985 Tasting Notes
Tea of the late morning……
More rounds with ‘old friends’. I know I had been through a short spot where Earl Grey did not appeal, but it was so short lived. I now seem to have come around again. I think it is seasonal in that I don’t drink much Earl grey in the Winter.
I do see again what I loved in this one. First of all, it is great tea. The base blend is really smooth and well rounded. The bergamot is definitely low on the ‘bergamotometer’ scale, but it works well for the base. It is more for the days when I just want great tea as opposed to a bright and strong Earl Grey. I am certainly reminded why I must always have some in the cupboard.
Usual teapot method.
Preparation
Tea of the morning……
It has been quite a while since I last had this tea. With all the new additions to my tea stash and all the samples I have been trying, this one simply just got buried in the back of the tea cupboard. It is always good to get reacquainted with an old friend.
This tea is so smooth. I get notes of apple and honey, plus just a dash of cocoa. I do have last year’s version, and it looks like it has gone up just a little in price. I recall 125g being about $16, and now it is $20. I do think I would take a chance on the new version when this is gone.
Usual teapot method.
Preparation
I know exactly what you mean with the additions to your tea stash and samples. I’ve been in exactly the same situation and am trying to not only at least taste most of the samples I’ve been getting, but still have the time to drink my old standbys! It’s surprisingly difficult to balance!!
Backlogging tea from yesterday afternoon….
This tea is from Tina S.. Thank you so much for sending this. I am always on the lookout for a good flavored green.
The sencha base is nice and smooth. It is a bit grassy, but not at all bitter. The mango flavor leans more tropical for me. Kind of more pineapple, but I did taste mango, too. I am thinking the name might use an update. It is funny how flavors of things sometimes end up tasting differently, even when you flavor a tea one way. The base definitely comes into play and can change the flavor just a little. All in all, a pretty good, refreshing tea, but nothing remarkable.
Teapot method at about 180F, 3 minutes.
Preparation
Second tea of the morning along with a spot of Downton Abbey…….
Downton Abbey on PBS is my television indulgence of the moment. I am always late to the parade for most great shows, so I am still stuck in Season 1 while most fans are eagerly awaiting Season 3. However, I thought a lovely pot of Earl Grey would be the perfect accompaniment to this fun show. A friend of mine actually noted that she could spend hours just watching the upholstery on the show, and I quite agree.
This tea was perfect. It seems to have a base of at least some Darjeeling. Definitely a bright Earl Grey kind of like Harney’s Viennese Earl Grey. This one was included in my Foodzie Box from LiberTEAs. Luckily, I requested Earl Grey teas be included, so I am set to have a different EG for every episode. Bliss!
Usual pot method, and it was gone very fast!
Preparation
I love Downton Abbey! I know what you mean, though. I’m stuck watching it on Netflix while my friends are raving about it on Twitter
Been following second season, but haven’t seen the first yet. Soon to be rectified.
As good as Cranford? I have been at a loss since we finished Return…
Hmm… I’ve never seen Cranford but I just read about it on IMDb and it sounds kind of similar. It’s more recent (the first episode takes place shortly after the Titanic sank). It’s soooo good though.
Thanks, I will have to check it out.
Cranford is very good, tons of cultural and historical references, excellent acting, and characters you would like to meet someday…much earlier, 1840’s and a time of major change for Britain. Fun to compare the same issues in the US another 25 years or so down the road.
Just reread the comment about spending hours watching the upholstery … ditto on the costumes!
Oh yes, the costumes, too!
@teawing….I must check out this Cranford, too!
I watch the Saturday afternoon cooking shows on PBS obsessively and they advertise Downtown Abbey quite regularly. I feel like I’m really missing out by not watching it!
This decides it. I’ve been meaning to start watching for what seems like months now, I feel like there’s so much buzz around it, and I keep hearing about it everywhere. It seems like something that would be up my alley, so I think I’m going to have to cave.
I love Downton Abbey, too! When hubby gave me a ring for our anniversary last year, I told him not to resize it because I was going to wear it on the middle finger of my right hand like Lady Mary! :)
Lord Grantham, I believe, was the ne’er-do-well stockbroker in Notting Hill (another favorite) … there was one little teeny piece where he cocked his head and said, “Well done!” and I suddenly had a craving to watch the brownie scene.
Backlogging tea of last evening……
I received this sample from Mercuryhime. Thank you! I am always excited to try things from 52Teas. I would buy more, but it is hard, sometimes, to spend the money if you don’t know exactly what you are getting. Other times, one is very adventurous and cost never really comes into play. Isn’t it funny how we are all so different, and even different as an individual depending on the day?
Anyway, this was good. It might be ‘order’ good, but it was definitely ‘nice change of pace’ good. The raspberry was the most present, then there was a creaminess, and then a bit of breadiness. I really did like it, and if I did not have about 5other versions of flavored honeybush in my cupboard. Then again, I do think I would order as I don’t have a berry one……
Teapot method for 7 minutes.
Preparation
Tea of the afternoon…….
And my first tea out of my Foodzie Box from LiberTEAS. OMG! What a wonderful box of samples! Really, this is a fabulous deal if you are new to tea, or have been around the tea table a few times. I received well over 20 samples, and only one out of the bunch is one I have tried (and I have tried a bunch of teas, and that particular one is an absolute favorite!) I highly recommend this for a fun tea adventure. I cannot wait to try them all.
This is the first tea I have selected. I purchased a gift for a friend from Mark T. Wendell last year. The service was great, and the friend loved the tea. I have not gotten around to ordering there myself, so I requested that LiberTEAs add some Mark T. Wendell if she had some. Here it is.
This is really good. It is a lightly smokey tea. Very well blended and rich. It kind of reminds me of Upton’s Lapsang Souchong Black Dragon. Both are perfect for beginning smokey teas. If I ever do order from Mark T. Wendell, I will probably get this one. TeaEqualsBliss called this Hu Kwa’s pretty little sister and suggested that it was lighter than Hu Kwa. I will probably have to check that out for myself at some point! Very good! Thank you for including it in my LiberTEAs Foodzie Box!
Usual mug method for 3 minutes.
Preparation
ahhhh, I’ve been wanting to try the Hu Kwa also but am afraid I’d end up hating it after buying a tin…
Well, I know who to share it with if/when I order. Oh, who am I kidding? It is “when”…..
lol – I would be glad to share an order with you if/when you place one. :)
If you order enough other tea from MTW you get a free sampler of a tea of your choosing. That’s how I first tried (and fell in love with) Hu Kwa. Now I need to try some of this Victorian Afternoon shiz. It sounds delicious.
I am so glad you’re happy with your box! :)
Amy oh/SimplyJen – If either of you want to try the Hu Kwa, I could send you some, though I need to find someplace to get something to seal it in. I have a half pound or so of loose-leaf and 50 teabags of it, so I have more than plenty to spare.
@narwhalclub – that would be awesome! maybe we can swap for something. Follow me so I can send you a P.M.!
Tea of the afternoon…..
Thank you so much to Indigobloom for this one.
This is a really nice chocolate tea. The notes are of dark chocolate which I think works so well with a tea base that is not particularly sweet on its own. I think this would stand up to milk if you wanted to add some. Very good, and it is always good to know what else to buy when you are getting your fix of Coconut Oolong!
Usual Mug method.
Preparation
Another tea of the afternoon……
Oh, Amy oh. You were right! This is good. Vanilla and almond flavors all wrapped up on a good black tea base. (Have you noticed that a flavored tea for me is so dependent on the tea base?) This is also my first tea from Simpson & Vail. They have been on my ‘to try’ list for quite some time. I love to see tea companies that have been around for a while….it shows they are doing many things right to have that kind of longevity. This one goes on the ‘to purchase’ list.
Thank you for the sample, Amy oh!
Usual mug method.
Tea of the afternoon……
And my first tea from this company courtesy of Amanda! Thank you, Amanda!
I will admit I was a little apprehensive when I first saw there was rooibos in the blend, but it really works here. It adds a richness to the black tea base. The chocolate and raspberry are pretty much one flavor rather than being able to pick out one over the other, which makes it well blended in my book. Very good! Definitely worth consideration for me!
Usual mug method.
Preparation
Tea of the morning…..
Now I am on to the last tea of my Talbott’s gift box. This one is still good, but again, not as good as the Chocolate Almond Allure. Definitely notes of strawberry and dark chocolate on Talbott’s rich tea base. I may even try milk with these at some point. I think the base can handle it well.
I have been pondering if I thought the regular price of the gift set would be worth it to me…… That is a tough one. I think if I had to pay full price for these, I would pick just the favorite of them and get a single tin if shipping were not an issue. However, for such a good deal (as the three tin gift set on clearance!), it is great that I have three teas that are good and enjoyable. Am I likely to repurchase any of the three? Probably not, unless the stars align for me again.
Usual mug method.
