Rivendell

Method: The first time, I made this exactly as the instructions stated. The tea had an amazing aroma, but the flavor was just too subtle for me. So today –
3/4 tbsp, 8 oz, 190 degrees, 3 minutes, brew in mug strainer, constellation cup

Aroma: This smells like some kind of sweet dessert. It has a very familiar aroma, but I can’t quite place it, which is driving me nuts!

Flavor: Sweet and fruity, again like a dessert. I want more. MORE!!!!! It’s lovely, but I definitely think I will do 1 full TBSP next time, and see how that tastes. I may increase the time also. I think this is lovely, but I could personally use a stronger flavor. In. Yo. Face.

http://instagram.com/p/ruS2mCPkd8/

Well I couldn’t review Golden Orchid today without reviewing Rivendell as well! I also had my first cup of this last weekend while at the lake, but logging the cup I’m drinking right now!

The dry smell is much more green, definitely that lovely Tieguanyin scent, minerally and fresh, and the vanilla adds a nice sweet smell in there too. Also a slight woody scent from the cedar. I followed Brenden’s brewing instructions again, 0.5 TBSP in 190 degree water for 3 minutes.

The brewed tea is light in color, and smells mainly of Tieguanyin, a good one at that! As for the flavor….mmmmmmmm, this really does taste good too. It’s light and has a definite mineral quality, a fresh stream over rocks. The vanilla is light and sweet here, not drippy and fudgelike as in GO. This one is light, so fresh. The cedar finishes with a light woodsy quality, bringing out some florals in the tieguanyin and putting in mind a clean forest.

This tea embodies Rivendell. It truly is pure, light, fresh, and magnificent. It evokes water over rocks, quiet forests, and soaring in crisp air. If I was an elf, this would be my drink of choice.

Overall, a very fine tea indeed. This brings about an immense sense of peace, and is not a tea you can rush through drinking. It needs to be enjoyed and savoured. Beautiful tea drawn from beautiful inspiration. And I love LOTR, so that is also a big win :D thanks again for a wonderful tea, Brenden!

After midnight, Lance is in bed sleeping and I’m awake in the tearoom, my favorite room. Tomorrow is an off day for us so I can stay up late as I want and with Tea in my mug, a furbaby at my feet and a notebook full of eBooks on my lap, I’m all set to read and sip for a while tonight.

With all the lights off except for my reading lamp and the radio off everything is nice
and quite, there no sounds at all in the tearoom except for rhythmic tick-tock of the
clock on the wall and the spontaneous snoring of the doggy, I can hear the sounds of
The crickets and the frogs outside.

A perfect atmosphere for sipping and reading, I’m sipping on Rivendell so I probably should have downloaded a LOTR book but I’m still reading Piers Anthony “If I Pay Thee Not In Gold”.
I think I’m going love this tea, it smells pretty good and I took a few tasty sips already,
it’s going to be nice for reading and relaxing.

I’m going read a bit and sip my tea and soak in some of this peace and quiet with out typing up tasting notes just yet, I will do it a proper review soon but for now I’m just going enjoy this.

Good night Steepster folks :)

OMG y’all. This tea is GOOD. No, GREAT. No, DELECTABLE! I was blown away despite the fact I was already expecting amazing things from Whispering Pines, obviously.

The leaves are dark green and tightly rolled, interspersed with cedar. So pretty! See?
http://instagram.com/p/rYOQWDqmzS/
Don’t fault the tea for my lack of instagramming skills. I’ve had an account for like 2 days.

The smell of the dry leaves is divine! I could not stop sticking my face in the bag for another whiff. It smells like a berry, but not one that is actually a real berry, wrapped in cream and vanilla. It brews up a light yellow green. The first steep tasted of sweet fictional berry (this is not a bad thing- trust me) and these berries come to you on a cushion of vanilla, cream, and butter. This is followed by a rush of pure, slightly mineral, spring water. This is what Rivendell water would taste like! The sip finishes with buttery toffee rolling in on a smooth, silky mouthfeel.

This tea has a lot to give, and I went for a second and third steep. I stopped because it was late and I need to sleep tonight. The 2nd infusion brought a more intense creamy vanilla berry element that replaced the buttery toffee finish. The third infusion had more cedar coming through, just peeking past the creamy berry goodness and a stronger pure mineral water finish.

This tea is my new precious. It’s a must buy!

Pure heaven in a cup! I love that this tea has teeny tiny cedar leaves peaking out from all the tea – its the prettiest tea Ive ever seen in the brewing basket, greens and purples mixed together in different shapes and textures. Once brewed it has some definite caramel and vanilla notes but its that soft woodsy cedar taste that compliments the tea flavors that really pushes this over the edge for me from a great tea to an amazingly awesome tea. Must not run out of Rivendell – must order more of this soon!!!

Well, this happened :)
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Rivendell is a majestic Elven outpost in Middle Earth, filled with lush vegetation, towering waterfalls, and clean, pure air.

Our Rivendell blend was inspired by this ethereal place. With a base of sweet Anxi Tieguanyin, roasted cedar leaves, and hand-cut Tahitian vanilla, this tea is the essence of purity.

Rivendell opens with the taste of cedar, cherry, and caramel flowing through a luscious sweet body. The middle of the sip coats your mouth with a nectar-like sweetness and hints at vanilla and chocolate, with a touch of pine nut and mineral, reminiscent of spring water that has flowed over miles of untouched granite. The finish is clean with hints of lilac and pear, leaving an aftertaste of cedar and caramel. It tastes as if the purest water in the world flowed through miles of sugarcane fields, scattered with nectar-filled lilacs and orchids, passed through a forest of cedar and cherry trees, then poured over a pristine granite cliff straight into your cup. It’s pure nectar and caramel with light florals, a hint of berries and chocolate, a touch of pine nut, and heady evergreen sweetness.

If there ever was a fruit fit only for the elves, this would be its juice.

Notes: Cedar, Cherry, Caramel, Vanilla, Mineral, Chocolate, Pine Nut, Lilac, Pear

http://whisperingpinestea.com/rivendell.html