Rosy Earl Grey

Warning: graphic content ahead. Younger Steepsterites and those with heart problems should skip the following note. Reader discretion is advised.

I just had the most horrific tea moment of my life. Perhaps it was the Puerh gods smiting me for the 15. Because of the bad tea experience I wanted to go to a good ole standby that I’d just purchased a large bag of and had spent almost $7 on a pretty cannister to hold it. As I started to steep I actually took a minute to look at how pretty this dry tea is and then perhaps distractedly put the lid not-so-securely back on. Y’all see where this is headed, right? Yeah, as I picked it up off the counter to put the tin back in its cupboard the bottom fell off of the lid (I had a firm grip on the lid). I tried to grab it and slammed the lid into my ring finger (which lost some skin and feels quite bruised).

I lost more than half of my tea. ::sniff:: It was horrible! ::cries quietly::

I vacuumed it up as fast as possible so my curious cat wouldn’t get into it. My kitchen floor is not at its cleanest (I had actually noted last night that it was overdue for a good scrub), so there was no salvaging. While broken heartedly vacuuming up the leaves I didn’t hear my timer go off so lord knows how long my cup steeped, but apparently this tea is extremely forgiving — which makes me even sadder that so much was wasted! Waaaaah!

I just had to share my devastating story with those who would sympathize. ::sniffle::

Rose! Jasmine! Earl Grey! It’s like a fairy tea sister offered to send a magic tea with all my best loved flavors in it. Wait! This really happened!! Rabs sent this tea to me!!!! :)

I LOVE IT!!!!

If you too love these things, you HAVE to try this tea! It’s blended SO WELL. As you can imagine, all these fruits and florals together could be an awful, sickening mess, but this is PERFECT. Every single flavor comes through, but is subtle and delightful. I think the black Earl Grey is the anchor that holds this whole confection together. The rose and jasmine add just the right flavor and sweetness. Not a single solitary addition needed.

This tea is also very beautiful. Rose petals and buds. Green tea amongst the black. Long elegant leaves. This tea is a delight for the eyes as well as the palate!

I’ve been really good about not buying tea, but this one is getting bought as soon as the month turns!!! Love, love, love!

So I am almost, almost done with my rosey teas, or at least the ones that acutally are rosey. I mean, I still have a few that sprinkle a few rose petals into the mix, but nary a rose flavor is to be found. Those don’t count.

Guys, I am almost out of this tea. Like, I think I have less than a cup of leaf left, which probably means it’s getting blended with other things in a cold steep. Sad! I have quite a list of “standard panel” teas that are no longer in my possession, and it will be a while before I can restock; this one will soon be joining their ranks. I love the flavor blend in this, and that it always seems to wake me up even though it’s a black/green blend.

Second tea of the morning……….

I have not had this one in a while. It combines so many of my favorite scents into one lovely tea. There is rose, Early Grey, and jasmine, and I think the tea base is a black tea. I do try to remember to brew at a slightly lower temp due to the jasmine. I am guessing it is probably best for an afternoon tea, but this sounded good now.

I did have a sample of this come in my foodzie box from LiberTEAS. Surprisingly, it was the only sample from the box of a tea I have tried, and I feel like I have been around the block a few times when it comes to ordering tea. It really is a fabulous tea.

Usual teapot method with a 195 temp.

Yeah, I know this is a Steepsterite favorite, but I just don’t love it. Actually, I’m not sure how much I even really like it.

It is a pretty darn frou-frou cup of tea. I’m not against frou-frou or anything (hello, pink monkey) but it really seems like that is all this is. Predominately jasmine with a hint of rose, this isn’t very Earl Grey-y. In some ways it reminds me of Mariage Freres 1854 (another mild and jasmine-y EG) but in other ways… not so much. It doesn’t seem as full flavored as 1854; I think 1854 had a woodsier taste to it that gave it more depth, and depth is something I’m just not finding in this tea.

There is an astringency that has camped out on the tip of my tongue and refuses to leave. It is pretty much requiring that the next time I have this tea, there will be additives (which I have had it with before but was unable to give it my full attention). Though I am a little concerned about that though since this tea really doesn’t seem strong enough to hold up to creamer. I might end up with jasmine flavored hot milk.

As it cools, there are hints of Earl Grey, but it blends into the astringency at the end of the sip making this just taste a bit bitter. The EG does hint at a more solid tasting tea but it doesn’t save it from overall tasting like a weak third steep.

Eventually I suppose I’ll give this one another try to see if milk and possibly sugar saves this but I’m thinking that this one is just not a match for me.

This time around, I brewed at a lower temperature, and this allowed the jasmine and green tea notes to emerge. I think I prefer this prepared with boiling water, actually, because as much as I love jasmine, I also love Earl Grey and I think that this tea should be a rose and earl grey blend rather than a jasmine blend with bergamot and rose background notes.

Still delicious either way, though.

Though I continue to protest that I can’t add tea swaps to my already horrendous schedule, that I’m trying to simplify my life rather than complicate it more, etc., Rabs prevailed upon me to accept her generous offer of a sample of this. The sample came in a lovely heat sealed ziplock, gold on one side and clear on the other, with a charming label indicating the name of the tea, the company, and steeping temperature and time, in a quaint old-timey font that looks like what my old Smith Corona used to produce. Really well done, looks more professional in its packaging than some samples I’ve received from companies!

I didn’t know until now that this was another of those mixed green and black teas that tend to drive me nuts. But fortunately I don’t have to guess at the steeping time and temp because Rabs has taken the guess work out for me.

This is a visually pretty tea, a lot of rose petals adding color to the mix. In the packet it smells really flowery and I totally get the adjective “frou-frou” to describe this. The mixture of rose and jasmine is a really nice one, with the components of each scent blending together to create some third scent with aspects of both but something unto itself as well. There’s a green tea aromatic aura more than an actual smell. I’m made aware of the green tea’s presence but it’s not obvious. And there is a black tea strength around the edges. I don’t get Earl Grey but I’ve discovered sometimes it comes out in the steeping even if I can’t smell it in the dry leaves. Really, this smell is mostly flowers.

My first attempt at making this, in the Breville, didn’t come out right. I am gradually learning that the measuring spoon provided with the Breville is not at all to be trusted with mixtures that include things other than relatively small tea leaves. Even though I clearly made it weaker than it ought to be, it had a really lovely jasmine/rose aroma and a pleasant, mild taste. There’s even a hint of Earl Grey.

Second try: Stronger, more flavorful, as expected. Very nice flavor. Nice enough that I want to spend more time with it as I ended up having to get on a phone call for work and didn’t get to savor my second try as much as I would have liked. I’m not sure I’m getting as much Earl Grey as I’d like even now, but that’s what experimentation is for — and besides, there are some teas styled as Earl Greys that don’t taste like them and that I like just fine.

Believe it or not, this one is enough to make me break with my decision not to order black/green mixes.

Rating is provisional for now. I can see it going up with more experience, though.

A very potent and aromatic Rose EG! Stands up to it’s name. Floral Rose, That flavor you would expect from an Earl and the juicy bergamot, too! Levels of Flavors exceed expectations!

Post matcha baicha: aborted. Rose chocolate matching cup of citrusy comfort: acquired. Perfect morning off acomplished.

And as a bonus I get to admire the rose sticker on my tin. =) Thanks again JacqulineM!

Today is a happy day. I stayed up late last night finishing the final exam for my summer class and am officially done! It was an online class, but was so much more work than I was expecting so I am relieved that it is over. Now I have three weeks left of summer to enjoy before starting nursing school. I plan on reading a ton of books, drinking a ton of tea (hopefully getting through all of the untried teas in my cabinet) and having one last beach trip with my mom. :)

This tea is from The Traveling Tea Box. I didn’t get a chance to try it until now since I wanted to get it in the mail before leaving for the beach last week. When I opened the little container a sweet florally scent wafted out. There was a little hint of Earl Grey in the dry leaves, but none at all in the tea liquor. The flavor is very floral. The aftertaste is heavily of rose with a light note of bergamot. I added milk and sweetener this tea became a smooth cup. It’s primarily jasmine and rose flavored, but I can taste the bergamot peeking through every once in awhile. I would love this tea for the scent alone, though, so it’s a winner!

-Dry blend has large black tea leaves and twigs with pink and yellow rose petals.
-Dry leaves smell floral with a hint of Earl Grey. Tea liquor aroma is heavily perfumey with jasmine and rose notes.
-Tea liquor is a clear medium orange brown color.
-Floral flavor with an astringent finish. Rose and light bergamot aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. A smooth cup of mostly jasmine and rose flavors. Little hints of bergamot noticeable.