Toasty Warm

Nom nom nom nom nom. I accept you into my wintry heart, Toasty Warm. I enjoy this on both first and second steeps, and I’m pretty glad about discovering it during my coldest week in Hobart thus far!

The sun is behind cloud and I’m snugged under a blanket sipping away at this tea and sunday afternoon is perfect. This certainly isn’t a sophisticated oolong but it is very comforting.

This is exactly what its name says – Toasty Warm! I brewed according to the directions, which is pretty cool, so I’d be curious to try it warmer. It somehow does have nougat and nuttiness but isn’t at all sweet. I didn’t add anything to it, but I do think this would be even better with a bit of sugar. Sturdy enough for breakfast, but soft enough for afternoon or evening (if the caffeine isn’t an issue, of course). The only thing I don’t care for is that it seems to leave my mouth a bit sour, but that may be because I slept in today and haven’t brushed my teeth yet, lol!

Oh, hello toasty. I tried this as a sample (and might have gone back for, like, thirds) at the T2 shop in Shoreditch last time I was in the neighbourhood, and it really is cozy. It’s a simply-flavoured simple oolong that hits the spot really well when you want something a that’s warm and sweet and kind of like a soft cotton throw blanket. It’s got soft notes of toasty almonds and honey, and while I wish I was getting more flavour out of the oolong base, I wonder if that might be because this is one that needs a longer steep than I gave it. I’m definitely happy to keep investigating it!

This is very tasty. My second unusual T2 tea – my first was White White Cocoa, which is a white tea with chocolate, whereas this is an oolong with nougat. I would associate both of those things with black tea, and probably drink them with sugar and probably a bit of milk. I never add either to whites or oolongs, so it makes for a much more gently sweet flavour, with no fear of bitterness. This one is very very tasty. Like White White Cocoa, it’s desserty but in a more subtle, softer way. I thoroughly approve.

Mmm, another tasty tea from MissB! Thanks! I am really loving nougat-based teas lately… where have they been all my life? Oh right, Canada, apparently. This is an oolong + nougat so I am definitely interested.

I am basically comparing this to Divine Temptation from Bayswater Tea Co., which OMGsrsly sent to me once, and which has a black base. This is quite tasty, with a good amount of nougat flavor. My one wish for this one is that for more oolong! This seems like the base is probably a traditional tieguanyin, but it’s a little lackluster. I want more roastiness and breadiness. A higher quality oolong base would send this one over the edge. Maybe I should try it steeping at boiling, which has become my default temp for most oolongs; the steeping instructions called for 80°C (~175°F), but I wouldn’t dream of steeping an oolong that cool! They are more robust than people think.

So this is a very tasty tea, but I do prefer the black base of Divine Temptation because I think it’s a bit more interesting. Will play with my steeping parameters a bit and see how things change! Thanks MissB!

thank you missB! this is another delight that was sent my way. This is a tasty sugar, nougatty tea. I think i’d prefer this as a black base tea but on the whole it’s a delicious tasting tea that was really nice with dinner + fringe.

Oh man..also…i had the best lemon bluberry cake today with our lunch out…i’m still dreaming about it..lemon custard thingy on top…blueberry layers…fluffy white cake..meringue on the top sorta…soooooo good.

Final Count: 156 (at least 6 teas in tomorrow’s sipdown!)