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Steep Information:
Prepared in store, paper cup and t-sac
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: Smell apple cinnamon
Flavor: Sweet more cinnamon than apple but mostly black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: Bark
Liquor: Translucent dark brown

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/tbar-loose-leaf-black-tea-cinnamon.html

Steep Information:
Amount: entire sample
Water: 1000ml boiling water
Tool: Swivel Teapot
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: I forgot! I was too excited.
Steeped Tea Smell: chamomile, lemongrass, citrus, mint
Flavor: lemongrass, chamomile
Body: Light/Medium/Full
Aftertaste: mint
Liquor: translucent green-yellow

Gift from TeaEqualsBliss, thank you.

It’s OK, it’s nicer than plain chamomile but not anything special.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/compass-teas-loose-leaf-herbal-tisane_27.html

Steep Information:
Prepared and served in a teapot with a t-sac with a dish for the leaves when steeped enough.
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: lightly floral, very vegetal
Flavor: vegetal, silky
Body: Light
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: translucent brown-green

It started out very weak, and got good and vegetal floral, then I let it steep a little too long and it got bitter.

Too weak for me.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/tbar-loose-leaf-green-tea-osmanthus.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 6 tsp
Water: filtered, boiling ~22oz
Tool: Cast Iron Teapot with Mesh basket strainer in cup
Steep Time: a little over 6 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: fennel, lemon, spices
Steeped Tea Smell: lemon, fennel, hints of ginger, smoother
Flavor: ginger tang, lemon, sweet
Body: Full
Aftertaste: strong fennel flavor that coats the toungue
Liquor: translucent dark red-brown

I did not like the aftertaste, if it wasn’t so strong and bitter I think I would have liked the tea more.

June 2010 tea judging panel

“The result of our tea judging panel was a close one! After some thoughtful reviews and discussions, Art of Tea is proud to announce that we will be moving forward with the most well-received blend, tea #2 (the one consisting of tulsi, fennel, neem, lemon myrtle, apple, green rooibos, ginger). It will be called Vata, and the release date is set to be sometime in October as part of our new Ayurveda line introduction.”

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/art-of-tea-loose-leaf-herbal-tisane-q2.html

Steep Information:
Prepared in store. Served in a teapot without leaves and a small cup.

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: Honey and black tea
Flavor: Black tea, sweet
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: none
Liquor: hard to see in the dark lounge

MilitiaJim ordered this tea with the Wasabi Caesar Salad w/ Wild Smoked Salmon (Organic hearts of romaine, wild smoked salmon, shaved parmesan, garlic, croutons, & Caesar dressing w/ a wasabi kick)

Post-Steep Additives: MilitiaJim experimented with both the provided brown sugar and cream.

Ordered at the Zen Valley location for dinner with Squash Dumplings w/ Dipping Sauce (Handmade vegetarian squash dumplings w/ spicy sesame-soy sauce).

We were seated in the upper area in the back at a table for two. The back area was dimly lit. The place was a very relaxed atmosphere with an attentive staff. We purchased a tin of Russian blend and tea oil to take home (sadly the tea oil was confiscated by the TSA because we forgot to mail it home or check a bag). The place was not very busy, there were two other couples there when we first arrived for dinner Saturday night.

I enjoyed the other Samovar lounge location more and would prefer to return to Yerba Buena Gardens rather than this one. We did not get to try the Mission-Castro location.

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/samovar-loose-leaf-black-tea-breakfast.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: boiling, 12oz
Tool: kati loose tea system
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes (http://steep.it)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Cardamom, clove, POW!
Steeped Tea Smell: cinnamon, peppercorn
Flavor: bake-y, cinnamon, cardamom
Body: Full
Aftertaste: ginger
Liquor: barely translucent dark brown

You can see all the spices, whole cardamom pods, whole cloves, it looks lovely.

I wish I had soy milk at work to make a latte with this.

When I received this with some other packages for review it came with a handwritten note. I love that i got a hand written note! It makes me smile when people include notes in packages. The note gave a little information on the Arbor Teas commitment to the environment – including information about their 100% backyard compostable packaging. The note was printed with vegetable-based ink on FSC-certified paper containing 100% post-consumer waste and processed chlorine-free.

This tea is organic and Fair Trade Certified. That would be worthless if the tea was not good, but this tea is delicious so it’s an added bonus for everyone. It is a lovely tea and only missed out on a 100% rating because it’s not something I MUST keep stocked at all times.

Post-Steep Additives: +2 honey sticks

Cha/chai is/means tea to most of the world, so I’ll say spiced teas are my favorite, I have one at Starbucks every day

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/arbor-teas-loose-leaf-black-tea-masala.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 5.8g
Water: 750ml 180°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 4 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: chocolate
Steeped Tea Smell: chocolate
Flavor: bakey, lightly vegetal, smooth, a little malty
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet
Liquor: translucent light orange brown

Resteep: 5 min, 750ml 180°F
The same, but fuller

Did not have time for a third steep.

Delicious oolong, not as loved as I love my Zealong, but a nice runner up.

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/thepuritea-loose-leaf-oolong-tea-red.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: lavender, bergamot
Steeped Tea Smell: lavender, bergamot, floral
Flavor: floral, bergamot, black tea
Body: Full
Aftertaste: bergamot
Liquor: translucent light brown, amber

Too much lavender for me, but i like how the chrysanthemum plays into the earl grey.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/mad-pots-of-tea-loose-leaf-black-tea.html

Steep Information:
Brought out in a nice cast iron teapot and coaster
Amount: 1 teabag
Tool: Cast Iron Teapot with Mesh basket strainer
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: Orange with cinnamon, clove
Flavor: Orange with cinnamon, clove
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: none
Liquor: translucent orange

A very festive (orange and clove) holiday drink.

The water and teapot were not hot enough to start sadly.

I ordered this when my mother and I went out to dinner at P.F. Chang’s.

If I had to guess, after googling, I think that P.F. Chang’s uses Revolution Tea

Resteep: Weak, water, undrinkable

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/pf-chang-teabag-herbal-tisane-citrus.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml filtered water 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: banana runts, hint of walnut
Steeped Tea Smell: walnut, banana runts, black tea, butter
Flavor: bitter black tea
Body: Full
Aftertaste: astringent
Liquor: translucent dark brown

(1/4)

Try 2

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml filtered water 280°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: banana runts, hint of walnut
Steeped Tea Smell: walnut, banana runts, black tea, butter
Flavor: astringent black tea, walnut
Body: Full
Aftertaste: astringent, bitter
Liquor: translucent dark brown

(1/4)

Try 3

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml filtered water 205°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: banana runts, hint of walnut
Steeped Tea Smell: walnut, banana runts, black tea, butter
Flavor: astringent black tea, walnut, banana, bake-y
Body: Full
Aftertaste: astringent, bitter
Liquor: translucent dark brown

(2/4)

Try 4

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 750ml filtered water 205°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: banana runts, hint of walnut
Steeped Tea Smell: walnut, banana runts, black tea, butter
Flavor: astringent black tea, walnut, banana, bake-y
Body: Full
Aftertaste: astringent, banana
Liquor: translucent dark brown

So try 4 was the best, I got walnuts and banana and black tea, and it was a nice cup, however no butter!

Thanks Rachel for the prep tips.

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/52teas-loose-leaf-black-tea-hot.html