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Ah, my first loose leaf. I’ve ignored you for so long, but you’ll always be there for me.
I smelt the leaves today, very cloying which is to be expected as I’ve had it for like 2 years now. Still this is what I think of when I think tea, even if I recognize its not the best.

I am so happy I decided to buy this! So yummy and wintery and I can have right before bed! It smells very heavily of vanilla and tastes exactly as I want it to. I’m really liking the peppermint/vanilla, and the touch of cinnamon and spice is a bonus. As for the green tea aspect, its really just the vector and nothing special, but it really doesn’t need to be. A down point is that the tea does taste semi-stale, but I wasn’t really expecting high-quality leaves from this.
I like how sweet the aftertaste is especially because I refuse to put sugar in anything and rarely have sweet drinks. I do however eat cake like its my job.

So me and my compadres went on an outing today and ended up in a Barnes and Nobel. Thusly, I had to check out the cafe for tea and saw 10 tins of beauty. Harney & Sons? Do my eyes deceive me? I know my contacts need to be replaced, but seriously? Seriously. Needless to say it took me forever to pick out the kind I wanted and went with this one due to the outbreak of Vanilla and Almond. I regret nothing. I also bought Candy Cane Lane earlier in the evening, so expect a epic Virgel style on that later tonight.

The first thing I noticed about the tea was that the water was way to hot, and that the white was definitely being mistreated. Then across the store after stopping and examining books, that I forgot to take out the bag in a timely manner. Needless to say, the white was being prissy and bitter about the whole thing. After the initial shock of “how can a white be so bitter?” comes very enjoyable notes of almond with vanilla, vanilla lingering a bit longer on the tongue. There is some astringency that is ill-fitting with the texture of the tea, not as crisp as it usually feels. I want to say more and feel like I would have more great thing to say, if only the circumstances had been different. Thus, a relatively low grade, as it is very bitter.
This tea and the other Christmas tea are selling for like 16 bucks together (60 satchels overall), and there is no isolated tin of White Christmas. However, the other tins are like $10 for one so I might just have deal with having another tea when I return to buy it. Life is so cruel.
Also, mentioning being a “tea fiend” in conversation has become a new hobby, that annoys most of my friends.

I forget that a cup of caffeinated tea before doesn’t work out too well. I had this after a cup of Pumpkin Spice, and it worked well enough for me.
For a bagged herbal, its pretty alright.

I really liked this more than I thought I would! The spices blended really well together, and more importantly with the tea. It’s a bit more delicate and smoother than the other chais but still warming, which is something I’m am greatly appreciating on the cold and windy New England afternoon after a horrendous week.
Hey, I didn’t write a novel intro before talking about the tea! Although, story telling is always something that goes with tea drinking.

So, I played an epic game of “enni-meani-minnei-mo” today with my tea and landed on this. Joy. I tried it again without milk, could only taste tannin and mild spices. Now that I’ve added milk, I’m actually getting a bit more pumpkin! But it still has an odd effect on at the tip of my tongue.
The liquor (I for some reason feel uncomfortable with that word) was gorgeous and a rich red-brown and when I added milk it is a touch orange. Very pretty, happy I used my glass mug.
Still unnecessarily bitter and bland.

Had some at lunch and caught up with a friend. Totally over steeped it, but it was still better than the schools offering.

I really need to review my knowledge of greens, as almost all of the ones in the Adagio sampler I got taste almost identical, sans sencha and the gunpowder.
Very mild and grassy, a touch of astringency but overall smooth and soothing.

Morning! I am up and ready to go, and then realized my 8am was canceled. Oh well, I can drink my tea and ponder.
Also, re-graded now that I have a better background.

So, parents are not conducive to getting anything done. I had some wonderful plans to visit the Tealux in Providence, try at least three teas and maybe buy a tin if I finished my work. I didn’t get back till like now (10PM). So this is my first cup of the day, which makes me terribly sad, and now I have to catch up on what everyone else is drinking. Also, day one with out my little buddy, so I needed some serious comfort tea with enough of a kick to get me to do my work.
I really like the tannic taste in this, its a good bitter especially with that touch of sweetness. It brewed to a rich brown-amber color and smells so distinctly of smoke and sweet hay. I’m feeling like its fine cigar but of the tea world, and therefore infinitely better. Its a mull and think deep thoughts tea. I’m having a hard time placing all the flavors, so I’ve settled for metaphors (Or similes, I don’t do that whole English thing to well).
While Jackee has my heart, I feel Thomas gets my thoughts.