to more of a perfume. The base definitely has a flavor that isn’t quite puerh and isn’t quite black tea. I think I have only had ONE dark tea in the past, so this is interesting! The third steep, the rose has faded a bit. I’d say the flavor of the dark tea and rose does pair nicely with the dark tea. But then the rose makes it tough to distinguish flavor notes from the dark tea. Once the leaves are unraveled, there is a good amount of leaf in the infuser — more than I expected from this tiny heart!
Steep #1 // 15 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 3 minutes after boiling // 3 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 5-6 min
Yet another from Cameron B! Thanks so much! I had always been intrigued by this one, so I am glad I am able to try it. I have had it QUITE a few times now and haven’t written a note yet. I mean, if it says anything, this is the tea I have been drinking more often than any other tea, so I think I’m REALLY trying to figure this tea out. On all of my steepings, I think two teaspoons for a mug really works the best, as less than two teaspoons, it’s just too light in flavor for me. Despite the fierce looking leaves, so tangled together they cling to the teaspoon, it’s another lighter black tea. It’s in the name: honey. Sweet, but also slightly squashy, and a bit starchy. On the first steep, it looks like the leaves are different colors in the basket, which I don’t normally see. However, this one is slightly more nuanced than other teas that I have had similar to it lately, but is also still a bit of a flavor puzzle, which is why I keep steeping it up but not writing a note. It’s tasty, but a mystery! Reading Cameron’s note… I REALLY wish I had gotten more of Cameron’s flavor notes out of this one!
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // 1-2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 3 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
additional notes: Just saying the name for this is just so spot on for this entire blend. It STILL — all these years later — just reminds me of the filling in a maple Russell Stovers candy. So good. One of my top blends from 52Teas and there are SO MANY favorites.
additional notes: This is a Ceylon I can stand behind.. but possibly that is just because I’m overleafing it. There is some flavor there that a typical Ceylon wouldn’t have. If I had to stock up on a plain Ceylon, it might be this one (first choice though would be most of the amazing stuff over at teakruthi…. they specialize in Ceylon and they have some great teas.)
2024 sipdowns: 77
From Cameron B! Thanks again! I figured I MUST write a note for this one before autumn is done and gone. Hopefully not for a while yet. The leaves are looking gorgeous. The description has me double checking if I have the correct tea! It mentions spices, and I really don’t think there are spices here. When they say pumpkin, they might mean an occasional pumpkin seed. Otherwise, there might just be an occasional bit of carrot. I think it’s funny the description warns there might be celery here. That would be a new tea ingredient! The flavor to me tastes more like a subtle cocoa. Maybe this is the base tea? Sometimes I taste pumpkin seed. hmm. I wonder if the creators of this tea actually tried it? I don’t think it is what they were going for. I get nothing of cinnamon, caramel, pumpkin, carrot, spices, as the description notes. It would be lovely if I did!
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a big mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 min
Flavors: Cocoa
Thanks to Daylon R Thomas for this one! I have had this one a couple times but never wrote a note. But then I felt bad about that, because I shared some with Michelle but haven’t even written a note yet for a tea Daylon sent over. It’s just a hard tea to write a note for! It’s so light tasting to me… I don’t really notice distinct flavors, even with two teaspoons. It’s mostly smooth and sweet. The description mentions milk flavor? eh, if they say so… This is a Taiwanese Assam, so it is a variety that I know and love but the flavor here is just lacking, compared to what Butiki or Whispering Pines would offer. I’m glad Michelle found more to love from this tea!
Steep #1 // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 min
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2024 Tea #7 – A tea with cinnamon or clove
A cinnamon tea perfect for this prompt. It was an okay cinnamon tea, but I have had a couple of others with ridiculously impossible cinnamon flavor (ie: Harney, Marketspice) so I would rather just go full cinnamon with those. Not a bad cup though.
2024 sipdowns: 74
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2024 Tea #6 – October 16 – World Food Day: have tea with a favorite food
I woke up today wondering what FOOD I would have for this prompt today… but then I remembered I had the last slice in the fridge of one of my very favorites: BREAKFAST PIZZA. It includes a thick dough with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, sausage, potatoes and of course, cheese. A single slice is all I need to last me all day. It is perfection and definitely a favorite food of mine, so I’m glad this prompt was today. Thinking of a tea to go with this perfect pizza, I went with this one, as it’s a breakfast tea, but also has a bit of sweetness to go with such a savory slice (mostly sweet from the cocoa shells). Next time will be a sipdown!
Yum!
That sounds delicious!
Their barley teas are all so good! The watermelon and pineapple flavors are my favorites. So refreshing cold steeped as well!