25 Tasting Notes
This tea is a mixed bag for me. I didn’t taste any nutty flavor as other reviewers did. What I did taste was a buttery aftertaste with a very astringent flavor.
The astringency isn’t really pleasant, but it isn’t too bad either. It may turn some people off though. My wife definitely didn’t like it. It kind of reminds of the astringency of drinking a Darjeeling for example.
What is really odd is that the buttery taste seems to remind me of an orchid or green Oolong. Which is definitely good.
I’m torn between two flavors here….The astringency turns me off but the butteriness keeps me drinking.
I brewed this tea using the instructions. I brewed the first two infusions for two to three minutes at a temperature of around 175. I brewed the third time for 5 minutes with the same temperature.
I wouldn’t say I will never drink this tea again, but after this sample is done I definitely won’t buy anymore of this.
If you like the astringency of a black tea mixed with the buttery taste of a greener Oolong wrapped up in a green tea package this tea is for you.
Preparation
I like this tea a lot. I don’t love this tea. I see this tea as a very high quality green tea with a subtle flavor to it.
To me the flavor seemed almost nutty, but it was very hard to notice. There wasn’t much in the way of vegetal flavor, and as Teafreak states this is a tea for someone with a very advanced palate who is able to realize the subtle flavor.
I wouldn’t go as far to say that I wouldn’t let a beginner to green tea try this tea, I would just rather them try something else with more flavor and sweetness first.
To me the flavor is nutty but yet sort of metallic in nature, not in a bad way, just the same as a lot of really fresh Chinese green tea in my opinion.
The tea could grow on me and I will definitely drink it again soon.
The directions on the bag stated to brew it with 1 heaping teaspoon per 6 oz of water. I chose to use 2 heaping teaspoons plus 3/4 of a teaspoon for 16 oz of water which is the customary amount of water I use when brewing so either my wife can have a cup or I can have two instead having to re-brew so quickly.
The first steep I did as the directions stated and steeped for two minutes. The second I steeped for three to three and a half minutes. The third I steeped for about 5. The tea doesn’t really hold up all that well to more than two steepings as far as I gather.
Another thing I want to note is that the leaves are really hairy. The hair is a really fine hair, so fine that when i took the teaspoon out of the bag the hairs were sticking to the spoon due to the static electricity. They reminded me of iron filings and when I smelled the tea I think i got some of the fine hairs in my nose…lol
Preparation
I am in green tea mood lately. The description of this tea says that it has a sweet taste. They weren’t kidding. The taste is very hard to describe. The sweetness is there, It is an ethereal sweetness that you don’t really notice at first but the longer you leave it in your mouth the sweeter it becomes. It never becomes too heavy or even too sweet, at least on the first steep. It is just right.
The smell is hard to pin down. It is slightly floral, and I know I have smelled something similar before but what it smells like evades my memory right now.The liquor is very light green. The tea gives you a sort of calming stress float away sensation, just as it should.
I brewed it for 2 minutes at roughly 175 F, using two heaping tablespoons just as it said to use.
In summary, I am not a green tea expert but this is one of the most elegant green teas I have ever tasted. It is light and airy with an ethereal sweetness to it that only gets better the longer you leave it in your mouth.
Preparation
I don’t usually drink bagged tea due to the quality often being suspect, although this is actually not a real tea, an herbal tisane. I do like Tazo’s teas though. My wife bought this because at her work they make this with honey and she says it helps her sinuses clear out. What I thought about this tisane is that it was really really bitter, to the point of not being able to drink it, even with a tablespoon of honey. I would drink it every once in a while but not recommend it.
Preparation
Helps the sinuses? Wish I woulda had this in my stash this week! I bet adding ginger would even increase that effect.
If you want ginger you should try http://steepster.com/teas/rishi-tea/331-pu-erh-ginger It has too much ginger for me. It’s like the ginger slaps you in the face.
I had this one from a k cup sampler in the keurig coffeemaker i just bought. I have had earl grey before and this experience just jogs my memory as to why to never have earl grey again. The bergamot taste seems almost bitter to me when used to drinking other teas. I had to add milk to this tea and I never add milk to any tea because it reduces the effectiveness of the antioxidants. This is one that I would definitely not have again for a very long time.
Preparation
Guys, you shouldn’t base your opinion of bergamot on something like this tea. I wouldn’t be surprised if they use an artificial flavoring, not even the real oil. Give it another try, but make sure it is a high quality loose leaf tea next time. Good luck.
This tea is a very good black tea. It has the typical muscatel aroma and flavor. The key to enjoying this tea is to not over brew it or it becomes very astringent and somewhat bitter. I brew the tea using 2 heaping teaspoons per 16 oz of water and increase the steeping by 2-3 minutes each time at around 190F.
Preparation
This tea borders on black tea. It has a distinct slightly coffee like flavor, but is not as harsh on coffee. It does have a bit of a bitter finish, but nothing that I cant stand. If you like your oolongs dark this is the tea to try.
Preparation
This tea is a very good, and as the description says it is really hard to over steep it. It is less oxidized than most oolongs, at only 30-40 percent and it has a sort of golden buttery flavor. I tend to use a tablespoon per each 8 oz because I like my tea a bit stronger. A teaspoon just doesn’t give me enough flavor.
I have to say that this is one of my favorite teas. The mug has a slightly floral smell once the tea is drank. This is a very good tea which reminds me of the bagged black tea with milk which my mom used to make for me when i had a stomach ache as a kid(and yes I know this far from black tea).
Preparation
I decided to try a few teaspoonfuls of this tea because of reading about it on the forum. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not hate it. The mint is a bit too strong for me and leaves a tingle on my lips and tongue., but it also has a very calming effect. All in all I guess this tea wasn’t too bad. I would buy it again every once in a while if im in the mood.
Preparation
Oh clear and fragrant Tieguanyin. How do I love thee? Your taste is a mixture of buttery and creamy with a hint of nutty goodness. You unfurl more and more with each passing steeping revealing the red tinged tips of your carefully processed leaves. Your aroma is very slightly flowery when brewed and even more flowery before you are steeped. You are the perfect tea for making into an everyday oolong tea. You do not let me down with each passing infusion, as you still taste great every time.
I brew this tea at 180F for three minutes the first time then increase the subsequent time of each steeping by two minutes. I also tend to like my teas stronger so I use 1 heaping tablespoon per 8 ounces of water.
I honestly do think this is one of the greatest oolongs Ive tasted. When you taste the rich buttery flavor of the infusion I think you will definitely agree. This is a bit more floral than the traditional style tieguanyin.