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“Steep Information: Amount: 1 tsp Water: 1 zarafina cup Tool: Zarafina black-loose-medium Served: Hot Tasting Notes: Dry Leaf Smell: chocolate, nut, tea, something else I can’t identify Steeped Tea...” Read full tasting note
“I received 6 samples today…this is my first attempt. I DID have 1 star in mine. I have enough for 2 cups so I am starting out with the star in the first cup! I don’t think it smells like vanilla...” Read full tasting note
“I feel Erin’s pain. My sample didn’t have any stars either, and that was the main reason I wanted to try this. I wanted to see the stars. That said, this is quite tasty. The tea base is smooth...” Read full tasting note
“My sample was starless too! :( But even with its lack of stars, the black tea itself is yummy. It tastes very vanilla-creamy, almost like a buttermint! There is a woodsy, smoky aftertaste that is...” Read full tasting note
Organic Assam black tea combined with natural soothing vanilla and star-shaped white tea.
Steep with water temperature of 206f degrees with a steep time of 5 minutes.
Ingredients: Organic Black Tea, White Tea, Natural Flavors
Company description not available.
Steep Information:
Amount: 1 tsp
Water: 1 zarafina cup
Tool: Zarafina black-loose-medium
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: chocolate, nut, tea, something else I can’t identify
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet black tea
Flavor: astringent, nutty, black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: astringent, a touch bitter
Liquor: translucent dark reddish-brown
There was not high star frequency in the tin. I think 1/3 of my cups may get one? So the picture is a bit misleading.
The taste however is smooth and very pleasant. I very much enjoyed this tea.
I did not pick up the vanilla, I think my taste buds need a reset / recalibration :( I have been missing it while MilitiaJim has been spotting it lately.
I prepared this while running around getting ready for work. I have been trying to wake up early enough to review one tea each day before work, but I am not a morning person. Thank goodness for the zarafina, it takes care of the tea while I work on packing lunch and everything else.
Post-Steep Additives: German rock sugar
Sweet tea, hint of nuts and coco
I took a few sips and then went back to getting ready for work.
Resteep: Zarafina black-loose-medium
I started this immediately after pouring the first steep off. The second steep was the same as the first steep, after assessing this I then mixed the two together into my travel mug and then ran to the train.
images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/04/jade-teapot-loose-leaf-black-tea-starry.html
I received 6 samples today…this is my first attempt. I DID have 1 star in mine. I have enough for 2 cups so I am starting out with the star in the first cup! I don’t think it smells like vanilla as others have mentioned. Mine seems to be a more wet-wood smell with something Unidentifiable. BUT…it does TASTE like vanilla. I can also taste the black tea and a hint of the white, I suppose, but barely there, really. It’s dark brown in color and a very even taste. I like it just fine. I would probably put this in my stash for stand-bye’s – if I had more than 1 cup left. Yup! This is pretty good.
Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Another one of the teas that sets music off in my head every time I see someone posting about them. :)
So in your head is it Julio Iglesias version? LOL
:P
Well I was just wondering I love his accent while singing Starry Night. I can’t help it I’m a sucker for tall dark and handsome with thick spanish accents not that I find Julio attractive at ALL but now Enrique his son he’s pretty cute but I don’t think he has sung Starry Night. :p
No, I only know the version with Don McLean. :) But I think it’s an all sorts of pretty song.
Wow. At least someone got a star. I’m jealous though. ;-)
I feel Erin’s pain. My sample didn’t have any stars either, and that was the main reason I wanted to try this. I wanted to see the stars.
That said, this is quite tasty. The tea base is smooth and deep, almost a little chocolatey. The vanilla is substantial and rich, and smells and tastes natural and of high quality. I have a number of vanilla flavored teas at the moment and I may readjust the rating after I try more, but so far if I was to order one of the teas I sampled from The Jade Teapot, it would either be this or the White Peach. Right now I’m thinking more likely this, simply because it’s an oil painting of a tea.
And who doesn’t love oil paintings! :))
I have not tried this tea so I cannot comment knowing this for absolutely sure, but I think that with this tea, having the stars are absolutely essential since they are also tea leaves and would thus contribute to the tea in some way. It’s too bad that your sample did not have any of the stars. If you have not yet tried them, I recommend trying these stars: http://www.redleaftea.com/green-tea/golden-star.html
Thanks for the info, I will give that one a look!
My sample was starless too! :(
But even with its lack of stars, the black tea itself is yummy. It tastes very vanilla-creamy, almost like a buttermint! There is a woodsy, smoky aftertaste that is not unpleasant and seems to add some depth.
Very, very smooth. With little astringency and only a hint of bitterness. An exceptional tea to enjoy with something sweet at breakfast—preferably french toast with lots of cinnamon (freshly grated), butter and maple syrup!
But -1 because of absent stars!
You’re very generous:) I’d give it at least a -50 for not having any stars.
starry night tea. Booooo! Dark rich black tea.
Yeah, they should name in “Non-Starry Night Tea”! Cofftea, you’re right, maybe I should lower the score huh? :) But I think a 79 is more heartbreaking—it’s like being just one point away from “average-ness”. “So close and yet so far!”
50 is average for me so maybe that’s why.
I love those buttermints that melt in your mouth! Is that the “buttermint” that you were describing?
Yep! Like those pastel colored sugary ones.
Okay that means I have to add this tea to my shopping list. Thanks for the info!
Sad. Just sad. I agree about the taste, though.
This was a free sample from The Jade Teapot. It sounded lovely, and I was intrigued by the idea of the star shaped white tea. My sample didn’t have any stars : (
I took this plain, without milk or sugar. I can smell the vanilla in this very strongly. Something also smells faintly of smoke.
This is quite nice. I can taste the Assam as well as the vanilla. I also get a hint of something fruity, like a very light tangerine. It really is a soothing tea.
Jade Teapot sample
Zarafina brewed at the black/loose/strong setting
Smells divine – the vanilla blends into the tea base aroma beautifully.
I drank it with milk and sweetner, my personal preference for the darker teas, and it was lovely. No bitterness, full mouth-taste, and the flavor of the vanilla blended well with the milk.
Lovely tea. A mellow, soothing tea.
OK… I fear that I may actually NEED a zarafina.
hold out for the fancy breville pot! although the zarafina is awesome it’s kind of a black box – i don’t know what temp each “tea” is – on the other hand, it is awesome for the busy person who had no time to check temp and set timer and pack lunch and brush teeth and feed the pets…..
You are so generous! If I had a 1 outta 3 ratio for stars I’d give it like a 30 lol:)
But… what I don’t like about the Breville is that it doesn’t dispense the tea (thereby removing the brewed tea from the steeped leaves) so if you “forget” about it, the tea continues to brew. So, for me, the Breville is really nothing much more than a fancy, programmable kettle… When you get the Breville, though, will you please let me know and give me a comparison? I have had my kettle now for about 4 years, so I think I can get some fancy-pants gadget that I don’t need for my birthday next month…… (this website is very very bad for me and my principles)
LiberTEAS, you’re just experiencing a paradigm shift… albeit a steepster induced paradigm sift, but a paradigm shift LOL:) I thank God for my paradigm shifts, I’m a much better person for them.
“Variable steeping times control the tea strength — strong, medium, or mild.
Tea Basket auto-raises at the correct time to prevent over-steeping.” I am not exactly sure when it’s being released though, but I will certainly review it in comparison to the zarafina as soon as I can get my grubby paws on one
Some time during May I believe… I have no clue what part of May though.
excellent, AmazonV. I’d like to hear which one you prefer and why to help me with my decision… Now… it’s a matter of explaining to hubby that this is what I want for my birthday. LOL
No explaination should be needed, it’s your birthday:) Although some men (of course NOT saying yours since I don’t know him) don’t get why women don’t want weed wackers for their birthdays lol.
He probably would understand why I want it… my tea fanaticism is pretty well known around here… (that’s an understatement)… but the task is in explaining why I want a zarafina (or breville) over say… a 29 dollar electric tea kettle like I have now. It’s kind of like explaining to him why Gyokuro is better than Bancha.
Oh… and please note – he is NOT a tea drinker and does not understand that one tea is different from another.
Eh I think the gyokuro vs. bancha would be a heck of a lot easier since you’re so anti gadget:)
true. But he doesn’t really see the anti gadget thing because I collect teapots and teacups… so he thinks I’m pro gadget. LOL
Does he really like coffee? woodworking? we can angle this….
He likes coffee… but he doesn’t drink it very often and his favorite is the instant stuff (is it called Via?) from Starbucks. Not so much into woodworking. He likes the Steelers.
Yep it’s VIA.
LiberTEAS, you could just do what I am planning copy his C.C. and order the new Breville and then make his favorite dinner and when he inevitably says
“This is sooo good what have I done to deserve all this?” then I will tell him he’s been stuck with the bill for the new Breville!
This is a joke but as in all comedy there is some truth in it. :)
drat, i was hoping your hubby would be into something like coffee so you could compare it to the nice alarm clock coffee makers LiberTEAS – bleh! the VIA is my emergency backup coffee, we have a burr and blade grinder and preferr fresh beans made in a french press or stove top espresso maker