Bangkok

I’ve found that you can make the most delicious cocktail ever with this.

Iced Bangkok + pineapple juice + guava paste + dulce de leche + rum

The guava and dulce need to be room temp so you can mix them together into a syrup. Pour into the Bangkok + pineapple, add a splash of rum, and perfection!

Another sample from Alphakitty!

This is definitely an interesting blend! I’m drinking it cool because I got distracted by a few things after it was brewed, so I will still need to try it hot (or at least warm). I can taste the lemongrass but it’s not overpowering, and there’s a coconutty sort of creaminess that lingers in the aftertaste along with the lemongrass. The base tea is quite present and tasty, which is great. I’m not sure what else is in here, but everything is really working quite well together. Although I like it (proof: cup finished while writing this review), I’m not sure it’s a tea I’d drink too frequently, so the very generous sample I received will probably do me for a while. That is, unless this is one of the ones that is fantastic iced (gah!! This is why I need Steepster! To check on such things!) Thanks again, Alphakitty!

ETA: Second infusion, 175F for 3 min, is pretty good too. Lemony and a bit less creamy. Lovely aftertaste. I should really get on that cold-brewing. I love that you sent me enough to experiment with, Alphakitty!!

I don’t drink this one often, but it’s one of my favourites. The ginger, coconut, lemongrass mix is delightful. The coconut and green tea base take away any edge from the ginger and lemongrass for a smooth cup.

Thank you for sending me this sachet, Ian!

I’m having it hot first, and the sachet is now cold steeping in the fridge. I am trying that whole cool off with hot tea thing since I’ve not felt comfortable since running around playing with a neighbor’s dog. My dog did NOT like that but he doesn’t play at all anymore, unlike this puppy!

The smell reminds me of coconut lemongrass soup, sort of like Exotica did, but a bit creamier.

First I was kind of iffy about it, but as it’s cooled, I’m liking it a lot more. Lemongrass and ginger can be pretty overpowering, but the vanilla and coconut aren’t lost. It’s very refreshing, and I think it’ll be even better tomorrow iced!

Lemongrass and coconut: two very awesomesauce fragrances and flavours. This actually smells and tastes like Thai coconut curry to me. See, I love that stuff, but not sure if I like the idea of it being translated into a tea. I tie that curry flavour to rice and vegetables, seafood, etc, so it’s weird taking a sip and thinking you’re eating a plate of that.

The tea base is quite mild. I can taste a bit of sharpness from the leaf but the curry is distracting me. It reminds me of the time I made stir-fry vegetables with lemon ginger rooibos. That was… interesting.

This came as a free sample from Harney & Sons and it’s a pyramid teabag…

Lately I’ve been feeling so “meh” about flavored green teas so I wasn’t looking forward to this one so much.

This is sweet and lovely and I am very fond of this combination! Firstly you get a nice coconut and vanilla flavor followed up with the lemongrass and ginger. I’m not getting a lot of green tea flavor here but I do like the flavor. I was pretty fond of the Thai rooibos from Upton as well so I guess it’s no surprise I am digging it.

I only wish this came in decaf form, then it would make a great dessert tea (no they don’t have it, I checked the website).I think it would be great with some soymilk or coconut milk. I might need to order some of this when I get more things from Harney – and you know it is only a matter of time…. hee!

“One night in Bangkok and the world’s your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain’t free…”

For cryin’ out loud, this song is stuck in my head! And it’s not the original version either… Mike Tyson makes me want to beat my own head against the wall! Aaaagh!

Luckily this tea is better than his rendition of the song! Soothing coconut and lemongrass mingle with a light vegetal base… Bangkok, take me away!

I gotta find Murray Head on YouTube and get Mike outta my head…

Sipdown, 180. Steepster, you are killing me with this nonsense today. Load the f-ing pages!

I think this sample is old and has suffered from storage in a ziploc bag. It’s really not that flavorful anymore. The cold brew I did the other day was much more successful, which leads me to think that perhaps my using old teas for cold brews is pretty much the only good use for them these days. This is slightly creamy and slightly lemony but not much else. Ah well, it’s something I run into a lot going through my old blends.

Quite a few years ago I remember not liking coconut very much, because my mom used to make coconut cake that was too sweet. Then I had macaroons at a Chinese buffet and loved them. Then I tried Thai food and loved the way coconut was a part of their delicious food. So now I, “Really digg coconut man!” Harney’s crafted this blend a few years ago, and I always wanted to try it…….so last year I bought a tin.

Surprisingly, I reecently found this and tried it today. I immediately smelled the coconut…it just hit me in the face! I inhaled the blend deeply and smelled lemongrass, and there was something else. What was it? The aroma was secondary to the other two but…SSNNIIFFFF….AHHHH, there it is—vanilla! Those were the three scents I detected, and I couldn’t detect any ginger. Amazing aroma, and I couldn’t wait to drink a cup. My mouth was watering!

In the wet leaf aroma I could actually smell the green tea now. This looked like a Bancha green and not a Sencha. Bancha is more mild than a Sencha, and it works really well in this blend. A yellow colored liqour greeted my eyes as I waited for the cup to cool.

At 3.5 minutes, the coconut, came through very well, and the lemongrass was quite noticeable and refreshing. What I really like is that the vanilla was well represented, but more of a background flavor. Sometimes vanilla can be overdone, but not here. I really like it when you can taste the TEA and the added flavors. The tea is really good bancha with no bitterness, but there is good flavor. A really good balance of the green tea, coconut, lemongrass & vanilla.

My second cup was steeped at 4.5 and around 200 degrees. Here the flavors come through well enough, and the longer steep made thee green tea pop, and made my mouth pucker. This was not bitterness at all. I enjoyed this cup too, but the green tea was more prominent than the flavors here. I think to achieve a good balance I would steep this blend at 3.5 minutes, but no more than four. I aso used more quantity “leaf” per cup, probably closer to 1 1/2 tsp.

This is one of my favorite blends and Bankok Blend would go perfect with Thai food. It is also a delicious dessert tea. I probably could drink this every day! It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. :)) I could see myself drinking this in the warmer months—this would make a great iced tea. Right now it is too cold here to drink anything iced though. In the Summer, when I ice this tea, I need to remember to buy some tiny umbrellas! :))

Cupped & Reviewed: Friday, January 13, 2012.

And another sipdown today! (94)

I think I’ll miss this. It reminds me of that Coco-Lemon Thai from Davids, but I think I preferred this version. I wish I had some for side-by-side comparison but it’s not that big a deal. This is a nice tea, but not for every day – I need to crave it.