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Round Two – SUCCESS!

This is the second tea from the Easter Hunt. This one tastes just like it smells. It smells like smooth honey pollen and tastes wonderful. I wouldn’t expect a flowing honey flavor.

I didn’t need any sugar which was great!

I think I might try adding some honey next time just for fun. I wonder how this would be iced too! Fortunately hubby picked some up for me so I have more to play with.

Thinking the new Chocolate Macaroon will be next, it smells so good!

FAILURE! I have never had a white tea go bitter on me … this is so bitter it’s undrinkable! I prepared according to David’s parameters and it failed. I still have two small samples that I can try different parameters but I don’t have high hopes.

I received this tea in a complimentary Steepster Select box.

I haven’t had too many Sencha teas. This one is very smooth. The first infusion was nice, not bitter, a nice vegetal flavor. The second infusion was surprisingly bitter. I shortened the next infusions and it was better , but not as good as the first.

I would love to try this cold brewed but I don’t have enough tea left and I didn’t love it enough to make a purchase.

I’m not sure if I underleafed this one or if it’s just not for me. I’m just putting this here to log it but might try again with more leaf if I ever get more

I was surprised by the nuttiness of this tea. I get strawberry in the aftertaste but just don’t think this one is for me. I even added a bit extra leaf as my sample was down to just bits.

Maybe my palate is just refining itself more towards unflavored teas….just don’t know.

Was very productive today…cleaned out two of my tea shelves. I mainly wanted to pull out teas that need to be cleared out. I found about 4oz of Yumberry Wulong separated it different spots. That is a clear sign I have too much tea.

So I figured I really need to sip down teas that are in baggies from swaps. This could have been in my cupboard for a year! I really have no idea when I got it.

Upon opening I really did not smell much in the way of jasmine or vanilla! In fact I really couldn’t smell even the tea base so had to come on here and look it up. Once brewed though I could clearly smell the jasmine and vanilla!

Being this sample is old I really don’t taste too much jasmine. In fact, I really dislike vanilla teas because tea companies don’t seem to pair them with the right black base. This is perfect in both regards. I’m definitely going to get some of this some day…fresher of course – lol.

I loaded up on theses pearls during David’s last sale. I use about 5 pearls per 16oz as I love strong jasmine. It’s nice to have a black base, I usually have green with jasmine. I’m having a sipdown on this small bag because the seal broke and I don’t want to put them in a tin. I’ve been brewing western style, too busy for gonfu, and can get about 2 steeps from them and still have the jasmine. I could probably brew 1-2 more times to enjoy the black base.

These pearls have a nice smooth jasmine, not perfumey. The black base is very tasty and has never gone bitter on me. I found brewing at 208 degrees tasted better than 195…for 3 minutes.

Made a cuppa this one this morning. I do get a tiny touch of orange and smoke, but the oolong base just seems very blah to me. I’m not sure if sugar would help liven it up or not, but I’m not going to bother trying.

I received this in a swap long ago but had forgotten about it! It had a nice smooth jasmine flavor without the tea base overpowering it. I prefer my jasmine a bit stronger so I won’t purchase it personally but would definitely give as a gift if trying to introduce someone to jasmine.

Couldn’t wait to try this “new to me” jasmine tea. The fresh leaf smells vegetal but I do not get any jasmine from them. There are beautiful flowers mixed in with the tea.

I steeped this for 3min at 175. I did not get any bitterness from this steeping. This tea has a nice smooth vegetal flavor. However, Iam not happy that I get NO jasmine from this tea! I’m not sure why there is no jasmine. Maybe they sent me an old batch?

Good as a green tea but a waste of my money being there is no jasmine flavor, the main flavor in the title!