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teataku drank Blood Orange Sorbet Oolong by Teavana

226 tasting notes

Hmm, apparently I haven’t rated this one yet, despite having had it for a few months and drunk it a few times. Husband and I made a pot of it last night to drink while watching an episode of Game of Thrones, season 4 (I know, we’re behind the curve, like usual). This tea seemed appropriate because there were a lot of Dornish people in this episode, and blood oranges grow in Dorne. At least, we thought we remembered that from the books.

ANYWAY. Sniffing the loose tea is really a lot like smelling a bowl that has at one point contained sorbet. There’s a slight creaminess, along with some notes of mango and raisins and blood orange and a little apple. We steeped it for about three minutes (I forgot to start the timer right away…), since it’s a pretty green oolong base and we didn’t want the fruit to outshine it. Alas, it seems those efforts weren’t fruitful (hurr hurr). The oolong really gets lost, but the tangy-sweet blood orange flavor is nice. It’s subtle, but definitely a different citrus than regular orange. It’s on the cusp of bitterness, but not quite there. I wish the blood orange would back off a little, so the oolong could actually be tasted underneath it, but perhaps someone else has a blend like that. We probably won’t buy this one again, but for now, I’m glad we have it. :)

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 45 sec 3 tsp 20 OZ / 591 ML

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I very clearly remember my first experience with tea. It was in a Target near my house, and my best friend handed me a cup of chai from the Starbucks inside the store and said, “Try this.” I believe I was about 12 at the time, and from then on, I was completely hooked.

Anyway, as my increasingly weirded out family will tell you, my obsession with tea has (almost) steadily escalated since then. I discovered the world of tea slowly, first with just chai, and then with bagged teas I could get from supermarkets and specialty stores, and then with loose leaf teas. I mostly shop for tea at Teavana, but I also patronize other local shops that I’ve discovered within the last couple of years. I’ve ordered a smattering of teas from a few online places, but I’m always leery of buying tea online, since most of how I select teas in person is by smell… unless I’m at The English Tea Room.

My favorite types of tea are blacks and flavored blacks. And oolongs. Right underneath that are rooiboses and whites, and then greens and herbals, and then mates. I’m always looking for a new favorite, but I appreciate rediscovering old favorites. I like to blend teas, but I never store them that way, mostly because I like to leave myself options.

I prefer nutty/sweet/rich teas to fruity/light-flavored teas or bold/full-bodied teas, but I do try to drink some of everything to widen my palate. I’m always willing to try any tea at least once (except this one tea that Teavana mercifully discontinued… the loose leaf smelled like cheese, I swear). I do perhaps rate teas a little leniently… because I’m not very picky. I will try a tea at least three times before I pronounce that I hate it, and I will always focus on the good aspects of a tea rather than the bad. That’s just how I roll. :3

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Colorado, USA

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