26 Tasting Notes
I have the Spring 2024 batch, and it is delicious! I like to brew this western-style. In the first cup, I get a strong note of cherry, with some honey and chocolate notes. On the second and third cups, the chocolate and honey notes move to the forefront, along with a tropical fruit blend note.
Flavors: Cherry, Chocolate, Honey, Tropical Fruit
This is the second time I’ve ordered this tea. When I opened the bag I could tell the mint in this batch was a lot stronger than the last one. The mint smell filled up my kitchen. I was a bit worried the mint would be too overpowering in the brewed tea.
After I steeped it for 3 minutes, I took a sip right away, while my cup was still steaming. The mint combined with the steam was overpowering at first, but I decided to let it cool a couple of minutes and was relieved that the mint had toned down, and the tea tasted like a Girl Scout thin mint cookie like I remember from the last batch.
I think they made a good choice choosing puerh as the base tea, since it combines well with the cacao nibs to make the blend actually taste chocolatey.
Flavors: Chocolate, Peppermint
I tried this tea yesterday and again today. Yesterday, I followed the instructions and brewed at 207°, but it came out a bit bitter for my taste. Today, I tried it again at 195°, and there was no bitterness. The rose flavor is very strong, and I can’t taste the black tea at all. Personally, I wish the rose flavor was a bit more subdued, but maybe it would be better diluted with almond milk or iced.
Upton Tea has a Rose Congou iirc that has a nice base that you can really taste and yet still has a good strong rose flavor. Harney and Sons Rose Scented is very good – powerful but the base is there and very different from the Upton one. Fortnum & Mason Rose Pouchong is (strangely) on a Keemun base and not what we would consider Pouchong and is a very good one. I bet Simpson & Vail has a good one, but I have only had their “rose and” blends.
I’m a big fan of subtle white teas and like this one a lot. The tea is smooth and floral with a powdered sugar like sweetness and a thick mouth feel. Unfortunately, I finished off the last of it today, but I will be getting it again in the future.
Flavors: Floral, Powdered Sugar
I’ve ordered this tea a few times now. I love the smooth texture, but what keeps me coming back is that the flavor is uniform and tastes like one thing, and that is a piece of coconut candy – simple and delicious.
Preparation
I had a gongfu session with this tea for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised by the texture. It felt thick and silky smooth. There were woody notes with a dark chocolate-like bitterness and a bit of sweetness on later steeps.
Flavors: Woody
Preparation
I have the July 2024 harvest. This tea is a rolled oolong with sweet, floral notes. When steeped, beautiful whole leaves unfurl. I like to brew this tea grandpa style at boiling. There is no bitterness or astringency. Nice tea, overall.
Flavors: Floral, Sweet