412 Tasting Notes
Wanted something warm and spicy, but mild and not needing milk, today. This was perfect – sweet green tea with almond and clove. The clove is really standing out today. Looks like it’s back in stock over at Dragonwater, so yay! They’re one of the companies that got me into tea.
1tsp, 3.5 oz water, short steeps
Preparation
Got my Teafrog order today! I actually tossed this in as an afterthought, having forgotten that they offer a free sample with every order. So! I used a little less than a teaspoon, because the spices smelled very strong and the black tea is tiny CTC pellets: 3/4tsp for 7oz water seems to have worked fine. The dry leaf smells pretty strongly of anise to me, but the taste is more balanced. With milk and sugar this is a good, spicy chai that I might buy more of (I don’t think I’d want to drink it plain though). I might stretch it by adding some plain black tea next time.
ETA: Lasted fine through 3 steeps, with a little extra Assam. It’s a very nice blend, somehow managing to be spicy without either a pepper or ginger kick.
3/4tsp leaf, 7oz water
Preparation
Having this iced, sweetened, and with milk tonight at G’s request; ’tis the last of the sample, but more should be arriving soon!
It’s surprisingly good like this – something about the chill or the milk actually makes it taste like flowers instead of fruit! Still pretty sweet, even on its own, but a tiny dash of sugar turns this into a dessert tea like violet ice cream. Mmmm…
Preparation
Thanks to Lisbet for the sample! (I know I rated it badly, but I do like getting to try new teas)
(Backlogging) I wanted to like this, I really did :( It’s sweet, and cinnamony, but I just couldn’t get past the anise. I’m a licorice hater. I really couldn’t drink this hot, so I put it in the frige overnight and tried it cold with lots of milk the next day. That was… drinkable, so if you only have a mild anise dislike, cold+cream might work for you. The rooibos is detectable, and a perfectly good base for this blend.
Anyway, between anise, my distaste for chicory, and the fact that my mother only drank herbal teas when I was a child, there’s good reason that I thought for years I didn’t like tea!
Preparation
Yogi is way too licorice happy…I thnk I have yet to try one I really liked; there’s a cocoa spice that isn’t too bad.