Mana Organics

April 1st Sip Down (Ode To Tea)

This tea is pretty satisfying for a morning straight black tea. This is just black tea leaves, that let off a light aroma. I like it better iced than hot, and would personally prefer a flavored black tea to enjoy, overall is not all that bad and can enjoy aa cup of this in the morning to wake myself up.

This came in my March Sips By box. I was kinda underwhelmed with mine this month (ugh, more turmeric — I should retake my quiz), but we’ll see how I like what I got.

The leaves are tiny and most are broken. They are very dark and fine. Teas like this are often very strong, so I was conservative with my teaspoon and my steep time.

The flavor is lighter than I expected, which is kind of a good thing. I’m getting notes of cocoa and toast. Well, maybe more like a honey biscuit than toast. While there is some astringency, I’m kind of surprised at how mild this tastes. Easy sipping first thing in the morning. All around, though, this is pretty middle-of-the-road. Nothing really stands out about it to me. But I’m happy to have it.

A lovely companion to my chocolate chip banana bread this morning. It tastes like honey and is light on the astringency. Super pleasant and agreeable.

I don’t have much else to add about this that other reviewers haven’t already said— it’s a nice, mild, non-astringent, honey-tasting Assam. It makes for a very pleasant, mild first-thing cuppa, on those days where you want to ease into your morning. I don’t get caffeine jitters from it either, which is also nice. The second steep is just as good as the first. Like someone else mentioned, I wouldn’t add any sweetener or milk/ dairy-free milk products to it, as it is mild enough on its own and might not hold up to either well. It’s not mind-blowing or restock-worthy, but it’s completely agreeable and inoffensive, and I’m glad I got to try it!

Came in a Sips By box.
Dry leaf smells of cacao and earth, very sweet and natural.
Steeps a nice reddish brown color.
Liquor smells of baked bread and hay.
Tastes bready and chocolatey.

Drinking the last of this. Still very pleasant. Only going for 2 steeps this time, for one because it’s almost 5pm and for 2, the third steep last time was pretty weak and I have fewer leaves in it this time since I’m using up my last of it.

Still a very pleasant Assam. If I didn’t have a plethora of black teas waiting in my cupboard already for me to get to them, I’d think about buying more, but alas I do.

This came in one of my Sips By boxes, but I don’t remember which one. A nice little Assam, quite pleasant and bold.

Picked this one out for my morning tea today.
Loved that it was nice and light, no bitterness or astringency.
Had a faintly honey-like taste to it.
Stood up well on it’s own, I think sweetener or milk would overwhelm it.

this is a nice malty/honey assam that was included in my Sipsby box this month. perfect for these colder mornings we’ve been having (bc texas, it’s colder in the mornings and then goes right into the mid-60’s to mid-70’s in the afternoons).

my cat, Spooky, is acting more and more like himself, which is such a damn relief. I took him to the vet this past Saturday, just for a re-check which was actually perfect timing because sometime between Wednesday evening (I took him to the vet AGAIN on Wednesday bc I could not COULD NOT get his tiny little pill in him bc he is old and awful) and Friday evening he licked his little arm (where they had shaved him to administer the fluids) raw! it was so red and awful looking and I felt so bad that I didn’t see it sooner :( they had to give him an antibiotic shot and a steroid shot (to help with the itching). but anyway, yes. he’s acting like himself, yelling for food and not giving a shit about my sleep schedule.

A sample from the Discovery TTB.

Very much enjoying this feisty honeyed Assam. Thanks to whoever added this to the box. Winner.

Sample from Nicole with my tea-historic order. I’ve had this a couple times and i am still enjoying it. It’s a little bold, but not overly so and the brew is tasty.

Count: 63

Noms. Another from Nicole this is a good every day sort of tea. Malty, not super bold, smooth…just a really well rounded tea. a really enjoyable cup. thanks again nicole!

I love that this is a family estate selling their own teas. I also love that the founder is a tea grower and a woman. It makes for a trifecta of unusual. They were super nice to chat with at WTE.

It’s nicely malty, moderately brisk and also smooth. Not sure about milk and sugar with it, it might just hide the tea flavor.

While I would prefer to have this in loose format, it’s a more than acceptable sachet that I would keep on hand. I am tickled that they now have a US site so I can get more than just this one sample!